I am just curious, but does anybody here actually use any of the routines in Modern Coin Magic. I know we all use the techniques but does anybody actually perform the routines in them in their acts or walk around sets. While I agree that it is a book that everybody should read, I wonder how truly useful it is.

Lots of people (myself included) use many of the routines from Bobo--some as is, some modified to our personal needs and styles. Certainly, it is still the most important and influential book in the history of coin magic!

Yes, it is still a VERY useful book and I have used routines from it. If you are into coin magic this is your first stop, THEN Kaufman's Coin Magic, then the large Roth book. You can then build your library from there.

Lots of new good coin stuff about two, and some good coin workers on this forum, but they would probably agree those books are a great start.

Personally I've gravitated away from coin magic over the past 15 years. I really ought to get back into it for the sake of variety.

Paul Hallas

I have used that version as a base for my "coins through the table" routine and received numerous standing "o"s for it too. A classic book is a classic for a reason. Never overlook them.
PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat

I use a variation of "Gadabout Coins"

I use my own version of "Gadabout Coins" too. Moves/techniques are exactly as described, only the patter has been changed to improve entertainment value.

So far, for the most part everybody is using a variation of something from Bobo's. I was wondering if anybody uses anything exactly as it is in Bobo. The only thing I use in there is the Down's Eureka Pass routine, and that is only as an exercise. I would seriously reccomend anybody who has overlooked it in the past to go back and play with it. I overlooked it at first as well until Sol Stone showed it to me.

-Motile (aka 4 coins assembly)
-Okito with a single coin
-Coin through handkerchief
-Coin through pants
-Expanded Texture (also found in Vernon's (Ganson) book), aka silver/copper through handkerchief.
-Silver/copper transposition using a shell
-A variation of 4 coins accross

The others I picked up from Michael Rubinstein's Knockout Coin Magic video, videos and books from Eugene Burger, Vernon & Troy Hooser. Then I get more ideas from local magicians from the local magic store.

Regards,
Tony

p.s. I love coins

I use the reversed french drop in some of my routines.

coins across, paragranading halves ( I think it's in there)

coin thru pocket

and just variations of stuff from all over the book.

it's peregrinating halves.

the first coin vanish I learned was the complete bobo vanish. I love that whole vanish cause it's my first.

This may not be the direct answer you're looking for, but after reading the posts I had to say the following: The beauty of magic that you can take a routine, study it, learn its variations, and find what part in each routine fits for YOU. Then, put your favorite parts together and use your OWN variation. If a part doesn't quite work for you, use your knowledge and develop a way to do it that fits you and your own style. There's nothing wrong with doing a routine "As is", but if you make it your own you will be more comfortable with it. You don't have to change the mechanics if it feels good, but maybe the patter would be better another way. Or, maybe the patter is good, but certain moves don't fit you because of hand size, performance conditions, personality, etc. I'm rambling a bit here, but the Bobo book is a great base...learn the moves, learn the routines, and just see what fits. Then, research other ways to do the same effect (look at coins through the table, or the gaddabout coins, as two examples). You may like the original, but with someone else's third coin variation. Or, It may just work the way it is. Or, after learning the original, you discard it because another variation looks and feels cleaner. Or, after reading 5 ways to do the same thing, you think of another way. And all of a sudden you find you've become a more well rounded magician, with increased knowledge and better technique. Anyway, hope that helps a bit - Michael Rubinstein

I agree Michael. You should find the stuff that fits you and make it fit you more. I also agree that Modern Coin Magic is a great place to start. However, I was just wondering if people performed the material in it, which it seems they do, because none of the effects I do bear much resemblence to the material in Bobo. That includes the versions of Coins Across, Cois Through Table, Gadabout Coins, Copper Silver, etc. that I do. While the routines in Bobo were great at that time, I think that many of them are outdated and there are better, more magical methods now then were available when the book was written.

I agree. Fingertip, standup, and retention magic is certainly light years ahead of Bobo, but you gotta learn to crawl before you can run. I never would have been able to understand advanced techniques without a feel of the basics. I still refer back to it for ideas, as I do with many of my other beginning books. Roth goes back to books from the turn of the century! So, to answer your original question, I think a few things from the book will forever stand the test of time, such as the coin and hankerchief routines already mentioned. Others are left for beginners to master, then to move on. I don't think there is one coin worker who didn't start doing the routines from Bobo, and as they became better and learned more material they left the routines behind for more advanced work.

Matt,
The patter in Bobo may be dated, just as the patter in the Tarbell series is dated.
But I don't hear of anybody suggesting Tarbell be written off!

There are several routines in Bobo -- part of Gadabout Coins, and Copper Penetration are two that come to mind -- that I do exactly as described in Bobo.

And the "awe" factor is very high, indeed.
Sure, people rarely wear vests today or pants with cuffs.

But, other than that, Bobo remains the standard.

Or even more:
The "more magicial methods" now available, if you look at them carefully enough, will simply turn out to be variations on something in Bobo.

And not always better.

As Al Flosso used to say: "They improved it worse."

And, I actually wear vests and pants with cuffs quite often! Even when I'm not performing.

The main one I'm using 'as is' is the shell coins through table, which gets excellent reactions.

The only variation I use on this is that I use an Okito box instead of a shot glass; first, because my sharp-eyed daughter (six, and a keen magician!) spotted that one of the coins had 'gone' before it was supposed to; second, because it puts the heat onto the box, and once people have found it's innocent, you can use it without them thinking about it in further routines.

Oh yeah. I forgot, I also use coins through table with the shot glass. My shell (Johnson) doesn't fit inside an Okito.

Regards,
Tony

I use an expanded 2p shell - the UK 2p coin (copper plate on a steel core) is slightly larger than a quarter, so it fits inside the box easily, though it rattles.

In addition to the large number of sleights from Bobo that I use, I also use
A Quarter and a Half
The Dam Coin Trick
Through a Handkerchief (b)
Stewart Judah's Half-Dollar Vanish
and no doubt a few others that I can't bring to mind right now.

I will also eventually no doubt use some of the many Matrix routines in Bobo. But I only bought it as recently as 1990, so I haven't got round to working through them yet.

Dave

I learned "Tenkai Pennies" from Bobo's and have varied it somewhat for my tastes.

(For you historian-types out there, the routine's ORIGINAL name is "Two Penny Trick" as first published in "The Magic of Tenkai" by Gerald Kosky. I don't mind the "new", more-popular name because it gives credit where credit is due)