The Traditional Shove Ha' Penny Game

This is the Shove Ha'Penny pub game developed in England in 1840 and based on the 15th Century game of "Shoffe-grote" in which players tried to push coins, or "Groats", across a flat piece of slate into "beds" marked by chalked horizontal lines. Using hardwood boards with inlaid lines to validate pushes, the game is now played in pubs around the world (the World Championships took place in England in 2004). This board is crafted in the same tradition as its 19th Century predecessor from varnished beech, and has brass rails that rest in slots that mark the beds, which can be lifted to check questionable pushes. Each bed has a chalkboard square to mark scores, and a groove at the top of the board holds chalk and doubles as a handle. A soft velvet drawstring pouch contains 20 smooth-bottomed metal toy half-pennies. Ages 10 and up. 25 3/4" L x 13" W x 1 1/4" H. (9 1/2 lbs.)