PiK Coins takes a gamble on its new three-ounce Roulette silver coin proving a big hit

Meaning ‘little wheel’ in French, Roulette originated in 18th-century France, and was derived from an earlier Italian game called Biribi. The roulette wheel is segmented with numbered catchments, and a ball is introduced while the wheel is spinning. It eventually settles into one of the numbered segments, determining whether betters, who place casino chips on a numbered mat, have won or lost.

The new release from PiK Coins does a top job of realising the wheel in miniature, complete with red and black numbered segments, and the green zero for the house win. In the centre is a gilded spindle, used on the real wheel to spin it, but it’s not functional here, for practical reasons. In most respects, however, it’s a fine reproduction.

What lifts this one is the presentation. There’s an elongated box, in which is a miniature betting mat, complete with mini casino chips. Also included is a tiny ball, so you can have a little gamble if you want. Check out the video. There’s clearly a lot of thought and attention that’s been expended on this one, and it joins a quirky, and very limited selection of coins themed around the classic board games. Available to order now, it has a mintage of 555 pieces.