Playing With Money by Robert Bracey

Playing with Money by Robert Bracey 

In the early twentieth century there was a revolution in board games. Children’s games intended to teach morality were transformed into economic simulations aimed at adults. This book demonstrates how play and games reflect and shape our understanding of money, and explores the history of board games in the twentieth century. Why was a famous psychic so interested in the stock market? How did a feminist campaigner try to undermine capitalism with a game? And why has ‘German game’ become synonymous with a growing number of cafes all across the world dedicated to playing board games? 

Playing with Money is published to coincide with an exhibition of the same name, which runs from 18th April 2019 to 29th September 2019 in Room 69a at the British Museum. Drawing on the museum's extensive collection of early print and ethnographic games and 20th century board games, the exhibition focuses on how games depict the economy and their role as educational tools.