Lego Turns 50

Today's Google banner:


From today's Star Tribune article:

"The original Lego brick turns 50 years old today, and the company estimates that there are 62 Lego bricks for every one of the world's inhabitants."

Of course, that 62-brick-per-person share has been unevenly distributed. The population of at least one third-world nation was deprived of its share by the Wilde household when my brothers and I were kids. Lego is not a socialist toy; in addition to mechanical and creative skills, it teaches capitalism and negotiation skills. In spite of our vast collection, we still had to settle numerous conflicts over who's project was most needful of the last "big black wheel".

I question the 50-year-old figure, though. Here's some convincing archaeological evidence that Legos date back at least as far as the 10th century A.D.: