Playboy final nude issue: Iconic covers from Marilyn Monroe to Pamela Anderson

Publishing history was made as the final issue of Playboy Magazine featuring nude Playmates hit shelves in December. More than 60 years after Marilyn Monroe appeared as its cover star, Playboy owner Hugh Hefner is swapping nudity for negligee. IBTimes UK looks at its most famous covers.

December 1953 (above)

The first issue of Playboy magazine, featuring Monroe, is created by Hefner on the kitchen table of his South Side Chicago apartment. Financed with $600 of his money and less than $8,000 of raised capital, the magazine appears on newsstands in December 1953 and sells more than 51,000 issues.

July 1955

This was not the first bikini on a Playboy cover but it is the first time the swimsuit was modelled in such a prominent fashion. The model on the beach towel is Janet Pilgrim, who also appeared as that issue's Playmate of the Month.

May 1964

Hugh Hefner and his artistic staff never lost focus of the two best cover elements: the model and the Rabbit Head logo. On the May 1964 cover, Playmate of the Year Donna Michelle, wearing a white leotard, became the brand. This cover marked the first time the Playmate of the Year had been featured so prominently on the cover.

June 1965

Some of Playboy's simplest covers appeared in the 1960s. This one featured a redhead in head-wrap, staring intently above her sunglasses. Cutting off at the nape of her neck, the cover resembles more of a sculptured bust than a traditional men's magazine cover. Playboy definitely took a risk with it: as written on the left lens, there's a 12-page pictorial of Ursula Andress inside. Considering her popularity at the time, it would have been a much safer move to give her the cover.

July 1969

This issue's cover model is Barbi Benton, Hefner's girlfriend for the better part of eight years. She would appear on three more covers in the upcoming two decades: March 1970, May 1972 and December 1985. However, she was never named a Playmate of the Month.

October 1971

Darine Stern was the first African-American model on the cover of Playboy. Although the magazine had already featured two black Playmates by this time – March 1965's Jennifer Jackson and October 1969's Jean Bell — nude African-American models were mainly seen in publications produced by and for the black communities. This cover became such a groundbreaking image that it was chosen by the American Society of Magazine Editors in 2005 as one of the 40 most important magazine covers of the previous 40 years.

October 1989

Pamela Anderson holds the record for the most Playboy covers—a total of 13. This issue marks her first cover appearance.

June 1993

Tragic Anna Nicole Smith first appeared on Playboy's March 1992 cover. Within months, she was named Miss May 1992 and the Guess jeans spokesmodel. She went on to be named Playboy's 1993 Playmate of the Year (featured on this cover), and appeared on three more Playboycovers.

January 2005

Jenny McCarthy has appeared on a total of six Playboy covers, including this January 2005 issue where she wears the famous Bunny Costume. She was first named Playboy's October 1993 Playmate of the Month and went on to become the magazine's 1994 Playmate of the Year. Her cover appearances include: June 1994, July 1996, December 1996, September 1997, January 2005 and July/August 2012.

April 2009

In Playboy's 60-year history, the magazine has only featured a male on the cover 10 times: Peter Sellers (April 1964); Burt Reynolds (October 1979); Steve Martin (January 1980); Donald Trump (March 1990); Dan Aykroyd (August 1993); Jerry Seinfeld (October 1993); Leslie Nielsen (February 1996); Gene Simmons (March 1999); Seth Rogen (April 2009); and Bruno Mars (April 2012)

November 2013

Playboy has recently returned to running the more art-inspired, concept covers that the magazine was known for in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Photographed by Tony Kelly and art directed by Mac Lewis, this "Lips" cover was recently awarded "Cover of the Day" by the Society of Professional Designers.

January/February 2014

Playboy magazine celebrates its 60<sup>th anniversary with this issue, which features south London's own Kate Moss in an unprecedented 18-page pictorial and cover appearance photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.

January/February 2016

The last nude issue features Anderson in her 14th Playboycover appearance and 15th Playboy pictorial for the Playmate, actress, activist and icon. Her historic shoot was photographed at the Playboy Mansion by Ellen von Unwerth, and is accompanied by an interview conducted by Playboy contributor James Franco.