Penny Drop II | Personalized Maple Top Wooden Dice Game

Penny Drop II is the maple-top edition of the authentic wooden dice game, handmade by the family that invented it. A solid wood box with a lift-off cover that opens the whole board.

If it isn't Creative Crafthouse, it isn't Penny Drop.

Most people do not realize every Penny Drop is built by hand by the Janelle family and our small team, not a big company. We have run our family woodshop since 2003, and Dave Janelle invented the Penny Drop game in 2015. We own the trademark and still make every box right here, so buying one supports a small American shop and the person who created the game.

How it plays. Two or more players race to get rid of their pennies. Roll the single die, then drop a penny into the slot that matches your roll. Land on a slot that already holds a penny and you take every penny on the board, so the lead can swing on one unlucky roll. The rules take about a minute to learn, a round runs a few minutes, and it holds up from kids to grandparents. Up to twelve can play.

Penny Drop II or the Original Premium? Both are $29.95 and the same size, so it comes down to two things: the wood and the lid. The Premium is the Original, with a cherry top and a sliding lid that doubles as the play handle. The II has a lighter maple top and a lift-off cover you remove to reach the whole board. Pick the Premium for the original sliding lid and cherry. Pick the II if you prefer the lighter maple look and a cover that lifts clean off.

The build. A solid wood box with a maple top and hand-routed edges on the lid and board, a handmade 7/8 inch wooden die, and a printed rules card. The lettering is laser-engraved deep into the maple, so it will not fade or wash away over years of play.

Played with real pennies. Penny Drop uses the pennies already in your pocket, twelve per player, or ten each for a faster game. There is nothing extra to buy, lose, or replace, and that is the point. Any penny-sized token works too, like a washer or a small chip. If a die ever goes missing, we make a solid wood replacement die.

Why it is worth it. Solid hardwood, cut and finished by hand by the family that created and trademarked the game. More than 1,200 reviews across the Penny Drop family average 4.95 stars. You are buying the real thing from the people who make it.

Recognition. Penny Drop II has been featured in holiday toy gift guides by WCVB Boston and MyNBC5 Vermont (Hearst broadcast affiliates). Read the WCVB guide.

Make it personal. We laser-engrave a name, date, or short message on the maple top, up to 45 characters. It turns the II into a birthday, teacher, retirement, or holiday gift that people keep.

Want the Original sliding-lid flagship in cherry? See the Original Penny Drop Premium. Want a smaller tabletop size? See the Penny Drop Medium. Compare every edition in the Penny Drop Game collection, or read the official rules and winning strategies.