The back of a coin is called “tails” as a direct contrast to the “heads” side, which typically depicts the head or portrait of a person, monarch, or national symbol.
Here’s why this terminology emerged:
- Heads: For centuries, coins have featured the likeness of a ruler or a significant individual on one side, which naturally led to that side being called “heads”.
- Tails: The reverse side, by analogy, came to be known as “tails,” drawing a comparison to the opposing ends of an animal – the head and the tail.
While the reverse side of a coin may or may not actually depict a tail (it often showcases various symbols, landmarks, or numbers), the term “tails” stuck as the intuitive opposite of “heads”.
- The practice of using coin tosses for decision-making dates back to ancient times, with the Romans referring to it as “navia aut caput” (“ship or head”), based on their coin designs.
- In medieval England, a coin toss game called “cross and pile” was played, where one side depicted a cross and the other, a “pile” (referring to the bottom die or anvil used to strike the coin).
So, while the term “tails” may not always be literally represented on the coin itself, its origins are firmly rooted in the contrasting imagery commonly found on the two sides of a coin, making it the opposite of “heads” in a logical and understandable way.
What is the backside of a coin called?
Thanks for asking. We use special terms to describe these parts. Obverse (heads) is the front of the coin and the reverse (tails) is the back. Edge is the outer surface, which can have lettering, reeding, or be plain. Near the edge is the raised area called the rim.
Where does the term head and tail come from?
Good point! The first recorded use of “tails” to mean the reverse side of a coin occurred in a 1684 comedy, “The Athiest”, by playwright Thomas Otway. Before that, it was done by the Romans and was called navia aut caput (ships or head), as some of their coins depicted a ship on one side and the head of the emperor on the other.
What are tails in a coin?
Great question! “Heads refers to the side of the coin with a person’s head on it. Tails refers to the opposite side, not because there is a tail on it, but because it is the opposite of heads.”