Spinning tops have been around since the ancient Greeks, dating back as far as 400BC. They work on the basic principle of rotational inertia. If you want to know more about that you can read How Does a Spinning Top Work.
Regardless of how they work they come in many shapes and sizes. Many people were captivated by spinning tops as a child, and others come to them later in life. Whatever the reason is, there must be something inherently fascinating in order for spinning tops to still be around 2,400 years after their creation.
There have been many different kinds of spinning top, from the first wooden models launched by hand, to others spun by a cord, and small wooden dreidels used in gambling. More recently however we have seen the popularity of spinning tops explode, from the huge popularity of BeyBlades in 1999 and early 2000’s, and as Cobb’s “totem” in the hit movie “Inception”.
The modern day has brought such massive technical leaps in the world of computer manufacturing that the ability to make long spinning precision tops has skyrocketed. This means that we are now witnessing more and more technical designs being made by makers all around the world.
So, whatever version of spinning tops takes your interest, there is surely something to fill that desire.