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RobCatlin New user 5 Posts |
Hi everyone,
I have recently picked up J.B. Bobo's Modern Coin Magic book for the first time, and I was wondering if there is any advice for a UK resident on which is the best coin to practice with? I feel it essential as a UK resident to use tender from my home country to make the illusions all the more believable. I am currently using a UK £2 coin for it's size & weight, but am open to suggestions... Thanks! |
Michael J Veteran user UK 334 Posts |
Hi Rob,
I use £2 coins plus a certain something for David Roth's coins across. I also use old english pennies for matrix and half crowns for Slydini's Coins through Table. I don't know your age so maybe some of the old coins may not be familiar to you. The use of old English coins leads to some useful patter and discussion about the old coins. If you're doing close up one on one, then you can use smaller denominations e.g. 5p, 2p Hope that this helps. Michael J |
magicblademan Special user uk 523 Posts |
I am from the UK also but I use half dollars and old English pennies .Never really use anything but US coins and specs still love the coin magic .It's not what denomination you use it's how you present your magic.
Well that's how I see it. shaun
If you put the time in....you will achieve ...
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Mb217 Inner circle 9520 Posts |
"It's not what denomination you use it's how you present your magic."
I see it about that way too blade. Great advice Rob and welcome to the Café.
*Check out my latest: Gifts From The Old Country: A Mini-Magic Book, MBs Mini-Lecture on Coin Magic, The MB Tanspo PLUS, MB's Morgan, Copper Silver INC, Double Trouble, FlySki, Crimp Change - REDUX!, and other fine magic at gumroad.com/mb217magic
"Believe in YOU, and you will see the greatest magic that ever was." -Mb |
truesoldier Inner circle 1191 Posts |
Hi Rob
Welcome to the Café. Both Michael J and Shaun give great advice. A lot will depend on your style and ability to perform. Both Old English coins and US currency can provide some good patter ideas (You can talk about the designs, eagles, dates, time period etc) The one additional piece of advice that I would give is that it is most important to be able to perform with as many types and sizes of coins as possible. Simply because some effect are better with certain coins e.g some require larger coins, some require copper coins etc. (If you want more examples, just let me know and I'll be happy to explain in more detail) In addition by being able to perform with all types and sizes of coins it will give you the opportunity to be able to magic impromptu at any time. You will be able to perform effects like international coins across, you will be able to perform theme based effects, you will be able to perform effects in a parlour setting or a close up setting, in fact the world will be your oyster. I'd also like to say that you have chosen one of the great areas of magic and I wish you lots of joy, happiness and great times both learning and performing. All The Best P.S £2 coins are great, but try also to work with 50p, 2p and 10p coins as well. In addition I really recommend that you get hold of a few old English coins, US coins and some Chinese as well. |
harris Inner circle Harris Deutsch 8812 Posts |
Rob
Good to have you here. It is a great place to learn and share about coins. Enjoy your journeys here at the Café.
Harris Deutsch aka dr laugh
drlaugh4u@gmail.com music, magic and marvelous toys http://magician.org/member/drlaugh4u |
Tom Fenton Inner circle Leeds, UK (but I'm Scottish) 1477 Posts |
I use half crowns, old pennies, and crowns for British currency.
I also use Kennedy and Walking Liberty half dollars and the odd Chinese coin for something different. As the others have said, the use of different coins can open up a range of scripting ideas.
"But there isn't a door"
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bicycle66 Regular user 108 Posts |
I believe it also depends on how much you want to talk and how much you want to let your magic do the talking for you. If you want to patter lots (some tricks need it for misdirection and what not...some don't) then the different coins can give you ample or you can segway into different things. I think some mag. worry too much about the coins what they are how rare or expensive or anything else where as the spectators don't really care they want to see magic. I think at the end of the show they aren't going to be talking so much as to what coin was used but more to what you did with that coin. So in short I believe whatever you feel comfortable using and fits your character is best....just my 3 cents. Sean.
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feher Inner circle Michigan 1421 Posts |
Rob
Use what feels comfortable. But, just remember don't limit yourself to just coins. You could use washers, mini Cd's, bottle caps, rocks...etc Good Luck. Have fun. My door is always open if you have any questions or just want to talk. Tim
Mean people SUCK!!!!!!!
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RobCatlin New user 5 Posts |
Hello again everyone & thank you for all the welcomes.
Just thought I would say thanks for all the great advice in response to my question & to let you know that I will be using (or rather trying to use) a wider range of coins going forward. I agree that the older coins, English or otherwise have more charm & intrigue that their newer counterparts and open more avenues for patter. Just one last little question as to whether there is any good follow-up reading material to J B Bobo's great book? Thanks! |
Jacques Loyal user North 206 Posts |
You'll find a lot of suggestions for a follow up here:
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......um=3&167 |
volto Special user 603 Posts |
£2 and £1 are great if you're planning on borrowing coins. Best to practice a 'borrowed coin' routine with £1 in the UK, people don't seem to have £2 as often.
£1 are a little small for some moves. The thickness doesn't help either. But at least everyone's got them and will know what they are. Don't forget that there are other legal tender coins in the UK - you have a great selection that you can get from the Royal Mint: http://www.royalmint.com/ The site has the size, weight and composition of most of the coins. £5 coins are legal tender, and very slightly larger and thicker than dollars. Britannia Silver bullion coins are also legal tender, but the face value (£2) is far below the silver price (about £30). Very flashy: http://www.royalmint.com/store/BritishSilver/BR10AGN.aspx They're a similar size to the £5 coin. I think you can get £5 coins at banks and post offices in the UK. Ordering them from the Royal Mint means you pay above the face value. The new 2011 10p and 5p will apparently be nickel-plated steel, which is handy. A lot of equipment designed for quarters will work fine with 10p coins. You can also get old half-crowns (no longer legal tender) which are a nice size, almost the same as half dollars. You can get dozens of them for a few pounds on the big auction site. They're slightly larger than halves though, so some equipment (e.g. Okito boxes) won't work if it's very precisely made. Old pennies are excellent too, and cheap online. I'd love to see someone doing Ponta's stuff with £5 coins. |
BarryTX Regular user 133 Posts |
As another novice, I started with small coins like US quarter dollars, but I have found US Kennedy half dollars and old British pennies to have a better size "feel" for me as I learn. These 2 coins are very close in size and allow me to practice copper / silver transpo sleights. Welcome aboard!
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boydy Special user Ayrshire, Scotland 881 Posts |
I have a set of Silver Kennedy's, a set of custom Queen Vic' Pennies and copp/silv to match from Lassen. I also have gaffs in £2 and 2p. I only leave the house in prep for borrowing 2ps.
Nice to have choice though. |
David Neighbors V.I.P. 4910 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-12-06 21:55, RobCatlin wrote: Yea My stuff, Or any of the East cost Boys! |
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