Toy and promotional element

Abstract

Collectible playing pieces and methods of playing games with such collectible pieces are provided. The playing piece is generally discus-shaped and includes a top convex shell and a bottom convex shell. The top shell may be connected or attached to the bottom shell using any of a variety of attachment mechanisms. The top shell, the bottom shell, or both shells of the playing piece may be decorated with a graphic design, image, logo, symbol, print pattern, etc., so as to render the playing piece distinct among a plurality of other such playing pieces comprising, for example, a set or group of playing pieces. The playing piece can be manually flipped into the air during a game so as to land on a playing surface in one or more orientations.

1 . A collectible playing piece for a game, the playing piece being generally discus-shaped and comprising a top convex shell and a bottom convex shell, each of the shells including an outer face, an inner face, and an attachment face, wherein the top and bottom shells are attached at their attachment faces so as to form a circumferential edge of the playing piece, and wherein the playing piece is adapted to stably land on the top shell or the bottom shell when flipped onto a surface by having force applied directionally downward on the edge. 
     
     
         2 . The playing piece of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment face of the bottom shell includes an attachment ring extending fully around the circumference of the bottom shell and protruding outwards from the bottom shell, the attachment ring being adapted to securely hold the top shell and the bottom shell in place when the top shell and the bottom shell are attached. 
     
     
         3 . The playing piece of  claim 2 , wherein the top shell is adapted to receive the attachment ring protruding outwards from the attachment face of the bottom shell when the top shell and the bottom shell are attached. 
     
     
         4 . The playing piece of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment face of the top shell includes an attachment ring extending partially around the circumference of the top shell, and the attachment face of the bottom shell includes an attachment ring extending partially around the circumference of the bottom shell in an orientation opposite that of the attachment ring included on the top shell. 
     
     
         5 . The playing piece of  claim 1 , further comprising an insert piece that may be inserted between the top shell and the bottom shell, the insert piece being generally disc-shaped and including a first face and a second face. 
     
     
         6 . The playing piece of  claim 5 , wherein the insert piece is transparent in appearance. 
     
     
         7 . The playing piece of  claim 5 , wherein one or both of the first face and the second face of the insert piece are reflective. 
     
     
         8 . The playing piece of  claim 1 , wherein the top shell includes one or more apertures that allow for visibility into the playing piece when the top shell and the bottom shell are attached. 
     
     
         9 . The playing piece of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the apertures is located asymmetrically off-center in the top shell. 
     
     
         10 . The playing piece of  claim 8 , wherein the inner face of the bottom shell contains an image that, when viewed through the one or more apertures in the top shell, appears as a three-dimensional image. 
     
     
         11 . The playing piece of  claim 8 , wherein the inner face of the bottom shell contains a holographic image that is visible through the one or more apertures in the top shell. 
     
     
         12 . The playing piece of  claim 1 , further comprising a transparent connecting ring that provides a connection between the top shell and the bottom shell and is adapted to provide additional illumination within the playing piece when the top shell and the bottom shell are connected. 
     
     
         13 . The playing piece of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment face of the bottom shell includes a plurality of attachment pins, and the attachment face of the top shell includes a corresponding plurality of attachment receptacles adapted to receive the plurality of attachment pins when the top shell and the bottom shell are attached and securely hold the top shell and the bottom shell in place. 
     
     
         14 . The playing piece of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the outer face of the top shell and the outer face of the bottom shell include an array of micro lenses containing a plurality of interlaced images. 
     
     
         15 . The playing piece of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of interlaced images is located at the focal locus of the micro lenses. 
     
     
         16 . The playing piece of  claim 1 , wherein the inner faces of the top and bottom shells are reflective, the top shell includes an aperture located at the center of the shell, and the playing piece further comprises an embodiment attached to the inner face of the bottom shell such that a virtual image can be observed near the aperture of the top shell. 
     
     
         17 . The playing piece of  claim 16 , wherein the virtual image can be observed near the aperture of the top shell as though the virtual image is floating in the space within the playing piece. 
     
     
         18 . The playing piece of  claim 16 , wherein the embodiment attached to the inner face of the bottom shell is a graphical image located on the inner face of the bottom shell. 
     
     
         19 . The playing piece of  claim 16 , wherein the top shell includes at least one aperture located asymmetrically off-center of the shell. 
     
     
         20 . The playing piece of  claim 1 , wherein the top shell and the bottom shell have different curvatures. 
     
     
         21 . The playing piece of  claim 1 , wherein the top shell is removably attached to the bottom shell to form the playing piece. 
     
     
         22 . The playing piece of  claim 21 , wherein an inner space of the playing piece may be accessed by detaching the top shell from the bottom shell. 
     
     
         23 . A plurality of playing pieces of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of playing pieces are adapted to be stacked one on top of the other. 
     
     
         24 . At least two of the playing pieces of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two playing pieces are adapted to be partially stacked such that both of the playing pieces are flipped into the air by having force applied directionally downward on the edge of one of the playing pieces. 
     
     
         25 . A method of playing a game including rules for playing the game, a playing surface, and a plurality of discus-shaped playing pieces, each playing piece having a top convex shell and a bottom convex shell which, when attached, form a circumferential edge of the playing piece, the method comprising:
 placing, on the playing surface, a first playing piece and a second playing piece, each playing piece being placed with its top shell facing upwards;   arranging the first playing piece partially underneath the second playing piece such that a portion of the edge of the first playing piece remains unobstructed by the second playing piece;   applying a downward force on the portion of the edge of the first playing piece that remains unobstructed to cause each of the first playing piece and the second playing piece to flip upwards into the air and land on the playing surface in one of two orientations: with the top shell facing upwards or with the top shell facing downwards; and   determining an outcome based on the orientation in which each of the playing pieces landed on the playing surface.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a point is awarded to a player associated with the first playing piece if, when the playing pieces land, the top shell of the first playing piece is facing upwards and the top shell of the second playing piece is facing downwards. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a point is awarded to a player associated with the second playing piece if, when the playing pieces land, the top shell of the second playing piece is facing upwards and the top shell of the first playing piece is facing downwards. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein no points are awarded if, when the playing pieces land, the top shells of the first playing piece and the second playing piece are both facing upwards or are both facing downwards.