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Pit Card Game, Bull and Bear Edition

Pit Card Game, Bull and Bear Edition

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Description
Parker Brothers developed The Pit card game in 1904, with this Bull and Bear edition dating between 1912 and 1915. Pit is a fast paced card game simulating the open outcry bidding system of the commodity exchange used at the Chicago Board of Trade which was known as the “Pit.” The original game consisted of seven commodities—wheat (100 points), barley (85 points), corn (75 points), rye (70 points), oats (60 points), hay (50 points) and flax (40 points)—which players would exchange until one player held nine cards of the same commodity and announced they have “a corner” on the market. The player gets the points for that commodity; doubling their points they hold the Bull, while the player holding the Bear loses 20 points. The game is played until a player reaches a set amount of points. Like many early 19th century games such as “Monopoly” or “Life,” Pit introduces children to modern American society in a fun and exciting way, bringing a small lesson into a youngster’s playtime.
Location
Currently not on view (instruction sheet 2)
Object Name
game, card
ID Number
1986.0814.11
accession number
1986.0814
catalog number
1986.814.11
Credit Line
Dr. Mary Eloise Green and Earle M. and Jewell S. Green
See more items in
Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
Cultures & Communities
American Enterprise
Exhibition
American Enterprise
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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