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Neale Bacon Inner circle Burnaby BC Canada 1775 Posts |
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but are half dollars still in circulation in the states?
Here I can only find them in coin shops at around $2.50 each. I just want plain ungimmicked halves.
Neale Bacon and his Crazy Critters
Burnaby BC Canada's Favourite Family Ventriloquist www.baconandfriends.com |
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Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts |
Yes the venerable Ol' 50 cent piece is still in circulation. They don't pop up very often but you still get them from time to time in change.
Next time your south of the border you should be able to go to a bank and buy a roll or two.
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
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tedski Special user New Jersey 792 Posts |
If your in the states, go to a coin shop and pick up the silver ones (not in circulation) for about $2.50 american rate. I prefer walking liberties. If you go for Barber halves you will likely pay more - and they are a thinner (which can be useful for multiple coin applications).
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Highpockets New user Dearborn, MI 55 Posts |
If you mean by circulation that people are likely to have them as pocket change, the answer is no. I have spent them in stores and the clerks look at them as if they were foreign. There usually isn't even a slot in the register drawer for them.
In some of Bobo's tricks he starts by saying, "borrow four half dollars from audience members". Those days are long gone. If you are going to use them, then use the classic, silver Walking Liberty half as mentioned above. Regards |
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magicfan456 New user 59 Posts |
Although people rarely have them in pocket change, Kennedy half-dollars are currently in circulation (more were made in 2003). If you want silver Kennedy halves, pick up those made before 1964.
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Threeatms New user 56 Posts |
If there are any US casinos nearby they will usually have an ample supply! You can also often pick up some $1 coins with their logos or whatnot, sometimes a nice addition to a coin collection. Never know when you can use an oddball coin, especially since it isn't gaffed!
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wsduncan Inner circle Seattle, WA 3619 Posts |
Oddly, when looking for Ike Dollar coins last year, I couldn't find them at local banks but was able locate some while in Vancouver, BC at a coin shoppe.
The exchange rate made them affordable. Were I living in Canada I'd use the old Canaian Silver Dollar coins. The look good, have a nice ring and are smaller than the Ike dollar but larger than a half. |
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richgerb86 Loyal user Reading, Pa. 204 Posts |
I work for a vending company, people use half dollars more than you think. Also if anyone wants halfs or Ike dollars I can get them for you. My wife works a bank & gets them on a pretty regular basis. E-mail or PM me I will get them for you at face value--you pay for shipping. I can usually get them, but not all the time.
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Mark Williams Special user Las Vegas, Nevada 513 Posts |
I prefer the U.S. Half Dollar with Benjamin Franklin on it's face. These are made of 90% Silver and give off a nice "ring" when touched together.
"Once is Magic!! Twice is an Education!!"
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Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Neale,
Half dollars are increasingly rare in circulation. As are Ikes, Susan B Anthony dollar coins, Two dollar bills and even the new dollar coins. There is a trend to use bank debit cards. Honestly, we use quarters and sometimes dimes in parking meters and payphones and that is about it. So in general half dollars, dollars etc are more 'special' than 'money'. You might as well take out a few groats, testors, thalers pieces of eight or ... if you have the nerve... $20 gold coins. Or to be politically incorrect, go with Kruggerands. Magic with props that are organic to the environment has its merits.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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thimblerig Loyal user Bellevue, WA 273 Posts |
Jonathan,
Even payphones are getting harder to find with all the cell phones out there. Now if parking meters would just go away also! I've seen you make this point before. While I agree that using borrowed objects has its merits, do you no longer use halves or silver dollars in your work? Or perhaps the point is that we need to be conscious of the fact that we are not using items considered common objects by laymen and adjust presentations accordingly? Visibility with the smaller coins is somewhat problematic depending on the venue, and in general, vanishes and transpositions with larger items tend to seem more magical close up also. So maybe we should push debit card manufacturers to make disk-like debit cards lest our entire field of coin magic become obsolete? Actually, I suspect that we are headed towards obsolescence ala cigarette manipulation. Even the parking lots in Seattle take debit and credit cards although there are still meters on the street...today the guy at McDonalds deliberately gave me straight bills in change rather than the correct amount because he didn't want to fiddle with the coins. Maybe poker chips? However I've *never* thought the fakey looking colored brass disks or plastic Interlude II props looked like real poker chips to anyone... Better brush up on my Elmsley with debit cards... hmmm... Cordially, Your humble obsolete metallic disk manipulator... tr |
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Ignore me... Loyal user 230 Posts |
As a humorous addendum to the elimination of payphones, there has now been speculation regarding the usefulness of payphones in light of the recent regional blackouts. Mobile phone cells were disabled, but pay telephones were still operable.
++++ Regarding odd American coins, I always ask my teller if the bank has rolls of any dollar coins (E/A/S), any halves, or any $2 bills. Barring the idea that someone has turned in such, one can also sometimes convince a bank to order such, but I find that it's good to establish a relationship with a manager-type before imposing in this manner. I've only done so 3 times, although I make it a point to maintain a relationship with bank personnel over the years. Good luck! |
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leefoley3 Elite user Texas 402 Posts |
I have to agree with the person that mentioned something to the fact of a half dollar sometimes looking odd or something that some people have not seen in some time. I do come across people that state they have never seen one. Sounds unreal,huh? But, it happens.
Mentioning the "Golden Dollar". (There's a coin that didn't catch on!!). That's one of the reasons I love the Golden Dollar Scotch and Soda. It makes for some great patter in regards to the uncommon coin. Naturally, I'll let the specs examine the coin ( a real one, you'd be amazed how many have never seen one ). Then go into some patter explaining why they never got popular with the population (because of the "defect" making it a very special or "magical" coin). The patter possibliies are endless and I've grown more fond of this S&S routine.
In December of '06 I was diagnosed with a very rare cancer, Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans. One in a million people worldwide are diagnosed with this type of cancer annually. Sarcomas account for 1% of all cancers. Knowledge is power!
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boltt223 Regular user Arizona, USA 175 Posts |
I recently wanted to use real 50 cent pieces in my miser's dream for a kids party. I just went to the bank and got a dozen with no problem.
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Dlusional New user 7 Posts |
I must say the phoenix platinum $20 coin is my favorite to use (a bit pricey so I only use it on special occasions), but gold dollars and kennedy halves are still good and (at least in florida) easy as heck to come by. What I want though is an English Penny and a Mexican coin (can't remeber the name of it). I find practicing with weighted pokerchips is nice (don't laugh please... I lost so much change I had to devise a new way to practice LOL)
if you dont believe in santa clause then why are you at my magic show!?!?!
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GaryW Veteran user HSMagic 317 Posts |
Quote:
Regarding odd American coins, I always ask my teller if the bank has rolls of any dollar coins (E/A/S), any halves, or any $2 bills. Talk about elimination... I haven't stood in front of a bank teller in at least 10 years... It's a debit card world and I'm part of it! |
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Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts |
Guess I'll have to start working my Slydini-taught routines with credit cards.
Cards through the table Visa to Mastercard Visa from purse Cards across One card routine
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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dmk_kirkland Loyal user 256 Posts |
Hey Pete you can also add:
Karate (Credit) Card Torn and Restored (Credit) Card These aren't Slydini's though
Cheers,
David |
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crazyhands New user 53 Posts |
Try the bank. I hit the jackpot there both for halves and silver dollars.
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Bong780 Regular user Toronto, Canada 172 Posts |
I got my halves from my magic dealer. Canadian coin shop sell the halves $3 a pop and magic shop charge me half the price.
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