Board Game Prices in 1950: $1–$25 Range ($12–$300 Today)

No single price—varied by game, manufacturer, materials, and region.

Typical 1950 US Prices (Catalog/Ad Data)

Game Type	Price (1950 $)	2024 Equivalent*
Children's simple (Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders)	$0.98–$1.98	$12–25
Family classics (Monopoly, Scrabble, Clue, Risk)	$2.50–$4.95	$30–60
Deluxe / Wood components	$5.00–$10.00	$60–120
Premium (chess sets, mahjong, bridge sets)	$10–$25+	$120–300+

*CPI Inflation Calculator (BLS): 1950 → 2024 ≈ 12.3×

Context

Median household income (1950): ~$3,300/yr.
Monopoly (1950 Parker Bros): $3.00 = ~0.1% annual income.
Sold at: Department stores (Sears, Montgomery Ward), five-and-dimes (Woolworth), toy stores, catalogs.
Materials: Wood tokens/houses (pre-1958), cloth boards, metal tins for cards.

Collector Note

1950s games in complete, excellent condition now sell for $50–500+ depending on rarity. Monopoly 1950s editions: $80–200. Scrabble 1950s (wood tiles): $100–300.

For a specific game: check eBay sold listings, Warman's Board Games price guide, or BoardGameGeek Marketplace history.

Board Games