What Is it??

[RustyRelicHunter]

I purchased this from a moving/garage sale today. It was in a lot with three small pocket knives and two brooches. It is made of metal and measures 1 3/8" x 1/2". Does anyone know what it is? Thanks for the help.

 

[releventchair]

It is a teetotum.

Driedal type spinner. Go ahead ,spin that thing between your thumb and index finger to get it going. Let it wobble eventually by itself ,then fall.
Might be for a put take game.

0 is showing in the right picture,that means take nothing from the pot. (Pot starts from players ante's,plus from when they land on a P "put".) The P3 showing in your picture would be put 3 in the pot.
To the far left showing in the one picture is T2 . Which is take 2 from pot.

I don't know what the star is . Jewish symbol maybe. TA=take all is indicated as one face on some put take spinners. Maybe the star means that.

Due to the star ,for further research I'd suggest looking up Jewish Driedal dies. Or spinners. Ect.

 

[Doubter in MD]

I thought dreidels only had 4 sides and the instructions are typically in Hebrew.

But I think you are right about it being a spinning game piece of some sort.

 

[releventchair]

I thought dreidels only had 4 sides and the instructions are typically in Hebrew.

Then...call it a teetotum.
Had one made from hydraulic fittings ,but no star on it. Hours of entertaining gambling for glass beads.
Unless there is a TA/take all elsewhere ,the star could substitute.(?)

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Looks like a game spinner piece or perhaps a charm (looks like a loop at the top). Nice find!

 

[diggummup]

releventchair is correct. Teetotum pendant it be.

 

[RustyRelicHunter]

Thank you all. I learned something new - a teetotum pendant.