Coin flurry patter?

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Hey guys,

I was just wondering what kind of patter you use when presenting a coin flurry routine?

Personally, I explain that I have no props with me, but fortunately, the World Magic Association has a special trust fund set up where stranded magicians can withdraw something to perform magic with.

I then produce a French Five Franc piece (the largest and most visible coin I can find) and run through a series of gags about it not even being a British coin, and about it not even being a current French piece of currency! 'Well, we magicians can't have anything and the World Magic Association receive no government funding!'

'However, to compensate, the coin has magical powers. For example if I wave, it disappears, only to appear at my elbow, etc etc' (you get the picture)

So what kind of patter do you guys use?

Looking forward to some interesting answers,

MIKE

That sounds fantastic! A popular gag is having a coin initialled, then producing a jumbo coin, saying that it is the signed coin, and that it has "your initials on it". Ofcourse, you turn the coin, and it says in large letters, "Your Initials".

For my flurry, I continually produce coins, putting them into my pocket (thru false transfers/shuttle passes [not strictly a one coin routine, technically]), saying that I can never seem to find the right coin for this trick. I'm still trying to sort out the patter for the rest of the routine.

..."its a half a dollar, a fifty cent piece, a silver coin"...

Some things don't require much patter. The trick / illusion sometimes speaks for itself.

I always start with, "On my last trip to China . . . "

I always ask: "Is that bothering you", as I point to an area just in front of the person( I'm careful where I point to though); then I reach out and produce the coin; like they've been walking around with the thing the whole time.

I think that for a coin flurry the best patter is just to describe what's apparently happening, like '...and the coin jumps here, vanishes, and reappears... Here!, and bla bla bla...' while sustaining a fast pace. I think a flurry has to be visual and fast, thus rendering a patter not only unnecessary but also confusing for a spectator trying to follow what's happening.

If you want to see what I mean, take a look at Slydini's one-coin routine revisited by David Roth... Beautiful. And that kind of stuff does NOT need any trip to China or any 'that-coin-was-once-given-to-me-by-a-castrated-monk-in-Katmandou ...'

Phedon

Gotta agree with the gang on this one folks. After saying something like: "I'd like to show you something with this coin." it makes sense to let the magic and your reaction to it speak to the audience instead of words. Adding a presentation framestory makes sense. Distracting from the flow of the routine with words probably dilutes the magic. No idea how slowing down the routine to seperate each phase with a few lines of script would go. Best of luck on that one.

I agree with Jon and the others and add that the antics of the coin sort of speaks for itself. The only effect in my new book which does not have a script is "The Recalcitrant Coin" which is my one coin routine. You still need to act and react to what's happening, but little needs to be said.