Games with everlasting appeal
Games were played by ancient civilisations as competitive recreation and represent one of humanity’s oldest forms of social interaction.
Evidence for the existence of dice as throwable cubes with numbered sides indicates they were made in Egypt at least as early as 2,000 BCE.
The first known board game, The Royal Game of Ur, originated around 4,600 years ago in Mesopotamia. By the beginning of the 10th century, playing cards had been invented in China.
Many traditional games, which have their roots in days long gone, have stood the test of time.
Despite modern electronic alternatives, they offer entertaining group activities strongly associated with joyous times, including Christmas and summer vacations.
Enjoyed by children and regarded with fondness by older generations, they continue to inspire happy and memorable family occasions.
Firmly ingrained in our cultural practices while helping to develop mental agility and strategic thinking, old-style games are inexpensive, easy to master, and above all, fun.
Games Through the Ages 2022 2oz Silver Antiqued Coin
Games Through the Ages, a spectacular 2oz silver coin with an antiqued surface treatment, celebrates some of the most famous games and gaming devices in history.
The coin’s centre features a 24-carat plated stainless steel insert representing noughts and crosses, also known as tic tac toe, a ‘three-in-a-row’ challenge believed to have evolved from the ancient Roman game of terni lapilli (three pebbles).
Each tiny cube marked with either an ‘X’ or an ‘O’ can be individually rotated, allowing it to be used to play the game!
The coin portrays game-related motifs within a ring of circles. Clockwise from the top, they symbolise playing cards, dominoes, a spinning dice, chess, snakes and ladders, terni lapilli, mahjong, draughts (or checkers), knucklebones, backgammon, and dice.
With a mintage of just 2,500, availability of this coin is unlikely to be in play for long.
