---
title: 'The Ambitrope Coin'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=Yhg-DtVUO4A'
video_id: 'Yhg-DtVUO4A'
date: 2026-08-28
duration_sec: 80
channel: 'Vsauce'
---

# The Ambitrope Coin

> Source: [The Ambitrope Coin](https://youtube.com/watch?v=Yhg-DtVUO4A)

## Summary

The video introduces a special coin that combines a zoetrope and an ambigram, allowing the presenter to always win a coin flip. The coin is part of a summer box, and the video promotes it while demonstrating its unique features.

### Key Points

- **Zoetrope mechanism** [00:01] — The coin is a zoetrope, a mechanical animation device that creates the illusion of motion when spun.
- **Ambigram design** [00:40] — The coin features an ambigram designed by Sergey, which can be read in multiple orientations.
- **Product promotion** [00:53] — The coin is included in the summer box, and the fall box will feature a 'ruler of the universe' item.

## Transcript

spins a coin and you can never lose a coin flip with it because it's two things in one. First, it's a kind of mechanical animation device known as a zoetrope. When it spins, the images that decorate its edge can line up [music]
camera or a strobe light and appear to be a single moving thing. But watch this. I want you to call [music] it in the air, okay? Heads or tails. You ready? Go ahead. All right, what you say? Heads?
All right, what you say? Heads? Ah. Sorry, it landed on tails. I win. Wait, what's that? Oh, you said tails. Oh, sorry. It landed on heads actually. I win. Unlike dinos [music] turning into Sonic, none of what just
happened was an accident. Sergey on our team designed this ambigram. Now, ambigrams can be funny, they can [music] be clever, they can be unfortunate. to get this coin. It comes in our summer box. Now, pretty soon [music] we're
going to have to switch over to the fall box which includes our ruler of the universe, but there are still a few summer boxes left and it's [music] worth it cuz why be prepared to communicate with extraterrestrials when you could
few bucks, >> [laughter] >> [laughter] >> right? ET? More like easy to trick.