diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Byte.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Byte.as
index b9f17b88f..9e11c0b40 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Byte.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Byte.as
@@ -27,34 +27,45 @@ package com.threerings.util {
 public class Byte
     implements Equalable, Boxed
 {
-    public var value :int;
-
     public static function valueOf (val :int) :Byte
     {
         return new Byte(val);
     }
 
-    public function Byte (value :int)
+    /**
+     * Access the immutable value.
+     */
+    public function get value () :int
     {
-        this.value = value;
+        return _value;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor.
+     */
+    public function Byte (byteValue :int)
+    {
+        _value = byteValue;
     }
 
     // from Equalable
     public function equals (other :Object) :Boolean
     {
-        return (other is Byte) && (value === (other as Byte).value);
+        return (other is Byte) && (_value === (other as Byte).value);
     }
 
     // from Boxed
     public function unbox () :Object
     {
-        return value;
+        return _value;
     }
 
     // override
     public function toString () :String
     {
-        return "Byte(" + value + ")";
+        return "Byte(" + _value + ")";
     }
+
+    protected var _value :int;
 }
 }
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Float.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Float.as
index 44d27efc0..de73cb986 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Float.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Float.as
@@ -27,28 +27,39 @@ package com.threerings.util {
 public class Float
     implements Equalable, Boxed
 {
-    public var value :Number;
-
     public static function valueOf (val :Number) :Float
     {
         return new Float(val);
     }
 
-    public function Float (value :Number)
+    /**
+     * Access the immutable value.
+     */
+    public function get value () :Number
     {
-        this.value = value;
+        return _value;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor.
+     */
+    public function Float (floatValue :Number)
+    {
+        _value = floatValue;
     }
 
     // from Equalable
     public function equals (other :Object) :Boolean
     {
-        return (other is Float) && (value === (other as Float).value);
+        return (other is Float) && (_value === (other as Float).value);
     }
 
     // from Boxed
     public function unbox () :Object
     {
-        return value;
+        return _value;
     }
+
+    protected var _value :Number;
 }
 }
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Integer.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Integer.as
index f77f40d3c..3aea36532 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Integer.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Integer.as
@@ -32,34 +32,43 @@ package com.threerings.util {
 public class Integer
     implements Equalable, Boxed
 {
-    public var value :int;
-
     public static function valueOf (val :int) :Integer
     {
         return new Integer(val);
     }
 
-    public function Integer (value :int)
+    /**
+     * Access the immutable value.
+     */
+    public function get value () :int
     {
-        this.value = value;
+        return _value;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor.
+     */
+    public function Integer (intValue :int)
+    {
+        _value = intValue;
     }
 
     // from Equalable
     public function equals (other :Object) :Boolean
     {
-        return (other is Integer) && (value === (other as Integer).value);
+        return (other is Integer) && (_value === (other as Integer).value);
     }
 
     // from Boxed
     public function unbox () :Object
     {
-        return value;
+        return _value;
     }
 
     // cannot use the override keyword on toString() because actionscript is stupid
     public function toString () :String
     {
-        return value.toString();
+        return _value.toString();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -69,5 +78,8 @@ public class Integer
     {
         return (val1 > val2) ? 1 : (val1 == val2 ? 0 : -1);
     }
+
+    protected var _value :int;
+
 }
 }
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Short.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Short.as
index e1d17721e..e810ff802 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Short.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Short.as
@@ -33,29 +33,36 @@ public class Short
     /** The maximum possible short value. */
     public static const MAX_VALUE :int = (Math.pow(2, 15) - 1);
 
-    /** The value of this short. */
-    public var value :int;
-
     public static function valueOf (val :int) :Short
     {
         return new Short(val);
     }
 
-    public function Short (value :int)
+    /**
+     * Access the immutable value.
+     */
+    public function get value () :int
     {
-        this.value = value;
+        return _value;
+    }
+
+    public function Short (shortValue :int)
+    {
+        _value = shortValue;
     }
 
     // from Equalable
     public function equals (other :Object) :Boolean
     {
-        return (other is Short) && (value === (other as Short).value);
+        return (other is Short) && (_value === (other as Short).value);
     }
 
     // from Boxed
     public function unbox () :Object
     {
-        return value;
+        return _value;
     }
+
+    protected var _value :int;
 }
 }
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/langBoolean.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/langBoolean.as
index 9f2f247e5..ea36ec05d 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/langBoolean.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/langBoolean.as
@@ -31,47 +31,58 @@ import com.threerings.io.Streamable;
 public class langBoolean
     implements Equalable, Streamable, Boxed
 {
-    public var value :Boolean;
-
     public static function valueOf (val :Boolean) :langBoolean
     {
         return new langBoolean(val);
     }
 
-    public function langBoolean (value :Boolean = false)
+    /**
+     * Access the immutable value.
+     */
+    public function get value () :Boolean
     {
-        this.value = value;
+        return _value;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor.
+     */
+    public function langBoolean (boolValue :Boolean = false)
+    {
+        _value = boolValue;
     }
 
     // from Equalable
     public function equals (other :Object) :Boolean
     {
         return (other is langBoolean) &&
-            (value === (other as langBoolean).value);
+            (_value === (other as langBoolean).value);
     }
 
     // from Streamable
     public function writeObject (out :ObjectOutputStream) :void
     {
-        out.writeBoolean(value);
+        out.writeBoolean(_value);
     }
 
     // from Streamable
     public function readObject (ins :ObjectInputStream) :void
     {
-        value = ins.readBoolean();
+        _value = ins.readBoolean();
     }
 
     // from Boxed
     public function unbox () :Object
     {
-        return value;
+        return _value;
     }
 
     // cannot use the override keyword on toString() because actionscript is stupid
     public function toString () :String
     {
-        return value.toString();
+        return _value.toString();
     }
+
+    protected var _value :Boolean;
 }
 }