Hi all,

I like to use props that look familiar, so in the past I have done coin magic with half dollars and english pennies.

but now I am pondering the amazing things that can be done with fl***er and [ coin sets, and it seems like the most impact is with the dollar size coins.

so I am wondering: walking liberties? peace dollars? eisenhower dollars? morgan dollars? how does your audience react to these coins? especially if some of them can't be looked at that closely? Am I better off sticking with plain old half dollars?

Thanks in advance...

The size of the coins should be whatever works best in your hands. Some people cannot work with U.S. silver dollar-sized coins because their hands are too small. The size of the coin does not really have anything to do with the overall impact of what you are doing, and neither does the type of coin you choose to use - it is all in the presentation and delivery. Of course larger coins, such as U.S. silver dollars, are better for larger groups of people because they are bigger, thus more visible. Half dollars can be just as visible, depending on how you handle them.

To get a little bit technical, even if you were to use plain old clad Kennedy half dollars, you would still have to tie it in to the presentation somehow because nobody carries them around anymore. Back when Bobo wrote Modern Coin Magic, it was not uncommon in the U.S. to be able to readily borrow a half dollar, but today, it is impossible. The point I am getting to is that no matter what type of coin you choose, be it Walking Liberties, Barbers, Peace Dollars or Canadian Voyageur Dollars, make them a part of your story and let that be your explanation as to why you are using them. Troy Hooser has a really nice routine called Coin Melody, which starts with the production of 3 Morgan dollars, or as he explains, "A silver dollar. In fact, an 1889 Morgan dollar. Think about it: this coin has travelled over 100 years - just for you..." A simplistic explanation as to why you are using halves or dollar coins: So it is easier for you to see what I am doing...

As far as coins that are not necessarily able to be examined, you can s****h out those coins for a normal one, then hand it out. In some routines, you simply put all the coins away and move on.

In short, use the size of coins that works best in your hands, use the type of coin that works best for you (clad or silver, for example) and focus on your presentation and let that explain the use of the particular coins you choose.

I hope this information is useful to you.

Thanks very helpful. You are of course right -- the Kennedy half is out of circulation. I wonder if the age of some of the coins makes them seem less prone to trickery? just a thought. By the way, what is the difference between "regular", "soft" and "re-milled" edges? What is the best?

Those terms essentially describe two different things, three if you want to be picky.

The term 'regular' referrs to a coin that has not been altered in any way except through the normal wear and tear of the life of a coin in circulation. These coins may be in very good condition (images are clear and crisp, coin is not scratched or dinged) or poor condition (images very worn, coin bent/pockmarked), it can be clean, a little dirty or very dirty - it all depends on what it went through over the span of its lifetime.

The term 'soft' referrs to coins that have worn faces to the point where they do not make any sound (or very little) when rubbed together. Coins can be softened by regular circulation, and they can also be intentionally softend with the use of various techniques. Basically what happens is the raised images on the faces of the coin are smoothed flat and level across the entire face, that way there is no texture to the images. Softened coins can have images that are clear and defined, or worn and a little muddled. Soft coins open up a huge lot of possibilities not quite attainable with regular coins, and they can make certain moves/sleights/effects easier to perform. Technically, the terms 'regular' and 'soft' more often than not refer to the condition of the faces of the coin moreso than the edges. Serious coin workers usually prefer soft coins. To find soft coins, you can rummage through the box of circulated coins in your local coin shop, or a coin gaffer can soften the coins of your choice for you.

Now for the term 're-milled' - Over time the edges of a milled coin (such as U.S. quarters and half dollars with their ridged (NOT rigid) edges) can become so worn down to the point of being smooth, making sleights such as the CP, more difficult for some people to execute. When a machinist re-mills the edge, this cuts the ridges back onto the edge of the coin, and thus it is then like new, the way it was when it left the mint. Sharp, new milling helps a lot of people in their ability to grip a coin by its edges.

If you are need further clarification of any of the above, just let me know.

Again, I hope this is useful to you.

As to what is best, you are going to have to decide that yourself, depending on your performance style, background noise, distance from audience, etc. Soft coins have many advantages in performance, particularly when your routine calls for coins to slide against each other. Uncirculated silver coins are certainly not soft, but have the advantage that they are very visible to an audience - particularly a larger group or from a greater distance.

Alan

All very helpful. I like the bigger coins, I can handle the size I think. eric jones looks great with morgan silver dollars in a nice suit, but I can't picture myself with a bunch of antique coins. Has anybody thought of using the new dollar size ellusionist coins? Does anyone else think the eisenhower dollar is ugly? Is it way too expensive to get things made with peace dollars? I guess I wish there was a dollar size coin that people recognized more easilly.

Eisenhower Dollars, in my opinion, are far more recognizable to people these days than other dollar coins. With practice, the same things (effects/sleights/routines/etc.) can be done with Ike dollars as with any other dollar coins. Ike dollars can also be softened if you so desire. They would also be one heck of a lot cheaper than Peace dollars or any other silver coin.

In my opinion, the Ellusionist coins are way too slippery for my liking when doing certain sleights, and their thickness (three of them are equal in thickness to four or five regular coins) can get in the way sometimes. Overall though, I think they are a bit too dark to be seen well/easily.

To touch on what Alan said about the noise made by coins and your environment: Usually tthe noises are louder and more obvious to you than to your audience. At times, they may not even hear them at all.

Once again as I have said, and Alan as well, use what works best for you overall. Start small to see what you like, and as you gain more experience, you can move up from there.

I'm having a little trouble figuring out the difference between:

DCS
TCS
PP3
STC
TUC
3CM
TT
3CF
OxF

Let's say I wanted to get a versatile coin set that could do many of the 3 across and matrix effects, and that my budget was only 3 million dollars. Whoops subtract a few zeros. Anyway, is there a recommendation here? Has anyone rationalized what is included in each set and where the intersections are?

Given that I'm no expert (and there are many helpful ones on here), but I would suggest a dollar TUC and if your happy with the feel and flow, snag a TT. That will do amazing amounts of cool stuff.
Good Luck,
Randy

Here is a very specific question. I am trying to assemble a versatile and somewhat general purpose coin set. Won't do everything, but will serve many purposes. Lets say you purchased a 3CF, but you also wanted some matching coins for other tricks and to use in conjunction with the 3CF coin. What is the best plan?

1) Just get four regular matching coins, they will work with the larger s***l of the 3CF set.

2) No, get four smaller dean sized coins that match the f*****r better and work with the smaller s***l of the 3CF set.

3) AND get the expanded or regular sized s***l from the coin set above, you will need it because... Do you need it? Why?

4) AND get the interior coin from the 3CM because in some circumstances you will need that instead of the f*****r... Is that a good idea?

I would really appreciate some advice thanks.

What I would do is just get a regular s***l set, with which you will get four regular inserts. That way, you have one s***l that fits each insert properly, which is what you want - not one that is too large for any of them. After that, and assuming you will go back to the same person for your future needs, you can have any other type of coin you want matched to that particular s***l, including f*****r coins, sh****d/s***l core coins, C/S coins, etc. If in the future you wanted a super e******d s***l, that could also be sized to fit that smaller s***l. All you need to do is ask the person making your original set to record the specific diameters of the coins used, and the final dimensions of any altered coins, for future use.

I have been thinking to use new dollar size ellusionist coins,

I know they are thick ...and easy to slide, should be fun when do 3 fly ?

Too dark for sure, maybe we are all used to the silver ? haha

Roy Kueppers advertises that he will do gaffs with the ellusionist coins

I think the coin guys like silver because it is easy on the cutting machines

the ellusionist coins come in silver and copper

they are cheap, I would definitely get one & take a look

I agree with dr j on eisenhower coins
most people will reconize it better
young people for sure.i had roy kuepper
make me a eisenhower dollar on one side
an a copper artifact coin on the other.
for a triple spellbound illusion.
I should get it this week.

I talked to Roy before on email regarding the price of making ellusion's coin into gaff ...

I have never try their dollar coin ... anyone has any other experiences about it ?

Why are the ellusionist coin are so thick?

Thicker coins are better for most of the sleights (classic palm, edge grip, goshman pinch..)