Heads or Tails
Heads or Tails is a coin-tossing game.Most coins have a side where the imprint of a person, such as a monarch is impressed - this side is called the "Head" side (since the embossing is of the head of a person). The other side may have any imprint, or none, and is called the "Tail" side.
Generally, one person throws the coin up in the air, and the second person must predict which side of the coil will lay face up after it rests back on the ground. A correct prediction results in a win.
The Australian game of Two-up is closely related, and involves traditionally two half-pennies.
A related game, "Cross and Pile" is derived from the Greek pastime called Ostra Kinda, played by the boys of ancient Greece. Having procured a shell, they smeared it over with pitch on one side and left the other side white. A boy tossed up this shell, and his antagonist called white or black (In the Greek, nux kai hmera, that is, 'night and day') as he thought proper, and his success was determined by the white or black part of the shell being uppermost.
See also: gambling
