A prototype board game that collectors had long heard about but never seen has been found in an attic and is now on permanent display at the Museum of Board Games in Newent, in the Forest of Dean.
What the game is
Stop or Go is a road safety board game. Players throw dice and move counters along a grid towards the finish line, choosing whether to obey the Highway Code or take a chance. It was designed in the 1940s by the games company Pepys but was never put into production.
How it was found
Heidi Gibbs, from Norfolk, found what is believed to be a pre-production copy among her late grandmother’s belongings. It stood out because of its age and because it was in very good condition. The family has no known connection to Pepys, so how the game ended up in the attic is still a mystery.
After someone connected with Pepys board games looked at it and confirmed it was the missing game, Ms Gibbs decided to sell it to the museum so that board game fans could see it.
Why collectors are excited
Curator Tony Boydell called it the rarest Pepys game by a mile. The game was known about but had never been seen, and Rex Pitts, who wrote a history of the company, had never seen a copy. Mr Boydell thinks it may have been discarded because it involved an element of risk-taking.
The museum has bought the game, and it is now on permanent display.
Visiting the museum
The Museum of Board Games is in the Shambles Retail Village in Newent. Opening days can change, so check the museum’s Facebook page before you travel.
