Web vote to give Monopoly piece the boot

Makers of the Monopoly board game have announced that one of the metal playing pieces is to be replaced.

Hasbro has said it wants to swap one of the iconic pieces for something that "reflects the interests of today's players".

The decision over which of the eight tokens — iron, racing car, thimble, shoe, top hat, battleship, Scottie dog and wheelbarrow — will never pass Go again is to be made in a Facebook vote.

There will also be a poll on which new piece should be added. The options are a diamond ring, guitar, toy robot, cat or helicopter.

The voting ends on February 5. Bookies say the wheelbarrow is favourite to be ousted because of its “unstable board play”.

The favourite to stay is the racing car. One explanation of how the pieces came about is that the young niece of supposed inventor Charles Darrow suggested he use metal charms from charm bracelets.

Monopoly sets with the new player piece will be released later this year.