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WesRay New user 96 Posts |
I have an old-style (non-examinable) Johnson's Cigarette Through Quarter and haven't performed it in a few years. I got it out the other day, and something kind of bothered me about performing the trick these days...
What if the borrowed quarter ends up being one of the recent "state" quarters, without the eagle on the back? Have any of you encountered this problem? If so, how did you handle it? I did come up with a bit of patter, but haven't tested it out just yet. First, ask the spectators specifically for an eagle quarter. May seem a bit bold, but if they ask why it has to be one of the older quarters, mention something like "Well, the government found out what us magicians like to do when given a cigarette and a quarter." Then, do the routine. "We proved the metal they were using to be far too weak." Then, after you give it back, say something to the effect of "The newer coins have been made a little differently to prevent mis-use." Might be a bit hokey, and would probably make for a more comedic approach to Cigarette Thru Quarter, but it's the only solution I've come up with in regards to this problem. You then might want to do a comparison by asking for a state quarter, in which you attempt to do the same thing, but instead smash the cigarette (though, that could possibly upset the borrowee ) Any thoughts? Anyone encounter this problem when performing this effect? |
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Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
A guy named Jason has a cute handling for this
He's on the Café.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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Derek Dean Regular user Monterey, CA 129 Posts |
One possibility, use your own quarter, which is initialled by you on the eagle side ( your Johnson gaff is also initialled by you on the appropriate side ), then have the spectator initial the quarter on the other side and give it back to you. That way they have examined it and have seen your signature and can see your signiture on the coin while it is being penetrated.
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Dave V Inner circle Las Vegas, NV 4824 Posts |
Derek,
Trouble is, the face is visibly different as well. Yes, it's the same George Washington, but there are enough differences that it's obvious that it's a "state" quarter.
No trees were killed in the making of this message, but a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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Grimm Regular user 134 Posts |
I've been wondering about the same thing with the bite coin I have, which is made in the old style of quarter. I suppose it's a good way to get you thinking on your feet if it does happen. I think perhaps using your own quarter, which they examine and then doing a quick switch is the most fool proof method.
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Larry Davidson Inner circle Boynton Beach, FL 5270 Posts |
Here's what I do.
I ask if anyone has a pocketful of change. If someone takes out a handful, it doesn't matter if he has a "regular" quarter. I immediately reach into the pile and pick up a coin as I simultaneously secretly add a regular quarter to the pile. I look at the coin I picked up, let's say it's a dime, and then I look at the coins in the person's hand and say I'll use a quarter instead. I simply place the dime back into the spectator's hand, and pick up the regular quarter I secretly placed there. If nobody has a pocketful of change, I do something else. This solution will cost you a quarter per performance. Larry D. |
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Dan LeFay Inner circle Holland 1371 Posts |
I think that's a gutsy idea Larry. I admire the audience control one has to have to get away with that. Good thinking.
"Things need not have happened to be true.
Tales and dreams are the shadow-truths, that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes, and forgot." Neil Gaiman |
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Larry Davidson Inner circle Boynton Beach, FL 5270 Posts |
Thanks Dan, but it's actually very easy to do if you just move the coins around in the person's hand as you're "searching" for a coin.
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irishguy Special user Ohio 629 Posts |
Quote:
I think perhaps using your own quarter, which they examine and then doing a quick switch is the most fool proof method. It is the only method that I have found. It is highly unlikely that someone will hand you a matching quarter from their own pocket. Now that the nickels are changing, we are getting nailed on those too. |
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GeorgeSantos Inner circle San Diego, CA 1106 Posts |
I think Rocco has an impromptu version on one of the BEST OF THE BEST IMS tapes.. I'm not sure..
"David Roth is the greatest coin manipulator in the entire world.."
-Dai Vernon "The Professor" I AM A FILIPINO MAGICIAN |
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DVA Regular user 142 Posts |
Ok here is the skinny on the handling of the cig thru quarter dilema.
I originally used silver leaf paint on an old style quarter recently I have begun to glue a piece of aluminum foil to the coin with 3m restickable adhesive. The reason I changed is the gimmicks are much quicker to make. Finger palm this gimmick in the left hand. I don't use a cig for the routine, I use a Bic pen I keep it in my right trouser pocket. This is important because it has a cap. Ask for the loan of a quarter, if you get a new one the script is Ahh a new quarter...you know that these really aren't new right? Well actually the first few thousand were but after that they realized they could save money by just plating the old ones with a bit of nickel and voila'! New Quarters! The trouble is they used a very cheap source for the plating process and sometimes it comes right off. Look... Suiting actions to words display the borrowed quarter and do a simple spellbound or shuttle pass while you talk I prefer the shuttle pass. This should be done BEFORE you get to the last word which is "Look" too much atention is drawn to the hand when you use that word... Keep the faces of the quarter shielded but don't be too obvious about it obviously. Reach into the right pocket to get the pen and at the same time ditch the coin. Remove the pen cap and use it to scratch off the aluminum in small chunks. Let it fall to the table, the adhesive should scratch off as well leaving you clean. Toss the quarter to the table. Unlike Larry's solution you have a one for one trade. I prefer even money to losing money. No offense Larry. There you have it. Of course this is only an opening gambit for my routine which will be available shortly on DVD along with ten other effects and it is also in my lecture notes pm me for details about them |
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wespetty Regular user Georgia 139 Posts |
Once again, I will reiterate what I feel is the most practical solution in my eyes. Please read my thoughts regarding coins/bills matching for routines here:
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/searc......=3982183 I do feel like DVA's solution, incorporating an additional effect is a fairly good one (from a logical point of view), but not from a practical point of view (ease of reset). Larry's solution is also a good "dodge", but as noted, costs you a quarter for each performance (not to mention if they don't have a pocket full of change for you to poke through... or worse, they do yet none of them are quarters to begin with). I think rummaging through all of their change (just so you could borrow a quarter?) is, procedurally, an awkward thing (and assuming that you are performing in any situation other than a very informal one, the procedure interupts the "flow" of a performance). It simply lacks directness. If a performer wants a spectator to think of one card, the direct method would be to ask the person to merely think of one card out of 52. Done deal. Directness (and therefore clarity of effect) is somewhat compromised with procedures such as "Ok, do you like red cards or black cards... clubs or spades... odds or evens..." etc, etc. until finally the spectator is "freely???" thinking of just one card?. This is, of course, a gross example of indirectness, but I use it to illustrate the point. Of course, there are varying degrees of "directness", and it is worth remembering that this is the very element that makes certain methods/versions of any given effect (out of 1000's) better or "cleaner" as we magicians love to say. If one needs a quarter, one should simply ask for the loan of one. It should be that simple. I have to say that it's my opinion that using your own quarter, or even worse, specifically mentioning that you need to borrow an "old quarter" before the effect, will dramatically decrease the impact of the effect (if not tip the true method altogether!). However, opinions may (and invariably will) vary. Try to keep in mind the clarity of effect as well as how direct any effect appears to an audience. Food for thought. Cheers, Wes |
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DVA Regular user 142 Posts |
Points well taken Wes and I agree with you. It seems to me we approached the problem from different sides and I feel your solution is the same that I came up with. Be prepared to do a different effect. The only difference is the other effect I do allows me to continue on and do the effect I originally wanted to do. I don't do the effect at every table I work. I carry ten quarters that fit inside a modified watch pocket (so they don't talk). If I feel like performing the effect it is easy enough to get ready. I generally don't work impromptu so I am carrying everything I need.
As for ease of reset remember this is only an opening gambit for my full routine. They get the back the quarter they "loaned" me and everything is ready to go again. If they have an old quarter I don't bother with this and go straight to the routine. There is virtually no reset other than placing the objects back into my pockets at the conclusion. At the end of the night I swap out my newly acquired quarters for some old ones from the bartenders. It is sort of a nightly ritual. It takes me about all of ten minutes to make up all the coins I'll use in a week. Just thought I would clarify a few points. Thanks for reading |
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WesRay New user 96 Posts |
Some very good ideas in this thread. I'm still not sure what is the best method, but it definitely makes for some food for thought.
There has to be a fool-proof method somehow. We can't let this great effect go the way of the dinosaurs. I've never used the "examinable" type of cig thru quarter. I'm assuming their handling would also be effected by the new state quarters, even if you only presented it in the same manner as the non-examinable one (showing only the "heads" side"). Would using an old half dollar model be a solution, since it's already an older coin? Or would that be even more apt to tip them off that something isn't right? |
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Larry Davidson Inner circle Boynton Beach, FL 5270 Posts |
Just FYI, I don't perform informally and I don't perceive my approach as being indirect or as interrupting the flow of my close-up performance. I didn't share all of the patter and audience direction I use but I'll tell you that there's a logical reason that I ask for a handful of change vs. just one coin, and if the handful doesn't include a quarter it doesn't matter because I don't give the spectator the opportunity to focus on what's in her hand before I move the coins around. What works for me, though, may not work for every magician and vice versa.
Re. losing 25 cents, sure I'd rather not, but in the scheme of things, it doesn't really matter to me because I make more than enough when performing to not worry about losing a few dollars by doing the effect multiple times a night. Larry D. P.S. - The object through quarter routine I perform most often uses my own quarter versus a borrowed one and there's an outwardly logical reason for using my coin. It's the strongest object through quarter routine I've been able to develop and I've tried a bunch of them over the years. I mention this only to spark others to think about different ways of approaching a problem. Instead of thinking about switching coins when you borrow a coin that doesn't match your gimmick, think about why it might make sense to use your own quarter or other approaches where you don't have to switch. And if you think that using borrowed money allows for stronger magic, think about what you might do to overcome that when using your own coin (I did and it works for me). Not trying to be evasive, just suggesting that people find solutions that work for them. |
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paulajayne Inner circle London England 1160 Posts |
Hi
If the worry is about returning the quarter then just keep it - make a big thing of it in that it cost a quarter to see that effect. Most will find it funny that you are keeping the quarter that they think is theirs and for the ones that do not - well just give them a quarter. Paula
Paula Jay - Magic to Remember -
--------------------------------- I once wrote a book on elephants, I think paper would have been better. ---- |
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Corey Harris Inner circle Kansas City, MO 1229 Posts |
I preform this effect with a half dollar. I just end up handing out the real half for them to examine it, then go about my routine. Some on on here had a solution for marking the half as well with paper reinforcements. You might want to do a search. It should come up with quite a bit of stuff for you.
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richgerb86 Loyal user Reading, Pa. 204 Posts |
I have never really had the problem of a state quarter. People go nuts over collecting them. Most people do not want to hand them out. I am amazed at how many people collect those things, as if they are going to be worth a lot of money someday. If I am handed a state quater, I ask for an older one, I would not want to take the chane of ruining something "that might be woth a lot of money someday".
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Paul Chosse V.I.P. 1955 - 2010 2389 Posts |
Quote:
On 2005-02-16 18:08, Larry Davidson wrote: Don Alan did a similar thing. He asked if someone had any change. When the guy brought out a handful Don just pretended to pick up a quarter, actually revealing the gaff he had in his hand all the time. Did the trick, and switched at the end to return the quarter. It cost him 25 cents everytime too, Larry... Best, PSC
"You can't steal a gift..." Dizzy Gillespie
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tabman Inner circle USA 5946 Posts |
When I was on the road I traveled in a troupe and one of my mates kept my spare cig thru coin in his pocket all the time. I would borrow the quarter from him. I quit smoking and stopped doing it but I always held my finger under the gimmick to keep it closed and packed the cig on the quarter before doing my routine which proved the quarter was solid. At the end of the routine I would just hand Mike the quarter back and light the cig I had just used for the effect then vanish the cig after a few drags. Like I said, I quit smoking and stopped doing it but its a great trick.
-=tab
...Your professional woodworking and "tender" loving care in the products you make, make the wait worthwhile. Thanks for all you do...
http://Sefalaljia.com |
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