If you could only buy one size better quality fl...er and sh.... would you own half dollar or dollar size? And why would you make the selection you did? I really appreciate your opinions. Thanks

Half Dollars because you can still get them from the bank every so often. Tellers give me a blank stare when I ask about Ikes. easier for doing matrix. for me, easier to cp, but I do use morgans and a whole slew of dollar coins, because the weight is just awesome along the sound - meaning real silver. and the gaffs are more affordable.

Your choice for coin size would be based on various performance variables -- hand size,skill set with sleights, visibility (close-up vs parlour /stage),ect. There's always give-&-take between real-world performance conditions and aritist vision. Personally, I have long fingers but still don't prefer dollar size coins or even half dollars; given that they are not commonplace (not usually carried as pocket change). Therefore, I do utilize a Quarter SH*LL for various effects with "borrowed" coins. Performing impromptu or near impromptu effects has become my performance preference. Question: has anyone ever come across a quality quarter fl*pper?

Perceptions,

I have an older Tango flipper. Alas it is the old style, not a gravity flipper. However the last time the band broke I replaced it with a larger band and it works fine now as a gravity flipper. I think it looks just fine; it is small enough that spectators don’t see it well enough to find any discrepancies.

But if you are into higher quality coin gaffs, I know that I've seen quarter flippers at Schoolcraft's site. Haven't noticed any at Lassen's though he might have them - you'd have to ask.

Thank you.

Jim

I know Lassen has made some in the past! I don't know if he has any now!

Joe Porper made some great quarter flippers.

The Tango one I have works like a charm.

I would go with halves. I think they are easier to work with.

I prefer half dollars because they are more common.

Most trays for cash registers and banks still have compartments for half dollar coins. They are easily much more common. The new (goldish-tone) dollar coins aren't doing it for me.

Thanks. I appreciate all of the input.

Being only 5'6" with smaller hands than most,I use both Half and Dollar coins.I grew up studying books by Gibson,Scarnes,Thurston and the like,so I tend to agree with them that the spectater percieves the bigger coins as harder to conceal.Myself,I perfer Dollar coins just for that reason and surprisingly,I find them easier to work with.Mike

They must have been made a long time ago!

Seriously, I don't remember the last time I was given a half dollar in change. It has probably been 15-20 years, if not more.

I believe that it really depends on your hand size. I have small hands, so I stick with half dollars (Walking liberty).. I would love to use dollar coins but my hands wouldn't allow it... sigh..

-Alex

I started coin magic seriously since I got my hands on large dollar sized coins. I do not have very large hands, but I find it more pleasant to work with the larger coins, they're often prettier and have more impact on the spectators. You can't indeed reproduce all the effects you can do with half dollar sized coins (the contratry is also true), but that's what variety's for! Also changing a coin to a larger one is something very magical!
To be brief, to the question dollar or half dollar sized coins, I'd answer: use both!

I'd like to think that the only reason to get dollar size coins is you can more visibility for your coin magic.

Since I do coins across a lot, I prefer to use half dollar coins because most people's hands aren't able to fully close their hands over a stack of dollar sized coins.

Good evening at all.

In my opinion, your style of magic is the only reason to choise small or big coins.

Vertical magic ? Use big coins.

Small coins have one advantage and one advantage only (to me) this is if you practice matrix because you can't hide 4 big coins under one playing card !!!!!

Other reasons are personnal reasons and like we say in France "tastes and colors do not discuss" (in French "les goûts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas !").

Magically your,

Xavier

I don't get why there are no half dollars in circulation. Surely that would be a useful coin to have when dealIng with change. Anyone know why they're not used anymore?

Kind regards
Sean

Probably because most vending machines only accept quarters, dimes and nickels, not halfs.

Regards,

Alan

More and more vending machines are taking debit or credit or payment cards (even in Vegas for slot machines) They had to adapt the vending machines for that purpose so I don't think that this is a valid reason. Inflation is possibly a better one and explains why circulated one dollar coins are only a relatively recent apparition (the older one dollar coins were more a saving tool as were the gold coins in Europe).