Coin Flip History

Metal coins were first manufactured as early as the 7th century BC, however, the first accounts of the practice of coin flipping can be found in ancient Rome. During this period, Romans called the game “navia aut caput,” which translates to “ship or head.” This is because some Roman coins had a ship on one side and the head (or “bust”) of the emperor on the other side. Julius Caesar himself endorsed the coin flip in 49 BC when he began minting coins which depicted his name. During this time, flips were utilized to make some very serious decisions, including those related to criminality, property, and marriage. The outcomes of those flips were considered to be legally binding.

Later in history, the British called the game “cross and pile.” At the time, many coins depicted a cross on one side. “Pile” comes from a Middle English term which means “reverse of a coin.” In Peru, the game is called “face or seal,” even to this day! In ancient China, the game was known as “ship or head.” This is because ancient Chinese coins were minted with a ship on one side and a head on the other.

While the actual origin of the coin toss is up for debate, many historians believe it originated in Ancient Greece. It is believed that players would cover one side of a shell with a black or very dark brown substance called “black pitch” - a resinous goo which is obtained from trees. The other side of the shell would remain its original color. Players would then flip the shell in the air and call the correct side, just like we do now!

Today, the practice of coin flipping can be found all over the world. Many sports, such as football (both American and non-American versions), eSports, cricket, tennis, and fencing, flip a coin to determine which team goes first in a match, or to determine a winner in the event of a draw. In politics, a flip is sometimes used to determine an election in the event that two candidates receive the same number of votes. Sometimes even scientists will flip a coin to determine the order of listed authors for use in academic publications.