Sure, you’ve played the game of Monopoly a million times like most people, but have you ever really given much thought to the infamous Monopoly man of the game?
Probably not, but we’ve have!
And, we did loads of research to bring you all the useless facts you could ever want about this iconic board game mascot.
Keep reading for some interesting Monopoly man facts.
What Is The Name Of The Monopoly Man?
Did you know that the Monopoly man has an actual name other than “Monopoly man?”
His name has been Rich Uncle Milburn Pennybags, or simply Rich Uncle Pennybags since his creation in 1936.
However, in 2001 his name was officially changed to Mr. Monopoly by Hasbro for the new millennium.
Of course, people still call him by both names, as well as simply the Monopoly guy.
Does The Monopoly Man Wear A Monocle?
One of the most hotly debated topics around the game of Monopoly is if the Monopoly man wears a monocle.
Some people swear that he does, or at least that he used to.
While others swear that he does not wear a monocle, and never has.
What gives?
Since entering pop culture in 1936, the Monopoly man has NEVER worn a monocle on any of the game boards or packaging.
Crazy, huh?
In case you are one of those people who swears that Rich Uncle Pennybags wears a monocle, then take comfort that you are not alone.
So, why do we remember the Monopoly man has a monocle?
Plenty of people, like you, are experiencing the Mandela Effect when it comes to the Monopoly man and his monocle.
Not familiar with the Mandela Effect?
It is the name given to the phenomenon where a group of people share the same experience of a false memory.
In this instance, that false memory is that Rich Uncle Pennybags has always worn a monocle, when he has not.
The simple explanation as to why so many people are convinced that he wears a monocle is due to the fact that the Monopoly man looks a lot like Mr. Peanut, the Planters character.
Who Created The Monopoly Man?
While he is not the creator of the game, Franklin “F.O.” Alexander is the person who is responsible for the design of Mr. Monopoly.
A political cartoonist, Alexander created the illustrations for Rich Uncle Pennybags ( as well as Jake the Jailbird, and the “Go to Jail” Officer Edgar Mallory) back in 1935, before the board game was released to the public.
While that is a cool story, what’s not cool is that Alexander was never paid for his work.
Who Is The Monopoly Man Named After?
Would it surprise you to learn that the Monopoly man is based on a real person?
The Monopoly man is based on the famous New York City banker J.P. Morgan.
Though some have suggested that Mr. Monopoly is based on German financier Otto Kahn, that is simply not true.
In fact, a a former Vice President at Parker Brothers, Phil Orbanes, said in an interview that the Monopoly man was definitely based on J.P. Morgan.
So, that confirms it!
Rich Uncle Pennybags is based on J.P. Morgan.
How Tall Is The Monopoly Man?
At one point, there was a 30-foot tall version of Rich Uncle Pennybags inflated in Victoria in Canada for everyone to see.
Of course, we do not have an official height for Mr. Monopoly, but we can give you a pretty accurate guess.
Since the Monopoly man is based off the real-life person J.P. Morgan, then we can assume that Rich Uncle Pennybags is the same height.
That means that the Monopoly man is 6 ft 2 inches tall.
How Rich Is The Monopoly Man?
We already know that he was originally known as Rich Uncle Pennybags, but just how rich was he?
Well, Parker Brothers has never really said, but Forbes did take a stab at guess his wealth.
According to Forbes, the Monopoly man is worth $7.1 billion dollars, and we amassed his wealth in real estate (obviously).
And if you want to know how rich was J.P. Morgan, who the Monopoly man is based on, he amassed a fortune worth $80 million dollars while he was alive.
Who Is Richer, Scrooge McDuck Or The Monopoly Man?
Since we’re talking about fictional rich characters, you have to be wondering who has the higher net worth – Rich Uncle Pennybags or Scrooge McDuck.
According to Forbes, Scrooge McDuck is richer than the Monopoly man.
Way richer, in fact.
Forbes estimates Scrooge McDuck’s net worth to be $65.4 billion dollars, while the Monopoly man is worth $7.1 billion dollars.
How Old Is The Monopoly Man?
Again, Parker Brothers has never really said how old Rich Uncle Pennybags actually is.
In 2006, Forbes made up that the Monopoly man was 71 years old.
However, we can assume that since he was created in 1935, that the Monopoly man was born in 1935.
With that in mind, his age would be 87 years old in 2022.
Of course, he was already an older man when he was portrayed on the board game, with a white mustache, so who knows how old he was supposed to be at the time of creation!
Though most people think Rich Uncle Pennybags is somewhere between 60 years old and 80 years old.
Is The Monopoly Man The Pringles Man?
There seem to be a lot of people who think that the Monopoly man and the Pringles man are the same person.
But no, the Monopoly man is NOT the Pringles man.
However, they do both have handlebar mustaches and a cheery looking disposition.
The Pringles man actually has the name of Julius Pringles.
Who Played The Monopoly Guy In Ace Ventura?
If you’ve seen the Jim Carrey movie Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls, then you likely remember that there is an actor in it dressed up like the Monopoly guy.
That actor was Michael Reid MacKay.
Note that he did wear a monocle in the movie, which may be partly to blame for people thinking the Monopoly guy always had a monocle.
Is Monopoly Man Public Domain?
While the Monopoly man was created in 1936, he is not in public domain use.
That is due to the fact that he is trademarked.
The Monopoly Man Has Appeared In The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Did you know that the Monopoly man has been regularly making appearances as a giant balloon in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
While he hasn’t made as many appearance as Snoopy, he is a regular in the parade.