Mine a Million
A 1965 tin-mining transport economics board game.
Mine a Million, also known as The Business Game, is a board game for two to six players that was first released by Waddingtons in 1965. It simulates the economics of mining tin and making a profit by moving the ore to market. The "million" in the title refers to the profit target players need to reach. The game takes place in a developing country where efficient transport is crucial. A decree from the Minister for Transport requires that all vehicles travel fully loaded, which introduces the idea of subcontracting.
The game was created by British brothers Peter and Philip Bergner, along with their wives Kathleen and Audrey Bergner. They sold the design to Waddingtons in 1965, and the company later rebranded it as The Business Game.
The equipment includes a board, 12 mine derricks (two in each of six colors), six lorries, five barges, two ships, 90 pyramids (15 per color), 24 cubes (four per color), 26 Production Cards, six Canal Company Title Deeds, two Production Debit Cards, one die, and paper money in sterling and dollars.
Players mine, transport, and sell tin in the form of production units. Each player controls a pit head that starts with a single mining derrick. After an initial allocation, tin is produced at the mine by rolling a die. If the tin reaches Newport, it can be sold for sterling at the Newport warehouse. This money is used to rent more transport (lorries, barges, and ships) and to buy a second derrick to boost production.
The game has three phases. In the first, players use lorries to build capital and increase production. Once they have enough funds, they can establish a canal company and switch to barges, which are more expensive but can carry more tin to Newport faster. In the final phase, players transport units across the sea by barge (taking a slower coastal route) or by ship (a faster direct route). Units sold at overseas ports—Race Bay, St. John’s, or Port Boston—earn dollars. Before exporting by sea, a player must have enough sterling to pay for the transport rental during the voyage.
The goal is to make one million dollars by selling units at the three ports on the neighboring landmass. The simplest way is to deliver ten units to the farthest port (Port Boston) and another five to either of the nearer two (Race Bay or St. John’s).
At the start, players receive two to four units based on a die roll. Units are produced at a na
- published
- 1965
- publisher
- Waddingtons
- designers
- Peter Bergner, Philip Bergner, Kathleen Bergner, Audrey Bergner
- players
- 2-6
- genre
- Economic board game
- objective
- First player to acquire a million dollars wins
Lore & Background
The game was designed by the British brothers Peter and Philip Bergner, together with their respective wives Kathleen and Audrey Bergner. It was sold to Waddingtons in 1965 and later rebranded by Waddingtons as The Business Game. The equipment includes a playing board, 12 mine derricks, 6 lorries, 5 barges, 2 ships, 90 pyramids, 24 cubes, 26 Production Cards, 6 Canal Company Title Deeds, 2 Production Debit Cards, 1 die, and paper money comprising sterling and dollars. Players mine, transport, and sell tin in the form of production units, with each player initially controlling a pit head with a single mining derrick. Tin is produced by a die roll, and if transported to Newport it can be sold for sterling, which funds more transport and a second mine derrick.
Reader's Guide
Mine a Million is significant as a mid-1960s board game that introduced economic mechanics of production, transportation, and subcontracting within a themed setting of tin mining in a developing country. Its design by two married couples (the Bergners) is notable for collaborative family authorship. The game's three-phase progression—from lorries to barges to ships—models increasing capital investment and logistical complexity. The rule that vehicles cannot be purchased outright but must be leased, and that players can contract transport from others, adds a strategic supply-and-demand element. The game was later rebranded as The Business Game in 1970 with only cosmetic changes (smaller box, board folded into thirds). Its legacy lies in its simulation of economic principles within a competitive board game format, predating many later resource-management games. The requirement that all transport must travel fully loaded (except lorries) and the ability to subcontract loads to other players were innovative mechanics for its time.
Did You Know?
- The game was designed by two married couples: Peter and Kathleen Bergner, and Philip and Audrey Bergner.
- Lorries can carry two units and do not have to be fully loaded, unlike barges and ships.
- A player may not operate both barges and lorries at the same time, even if stationary.
- The game was rebranded as The Business Game in 1970 with a smaller box and a board folded into thirds.
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