Board games can be one of the most nostalgic items, as many of us have particular games we remember loving as kids. These simple games bring everyone together for family fun, but unlike classic movies, they can be hard to find years later.
If you find one of your childhood board games in the basement from before 2000, check its value before tossing it out. Some rare vintage board games are worth thousands.
1. Settlers of Catan 3D Collector’s Edition
Settlers of Catan is still a popular game that people get really into. Players can take the game to the next level with the 3D edition, allowing you to play on more realistic terrain. This game comes in a pretty wooden box and can cost between $800 and $1,500, depending on the condition.
2. Dark Tower
Dark Tower is a fantasy board game that involves wizards, magic, fighting, and more. The game came out in 1981, featuring a central tower piece you play around. It’s a complex game that many enjoy, and because of its current rarity, the game sells for over $500 nowadays.
3. The Elvis Presley Game
Teen-Age Games, Inc. came out with The Elvis Presley Game to honor the King of Rock and Roll in the 1950s. It’s a trivia game involving player pieces and a board, so it’s not for people unfamiliar with Elvis. The unorthodox game has sold for around $1,500 at collector auctions.
4. Lost in Space 3D Action Fun Game
This fascinating board game features three levels you play on, each offering a different space adventure. Based on the TV show Lost in Space, the game emerged in 1966 and quickly became popular among fans. It can be sold for around $400 in good condition.
5. Sidney Mobell Monopoly
This one is insane. A jeweler named Sidney Mobell handcrafted this version of Monopoly using gold, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds. The 1988 board game is not for sale, but it’s valued at $2 million, making it one of the most valuable board games in existence.
6. 71 Board Games!
The 71 Board Games! game is supposed to be 71 board games in one, making family game night easy and diverse. While many people have never heard of this 1969 board game collection, some have nostalgia for it, paying close to $1,000 for an antique version.
7. Haunted House
Haunted House was a board game made by Ideal in 1962. Technically, it’s not a board game because you play and move pieces throughout a 3D house, but it’s classified as a type of board. This spooky game, featuring bats, ghosts, and secret doors, is valued at around $500.
8. Swift Meats Game
Swift Meats Game is an unusual game that came in packages of hot dogs sold by the Swift Meats company. It featured baseball player cards that stood up and could be played against one another. Because it wasn’t a stand-alone game that wasn’t released independently, it’s rare and worth over $2,600.
9. The Game of Goose
The Game of Goose is valued at over $600 and can be extremely difficult to find. The 1930s game works like Shoots and Ladders but involves geese, bridges, plants, dogs, bunnies, and other natural elements. Apparently, Italian versions are worth even more than English ones.
10. Gay Monopoly
Yes, this is precisely what it sounds like. Gay Monopoly is not an official Monopoly game, but it was released in 1983 by the “Parker Sisters,” who remain a mystery. The game, worth over $600, was a protest against homophobia and gay erasure in 1983, and Parker Brothers ended up suing the creators.
11. Im Wintersportparadies Board Game
This mouthful was released in 1934, and many fell in love with the stunning and cozy artwork of people skiing at a casual resort. It’s a German game worth almost $1,500. Players travel down the wintery path and participate in various winter sports competitions.
12. The Shadow Board Game
The Shadow Board Game was based on The Shadow, a 1930s scripted radio show. Of course, radio shows didn’t last long once TVs came around, so many have forgotten about the show and game altogether. Finding this game is rare, and people will pay close to $2,000 for it.
13. Disneyland Game
The Disneyland Game is basically what it sounds like — a board game where you can play with all the iconic Disney characters. The game came out in the early 1950s before Disneyland and Disney World existed, so the board was the only Disneyland people knew. People estimate it’s worth around $500 today.
14. Risk 40th Anniversary Edition
Risk is still a popular game, and you can buy it for around $30, but the 40th Anniversary Edition will cost you over $300. The special edition came out in 1999, and fans of the game were very excited. It’s not too hard for collectors to find nowadays, but it is still one of the most valuable games.
15. Transogram Jonny Quest Board Game
The Transogram Jonny Quest Board Game was supremely popular among fans of the TV show. The game came out in 1964, and people are willing to pay around $1,000 for it, even for versions missing a few pieces. The vintage game is tricky to find, and Jonny Quest fans will pay crazy sums to own it.
16. 3D Monopoly: New York Edition
3D Monopoly: New York Edition is the classic Monopoly game with elevated board pieces and New York-themed spaces. While it may not seem remarkable, Monopoly enthusiasts consider it valuable and will pay as much as $1,000 for a pristine edition.
17. Fortune
Another game worth a humble fortune is Fortune! It features a small board where players can buy materials, sell items, make money, and more. The core of the game involves economics and business practices. The 1930s game is worth roughly $1,400 at auction.
18. Outrage! Deluxe
Outrage! isn’t too old, as it came out in the early ’90s. And you can find traditional game versions for just a few dollars! However, the Deluxe version, which features a board on top of a fancy storage box, is worth around $25,000. It’s fitted with rubies, sapphires, and gold pieces.
19. The Landlord’s Game First Edition
The Landlord’s Game seems like a knock-off version of Monopoly, but people speculate that it was actually the first iteration of Monopoly. It came out in 1904, and its immense rarity makes it difficult to determine its value. But people estimate it would sell for at least $50,000, possibly as much as $120,000.
20. Inflation Board Game
The Inflation Board Game is also similar to Monopoly, and it’s puzzling why someone would want to play a game that celebrates inflation. Charles Joseph Carpenter Games released the game in 1974, and it’s sold for close to $1,000 at auction. Sadly, many versions are damaged or missing pieces.
21. Disney’s Haunted Mansion Game
The Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyworld is one of the most popular attractions, so in the 1970s, Walt Disney released a board game version. The nearly 50-year-old game is rare and tricky to find because many other iterations have come out, but it’s likely worth at least $300.
22. Keywood
Keywood is similar to Settlers of Catan, where players try to control as much land on the board as possible and set up villages. The game involves politics, farming, trading, taxes, and more. It came out in 1995, but only 200 copies were made, so the value is around $1,200.
23. Be a Manager
This 1967 board game is about managing a baseball team, and the board layout is a baseball field. It comes with 200 different baseball player cards that you use against your opponent to win the game. Many existing versions are in poor condition, so people will pay over $1,400 for a mint version.
24. Boris Karloff’s Monster Game
This spooky game was popular in the ’60s and based on Boris Karloff’s performance as Frankenstein’s monster. Players move through the game and must avoid or defeat monsters that pop up. While it’s a straightforward game, people will pay around $500 for a vintage version.