Old Ivory or Bone Die

[pmb333]

Greetings All!

My wife found this die in Bull Shoals, Arkansas almost 40 years ago. It's been kicking around in an old Band-Aid tin with assorted foreign coinage and other crap for years.

Faces are almost exactly 1" square. Note the "core" or whatever going through the die (1 thru 6 sides). I did wave it under the detector, thinking it might have a lead slug inside, but no response.

It has spent some time outdoors, judging by the rodent gnawing and apparent soil in the dots.

Any idea of age and origin on this thing? Thanks!

 

[BosnMate]

With that plug going through you got to wonder if it's weighted. Does the same number come up consistently? Otherwise I can't help, although it does
remind me of a joke. On payday some sailors were shooting dice in the aft head. One of the guys had been cheating, and one toss he made, out popped
three dice. One of the players picked up the third die and told the cheater, "Shoot boy, your point is 15." Oh well, I thought it was funny at the time.

 

[diggummup]

It's so chewed up it's hard to tell, lol. I can see in the first 2 photos the lineal striations where it may be bone but it's really hard to tell with these. You may be able to tell better by inspecting it in person. Here is a link that tells how to distinguish between between bone and ivory-
distinguish bone, ivory and celluloid

 

[diggummup]

With that plug going through you got to wonder if it's weighted. Does the same number come up consistently? Otherwise I can't help, although it does
remind me of a joke. On payday some sailors were shooting dice in the aft head. One of the guys had been cheating, and one toss he made, out popped
three dice. One of the players picked up the third die and told the cheater, "Shoot boy, your point is 15." Oh well, I thought it was funny at the time.

Yeah, could have been hollowed out on one end versus filled with lead. Notice it is going through the 1 and the 6.

Funny story btw.