Monopoly Signature Token Collection

Overall, this is a great set. From the feel of the box and playing board to the minor details the instruction booklet, there is a definite feel of quality compared to your run-of-the-mill Monopoly game, which makes this a great value when compared to other (much more expensive) collectors and limited edition sets.SUMMARY, For those that don't care to read my novel below: Even with the shortcomings, I still come out feeling like this was a great deal. Whether you're a collector, someone who just appreciates a nice looking Monopoly game, or someone looking for an Monopoly set for your family, this set can fit the bill for all of those. Of course if you're collecting or wanting to keep the set looking new, I don't recommend playing it as I mention below, I simply don't think it would hold up well to playing and still looking pristine.But that isn't to say that it isn't durable or won't hold up to general play - this could easily function as "simply a nice looking black and gold Monopoly set with a huge amount of tokens that all fits in a metal tin for compact storage" if you want to pick it up as your family's go-to Monopoly set, and it'd do just fine. The board is just likely to show some light scuffs and scratches from use that may or may not bother some people, but could be a detraction to someone looking to both show off _and_ play with the set.But for the price? It's really hard to go wrong here. On average this set is going for the same or less than a typical Monopoly themed set, and the appearance, nice touches and collectable tokens strike a good balance that looks like a much more expensive set without breaking the bank.-------------------------------First, the good:The box itself is not really a complete box at all, but instead features an open faced front with clear plastic covering the game (which itself is housed in a collectable square tin box emblazoned with the Monopoly signature logo on the cover). The right side of the front is a folding compartment which contains all of the playing tokens, which are also covered with clear plastic panels. This combination adds up to a box that can be easily displayed on a shelf without it looking tacky. When closed, the compartment secures to the left side with a small velcro circle and features the Monopoly "M" emblem and a variation of the standard Monopoly logo stamped in gold foil on the cover.The outside of the box as well as the corner inserts (indicating the age and the inclusion of 64 tokens) have a nice sueded feel to them and all writing is also gold foil stamped, adding to the quality feel of the set. The clear panels are all held in place at multiple points by clear circular seals that ensure the game remains intact until you're ready to open it.After removing the panels and opening the tin box, you're presented with a rather interesting sight - a white, long, rectangular insert diagonally across the board to help support the tin cover and prevent it from being dented during shipment - a nice touch. There are also cardboard inserts around the perimeter of the tray to minimize movement and rattling during shipping. Packaging materials aside, the first thing you see is the matte black surface of the quarter-fold playing board, again with the gold foil stamped logo and sueded feel to it. Although you're technically looking at the bottom of the board, care was taken to ensure that both sides of the board were finished and had a quality feel. Like the box, the board also features gold foil writing and accents throughout, in addition to vivid coloring that makes for some very nice contrast with the black background.Under the board lies a storage tray, which features the standard slots for holding money during gameplay, as well as spots for cards, dice and tokens while stored. Under the bag of houses and hotels, however, you'll find a nice cloth bag intended for storing those items later, which also features the Monopoly signature logo on one side. The instruction manual is also included in a clear plastic bag, which seems a bit overkill until you take it out to find that it also feels sueded and features a sewn binding down the edge, that while unnecessary adds some nice design flair to an otherwise often ignored aspect of a good board game.-------------------------------Of course, it's not all sunshine and rainbows:The sueded paper and gold foil accents on the outside of the box are nice, but unless someone has taken pristine care of your box and hand carried it from the factory to your waiting arms, chances are that there are scuff marks, tracks, scratches, fingerprints and oil smears, tears or knicked corners throughout. These may or may not be bad, depending on the individual box, but they're practically unavoidable due to their exposure. Some shrink wrap may have at least protected them slightly, though even then it's hard to expect the box to hold up without some imperfections.The clear panels are a bit of a pain to remove gently, let alone to replace once removed. Not impossible, but the corners are open so they tend to flex around a bit making things difficult. The sueded material of the board has the same shortcomings as that of the box - while the sueded paper feels awesome, it's naturally a bit more susceptible to getting easily scuffed and scratched, and readily shows fingerprints and smear marks from oils on your skin. So while an unplayed board looks great, don't expect the board to hold up to much more than very gentle playing and still look as good.As others have noted, the weight of the dice and houses/hotels is a bit off, and with playing I fear the finish on them might easily wear down a bit. The gold finish on most of the tokens could also suffer from a similar issue, though that may not be as likely. The tokens are a bit difficult to remove and replace with the plastic inlay that they are pressed into, and the feel of both that inlay and the storage tray is rather cheap compared to the rest of the set. Finally, a bit of a nitpick, but the packaging materials in the tin, while a nice touch for protection, could have been better integrated into the set (e.g. black cardboard materials, precision shaping them to better fit the tin) both for aesthetics as well as making it easier to keep them in place to protect the set if you wanted to replace them for storage rather than disposing of them.-------------------------------If you've read this far, you probably know my opinion by now, and I'm assuming you like Monopoly sets enough (or are looking for a gift for someone who does) to at least care to read this. So stop reading and go click the Add to Cart button. It's hard to go wrong with this set at this price.

This is a wonderful edition of the classic Monopoly board game. The 64 tokens come in two large trays, with each token having its own dedicated spot for storage. This makes keeping track of all those little pieces extremely easy. The majority of the pieces come in gold, but to pay homage to the original version there are 8 classic tokens that come in silver.The money is specifically customized for this edition of the game, which makes it feel all the more special when you start playing. There is a cloth bag to keep houses in, and the houses themselves are very plain wooden pieces. The property cards are fairly standard, but to make organizing them easier for the banker there is a tray with slots for each property type. Similarly the money can be arranged by denomination in an extension of the same tray.The Chance and Community Chest cards are nicely faced with black and gold. They still carry the same tales of woe and/or fortune, depending on your luck. The board itself is the classic layout, but has a rich look and feel to it. The black background and gold trimming with fantastically contrasting property colors add tremendous aesthetic appeal. It feels as though the board has a matte, velvety finish to it. This sets it far apart from other gaming boards that I have handled, and it truly makes you feel like you are getting a product above the rest. If the board didn't accomplish this, the storage tin certainly did. It comfortably houses all the pieces and trays, and while it will take up more space than your average board game, there is no mistaking what is within. It is of solid build and quality, as is the game that it contains.The only shortcomings that I can find are few but they take away slightly from the rich feel of this otherwise great product. First is the use of plastic for the the token display trays, specifically the clear plastic layer that holds them down. Opening the trays to get the pieces out proves difficult and on more than one occasion the lid would come loose suddenly, resulting in pieces flying free. The dice included look like they belong with the set, but are extremely lightweight plastic. I would have expected something with a little more heft and substance. The fact that the houses are made out of wood was a little disappointing as well. They almost don't seem to fit with the rest of the set. To me, the houses should have been made out of the material the dice were, and the dice made of a lighter version of the tokens. Lastly, the money being one-sided just doesn't seem right and an easy fix to give it an extra dose of quality.Despite all this, I would still recommend this to anyone looking for a special edition of the classic board game. It truly is a cut above the rest and you can feel it in multiple ways when playing. The organizational trays make setting up and storing the game a breeze. All in all this is a great buy.

This is a great "step up" monopoly set for an enthusiast. We love the board design, but it does lend itself show finger smudges a bit more since it's black matte. The abundance of tokens makes it fun for younger players to choose their player- perhaps even swap it out during the game. Golden dice are a nice touch. The real score here is the functionality of the inner tray. Money and properties stand in an organized compartment fashion to make the banker's job easier. The instructions that come with this set are amazing- granted they've had about 80 years to refine these. Deed cards are laid out very well too. The rent value if a monopoly is owned is listed, instead of doing the doubling math in your head. Great for younger players. The amount needed to un-mortgage the property is also listed, so little ones don't have to do the 1.1X calculation.Gripe I have with this set is the same for any Monopoly set- money should be a thicker quality stock since it's handled frequently. This is a very nice set, and it's a shame to see the money wear so quickly with folds/bends etc.. And the display case is nice for the tokens, BUT it's not rugged enough for every day usage. After the 2nd play, we ended up removing all the tokens, placing them in the supplied pouch, and storing everything in the tin. The display case was put up in storage to keep it nice. Overall a great transition set before you drop hundreds on the next level up :)

For the price I paid I expected product to come in better condition. Missing velcro, corners damaged, very unhappy