The history of gaming counters: from stones to chickpeas

Gaming pieces have been around as long as game boards, and for centuries they have been used both to move around the board and to keep score. They have been made from stone, bone, clay, glass, ivory and wood, though chickpeas, beans and stones have been the most popular counters in Spanish card games.

The earliest gaming pieces

Stone or ceramic pieces already feature in the oldest board games, such as Senet and the Royal Game of Ur. The Romans used calculi, small stones or pieces of coloured glass. The word ‘calculation’ comes from the same root: stones were used for counting too.

Counters for keeping score

In card games, counters are mainly used to keep score. In Mus (a Spanish card game), players count with stones, or whatever is to hand, and many households used chickpeas or beans. We mention this in why bars used to keep a pack of cards.

Luxury counters

From the 18th century onwards, counters were made from mother-of-pearl, ivory or carved bone, often shaped like fish or figures. These were collectable objects, kept in little boxes alongside the pack of cards.

Modern gaming pieces

Plastic and cardboard made everything cheaper in the 20th century. In parchís (a game similar to Ludo), dominoes and draughts, the pieces became part of the game. Today, scores are often kept on a screen, but the custom of keeping score with chickpeas is still alive in many kitchens.