You'd be amazed at how much collectors are willing to pay for a desirable board game. From luxury special editions and one-off prototypes to rare hard-to-find versions, check out 15 of the most valuable examples in the world.

The 40th anniversary edition of this geek classic has shot up in price since its launch back in 1999. Much sought-after by Risk fans these days, a mint condition version can fetch anything up to $878 (£657).

The deluxe anniversary version of the game features a redesigned world map, special edition set of dice plus metal, rather than plastic, figurines. Each set comes with a unique special edition number to guarantee authenticity.

A special limited edition of 2,000 designed by New York-based pop artist Charles Fazzino, this striking 3D Monopoly board showcasing the Big Apple is available via Winning Solutions and selling out fast.

The solid wood cabinet is fitted with a tempered glass top and covered with eye-catching 3D artwork. The board is decorated with over 170 crystals and foil accents, and comes with six bespoke playing pieces in quality pewter. A potential collector’s item of the future.

Star Wars enthusiasts will pay top dollar for this Hasbro board game from 2000. Based on the 2001 Phantom Menace movie, the game was released the previous year and originally retailed for under $100 (£75 in today’s money).

A super-complex strategy game for only the most committed – and wealthy – Star Wars nerds, the Queen's Gambit boasts 180 cards, 55 individual pieces, an imposing 3D Theed palace and a total of 16 dice.

This spectacular Lord of the Rings board game is selling for up to $2,955 (£2.2k). Released in 2010, the deluxe game originally retailed for $400 (£302), and only 1,500 English language copies were produced.

The comprehensive Collector's Edition comprises the basic War of the Ring game, as well as expansion materials, a leather-bound rule book, updated rules and beautiful hand-painted figurines.

The murder-mystery favorite has been given a luxurious makeover by Geoffrey Parker, the leading manufacturer of high-end board games. This upscale version is hand-bound in the finest calfskin leather.

The playing pieces are finished in fancy enamel and topped with quality sterling silver, while the billiard room area is detailed in genuine billiard cloth. Definitely one to keep well away from the kids.

General knowledge buffs with deep pockets may want to snap up Geoffrey Parker's decadent Trivial Pursuit set. This deluxe version is set on an inlaid calfskin leather board and embossed with gold.

Question cards are edged in gold leaf – a nice glitzy touch – and the question card boxes are bound in calfskin leather. The top of the range model even includes pies and segment playing pieces that are inlaid with silver.

Hasbro commissioned this light-catching Swarovski crystal-encrusted Scrabble board to mark the 60th diamond anniversary of the game. A total of 30,000 hand-selected twinkling crystals adorn the board.

The crystal-covered board was listed on eBay and eventually sold for around $20,000 (£15k). All proceeds of the sale were donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

A bejeweled collector's item, this blinged-out ultra-premium version of the official Tower of London board game is recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most expensive retail board game in the world.

Handcrafted from solid mahogany, the French-polished board contains gold leaf-edged game cards and a selection of exquisite playing pieces, including replicas of the British Crown Jewels in solid 18ct gold, which are studded with diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds.

This cutting-edge version of the classic Scrabble board game debuted at the Prague Mind Sports Festival in 2012. Decked out with state of the art technology, it cost a hefty $30,000 (£22k) to construct.

The carbon fibre-clad board is fitted with hundreds of RFID sensors and smart LEDs, which scan the board and transmit live gameplay data, so games can be live-streamed on the internet and analyzed in real-time.

Exactly the sort of treasure you'd want to discover gathering dust in the attic, this classic game, one of the inspirations behind Monopoly, was first produced in 1903, and these first editions are worth a fortune.

The game was invented by board game designer Elizabeth Magie in order to illustrate the teachings of economist Henry George and show how rents enrich property owners and make tenants poorer.

Legendary New York toy store FAO Schwarz produced a custom-made One-of-a-Kind Monopoly set in 2000, which sold for $100,000 (£74.8k). Tastefully designed, the luxurious rosewood board came with a swish Napolino leather case.

The playing pieces, houses and hotels were crafted from 18ct gold and the board was studded with emeralds, sapphires and rubies. And best of all, the playing money was real – the game included $15,140 (£11.3k) in hard US currency.

Engineer Charles Darrow is credited with popularizing Monopoly and creating the famous game pieces, typography and icons. Before he launched the familiar square board in 1934, he experimented with a round version made from oil cloth.

This early round version of Monopoly from 1933 was sold at auction in 2011 for a whopping $146,500 (£109.7k). Darrow made the first sets entirely by hand, drawing or typing the lettering and icons, and cutting the houses and hotels from strips of pinewood.

Partial to a game of classic backgammon? You'll need bags of cash to stretch to this ultra-opulent game, designed by Charles Hollander. The bejeweled backgammon set wows with 6.77kg of 18ct gold.

As well as dripping in fine gold, the game features over 60,000 diamonds totaling an incredible 2,000 carats. Extra-meticulous and detailed, the board requires 10,000 hours of labor and exquisite craftsmanship to make.

Created by San Francisco jeweler Sidney Mobell in 1988, the world's most valuable Monopoly set is made from fine 23ct gold, and boasts an impressive 165 gemstones, including 60 diamonds, 47 sapphires and 24 rubies.

This version of the board game is so valuable that the set of dice alone is worth a cool $10,000 (£7.5k). When Mobell brought his creation to London for an exhibition, he was supplied with a police escort and played a game on the jewel-encrusted board with former British Prime Minister Edward Heath.

High-end chess sets are fairly commonplace, but when it comes to no-holds-barred luxury, nothing beats the dazzling Jewel Royale Chess Set, which was commissioned by venerable British jeweler Boodles.

The multimillion-dollar chess set is made from the finest platinum and 24ct gold, and features an array of diamonds, rubies, sapphires and pearls – the king piece alone packs 146 diamonds and 73 rubies.