Okay all,

here's a quick little survey. Which do you prefer to work with, Morgan dollars or Kennedy halfs?



Do you think lay people will be more accepting to a old coin like a Morgan, or to a Kennedy half dollar they don't see much of either?

I like the interest that Walking Liberties bring to a coin routine. Kennedy’s are just another coin that people don’t have much interest in, like Susie Bs and Sacca...



TC

I like working with half dollars because there are so many things you can use with them. Like an expanded half dollar. Also, they are the right size for palming and doing various sleights.



_________________

Magic is not only an art But an addictive hobby

I perform a lot of coin magic & I use walking liberty coins. Seems to me that most do not know what they are but they do find them attractive. The point is, most do not know either the walking liberty or the morgan dollar so what's the difference? Use the coin that gives you the most pleasure and it will show in your performance. Remember, it's not the props, it's the performer.

A good point Robin! And by the way, Welcome to the Cafe, we are glad you're here!

Hi Kardma,

I use Barbar Halfs. They from the turn of the century. 1902-1903. They are what some coin men call "soft coins"! Real smooth coins.

They don’t make any noise when you push them off a stack. John Ramasy used something like that in his routines as he did a lot of stack work.

Most of the layman I come up to have not seen a half anyway, now a days. I say that I got them from my great grandpa. Then I have some jokes that go with it. I can have them have a look at them. Because they are old coins, something they may not have seen before. Not to see if they are gaffed or not. They are looking at them because of their collectors value! Anyway, that’s my two cents thanks.


Best David Neighbors

The Coinjurer

Barber halves? That would be very interesting as well for it is an attractive coin but I've already invested in walking gaffs and the coins themselves. I have several which are so smooth that they do not talk; they work very well in the "coins & cylinder". Sounds as though you have some great effects with them. thanks for the post

I love my "liberty ladies".

Although gaffs for them are expensive. Most have to be custom made. I know most magicians use just plain Kennedy’s. I used to use 1960 silver Kennedy’s. Talk about being shiny! But they talk too much. That is when I went to the walking liberty coin. Most are ’soft’ (like my head) and won’t talk much. Another good coin to use if you can find enough of them is the "Franklin Half". I have 1. They are extremely rare. If you do see them, they are expensive, as most are still in good shape.


Chad

As for the "normal coin" issue, neither is really a normal coin. People today simply don't see or use half dollars at all.

Personally, I prefer Morgan dollars. The only problem with using Morgans is that once you get used to doing things with the larger coins, even half dollars seem really tiny in your hands. When I use half dollars, I use Walking Liberty halves. I agree with what someone else said about letting the specators examine the coins because they're unusual, not because they might be gaffed. Then, at that point, because they've examined them, there shouldn't be any suspicion about gaffs. I personally use a lot of unusual coins in my coin work, so everything needs to be examined for that reason anyway.

On a vacation a while back, I picked up a supply of Bermuda half dollars.

They are the same diameter as U.S. halves but a hair thicker.

They are a great weight and a good milled edge for gripping.

(Since I rarely, if ever, use gimmicks, the issue of shells, CS, etc. doesn’t come up.)

And, if you can’t get a good story line out of coins from the Bermuda Triangle, then you just aren’t trying!

cheers,

Peter Marucci

I find it humorous that we are discussing Morgans vs Kenedys. I bet 100 years ago there were similar discussions around a political nature. JP vs old man Kennedy.



Funny world...

Wow, Tom, I knew Joe Kennedy was old, but I didn’t think he was that old.

Actually, 100 years ago, Joe Kennedy was only 13 years old -- still a long way from being the successful bootlegger and fascist sympathizer that he was to become!

cheers,

Peter Marucci

Oops, I meant 80 years ago. Those great 20s.

I was just going back through the coin magic posts and found this months old thread. I thought I'd share my thoughts on the subject.

I keep two coin purses of coins on me when I perform. One contains Kennedy halfs and British Pennies, and gaffs of the same, the other coin purse contains Morgan Dollars and other coins of a dollar size, and gaffs for these size coins.

When I got started with coins I used half dollar size coins exclusively. I still prefer them for the real close up stuff working with a few spectators who are very close to me (within arms distance). There are some sleights that are much easier with the smaller coins such as hiding backclip edges, palming stacks of coins, palm changes, and just handling 4 or more coins. You have less chance of flashing because of the smaller size coins.

The smaller coins, I like to use in intimate settings where magic is happening right under the spectator's nose, and utilize their own hands in the routines.

The routines where I use the dollar coins are usually a bit different in style to the half dollar size work. I tend to use only 4 or less coins of this size, and the magic tends to be more of a flourishy, more visual, fingertips type look if that makes sense. The bigger coins are easier to see and work nicely for performing for more of a small group setting where the spectator's are not necessarily at arms distance from you.

With my dollar size coin routines, I never backclip them (though I will back thumb palm them), I don't use palm changes because the size is cumbersome and is easy to clink the coins together, I find myself tending to use more fingerpalming and Ramsay subtlety, a more limited use of classic palming, and more coin displays shown by fanning at the fingertips than with the small coins.

I use the bigger coins for flurries, 3 fly, other types of 3 coin routines (vanishes and reproductions), hanging coins, etc.

I guess in summary, I prefer both, but what I use depends on the setting.

I like dollar coins the best because they are larger. It gives a better view for further distances.

Gawd dang! Where did you dig up this thread Dynamike? LOL
I had to do a double-take at the date.

I use Walking Libertys because those are the only coins that real men use...

Good question. I was just minding my own business, suddenly I noticed something sticking up in my backyard. I was hoping it was a treasure chest full of gold coins. I was no where near close. But no problem. I will keep digging.

No Gold coins...just Morgans and Kennedy's.

I use USA...dimes to quarters as well as Liberty's and Morgan's for more "formal work".

I also have some Franklins from when my hair was a bit longer in the back...

I have always liked Kennedys and Walkers for my halves and Morgans for dollars, though I feel more comfortable with the size of the half dollars when it comes to sleights.

Lately, I have been getting Barbers and Seated Liberties from Todd and these are really nice and fast becoming my favorites.

Hey Steve...

Walking Liberties or Ben Franklins - I like the softer silver in the half dollar size.