Purely coincidental. I hadn't read this until you linked it here.
Having just read it, I'd argue coin tosses represent different things in these two stories. In the play, the coin signals that the two characters are in an "un-, sub-, or supernatural" dimension, i.e. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead; and the reactions of the characters present dramatic irony. In this piece, the coin conveys the fragility of human existence, i.e. we're just one coin toss away from wiping out as a species; and the reaction of the SCP illustrates a persistent frustration that the probabilities don't add up and that humans just won't die.
But I do agree they serve similar purposes: Showing that something spooky is afoot. Here, I'd argue that, historically, people have flipped coins and other things long enough that it wouldn't be unusual if a famous tragicomedy and a lowly SCP article shared it as a plot device.
That said, I appreciate the opportunity to read Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. So thank you for posting!
