Putting together a routine and need to get some unscientific input. If I asked you to imagine of one of three coins, an American quarter, a Russian ruple or a Greek drachma, which would you choose? At one point in the rourine, if one of the coins is mentioned, I'll be able to produce it. if it's not mentioned, they won't know the production was part of the effect so it wont really matter, but I'd like to invrease my odds of them naming the coin I'm set up for to strengthen the effect.

Russian Rupple.

You might want to consider doing this survey with non magicians. If you do, I would be interested in any different results.


Harris
Ukraine United

Depending on your planned production method you can stck two of the coins back to back, produce it, display the proper side while splitting and then ditch the unwanted piece.

Doubles your chance.

Greek drachma just because I haven't ever seen one.

I would pick the Russian Ruple.

Your result may depend on whether your audience is American or European, as Americans will find it easier to imagine the quarter.

Have you thought about using equivocation? Or would that not work in your particular context?
Evan

You should look up an effect called "Nightmare Coins" in a book called "Band of the Hand" by Docc Hilford as it seems to have lot of similarities to what you're trying to do here, and what some here are cleverly also suggesting.

Pretty cool effect too.

Even I cant use a force. Funsway, great idea but I want a clean production of the coin. At one point I was going to have two coins in play, and use my watch for the third out. I'll be using an iPhone to write a prediction at the beginning of the effect (iForce). So that's available for cover. Also, putting the iPhone in my pocket, or handing it to the spec to read the prediction will give me a bit of misdirection to locate the proper coin. I've been toying with a coin in FP and coin in CP while writing the prediction. Still leaves me 1 coin short, and not as clean as I'd like. Maybe my choice of wording could lead to a more probable outcome. Something like "you are on vacation and find a coin on the ground". That might eliminate the quarter and lessen the chance of the ruble, unless Russia has become a prime tourist destination. In the end my preference is to only hold out one coin, just not sure which one!

I believe there is only 1 coin in "Nightmare Coins," though 3 coins are the focus of the effect as you go back in time to England, China and America...Most of it is along the sort of presentation you are seemingly, somewhat alluding to.

Definitely worth a read if for no other reason but that you know these roads have been traveled somewhat before with good thought, presentation and effect, and that you might be able to get some greater direction from it. I'm just sayin'.

Thanks MB, gonna see if I can pick it up!

The wording is a bit problematic. Asking me (ignorant Canadian), I have to say American quarter because I don't know what the other two look like. Also, if you produced one of the other two, it might not immediately be obvious you got the right one.

Is there some method-driven reason you can't have a simpler set of choices like nickel, dime or quarter?

^ Good question, James. I'm curious about that two.

Most people aren't familiar with the type of coins you mention. It might be better to use Copper, SIlver, or Brass (I don't know what the coins are made of, its just an example). It might be easier for the audience to identify with it.

Yeah I think I might try U.S. coins after all. I was originally going to have them flip an imaginary coin and predict both the heads and tails part and the country the coin came from, then finish bu producing the actual coin from that country. Can still do basically the same effect with American coins. Basing it of of Max Maven's Positive/Negative, but using Greg Rostami's iPhone app for the prediction.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but the Russian currency is the ruble, not ruple; you don't want to make that mistake in your presentation.

I'd probably choose the drachma.

I think you may be headed the wrong way method-wise. The original Larry Becker effect only needed one "out" (I used a Shogun double sided wallet with the prediction written on a business card). Greg's method gives you a lot of options...

Producing the coin kinda ruins the effect. Sort of like doing the Brainwave trick and then vanishing the deck.

You may have a point. Whenever I work on a new routine I automatically think. "Multiple-Kicker". Sometimes less really is more. I'll try it both ways and compare reactions.