Teetotum
The Teetotum is a kind of top or whirligig that is spun round by twisting the upper part between the thumb and finger. It is usually of a hexagon or octagon shape, but sometimes it is four-sided only, and may be easily made by cutting a piece of wood of an inch or thereabouts in diameter, and a third of an inch in thickness, into the required shape. A stick run through the middle of the disc and fixed makes it complete, and the result is a useful rough and homely teetotum.
Originally teetotums had four sides only, which were respectively marked with the letters T, H, N, and P, signifying Take all, Take half, Nothing, and Put in again to pool. The toys, as now improved, are made with more sides, and are variously numbered. In many of the toy games a teetotum is used in place of dice, but simple teetotum games are played with nuts or some such things for stakes. There are otherwise no special games for the teetotum; it is mostly used in various race and other games of chance.