Shove Ha'penny (1840)

Shove ha'penny is a traditional British pub (tavern) game of dexterity and skill dating from the the mid 19th Century, with earlier variants in existence as early as the 15th Century. It is still widely played today. Players push ('shove') polished coins (half pennies, traditionally) along a board which has been marked out in horizontal bands, called 'beds'. The most common method is to place the coin on the bottom edge of the board, slightly overhanging, and tap it with the heel of the hand. The aim of the game is to position coins within the beds, with no part touching the bands. This requires considerable skill. Players must get a coin in each bed three times. Each success is scored, often with a cribbage style peg and hole system up the side of the board or with chalk tallies. Boards are made of wood or slate.