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In article <168BFB8E5.R0264@vmcms.csuohio.edu> R0264@vmcms.csuohio.edu writes:

#See Letter to Editor re Kemp & Kemp, The American Statistician, August
#1992, Vol. 46, No 3, pp. 239-240.  Says  spots on most dice are
#countersunk, which throws the center of gravity off.  Also, since
#6 is opposite to 1, 5 to 2, etc., there is a predictable bias.

See also

  P.F. Fougere, "Maximum entropy calculations on a discrete 
  probability space," in G.J. Erickson and C.R. Smith, Eds.,
  _Maximum-Entropy and Bayesian Methods in Science and
  Engineering_, Vol. 1, 205-234 (1988). Dordrecht: Kluwer
  Academic Publishers.

  P.F. Fougere, "Maximum entropy calculations on a discrete 
  probability space: Predictions confirmed" in J. Skilling, Ed.,
  _Maximum-Entropy and Bayesian Methods_, 303-308 (1989).
  Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

This discusses an analysis of a long series of throws with
a (handmade in 19th century) set of dice by the Swiss
astronomer Wolf (of Wolf Sunspot Number fame). The tallies
were recorded and analyzed, an hypotheses about the shape
and irregularities of the dice suggested (in the first paper).
Later the actual dice were located and some of the predictions
confirmed. 

I don't know how good modern dice are, but the dice Wolf used
did show the spot effect, as well as two others.

Bill