A magician friend over for dinner showed me a couple of effects using quarters. Our discussion touched on problems and advantages of using quarters, including the State/Eagle problem.

We also drifted to effects that take place in a spectator's hands -- a favorite theme of mine.

I suddenly had an inspiration. "Please select three quarters from that pile," says I. "Make sure they are all the same style, all Eagles or all States."

He did so and offered them to me. "Please keep them held tight and warm until needed," I requested.

I reached out saying, "Open" which he did and I extracted one coin with my right fingers, saying, "Close" which he executed almost automatically.

I dropped this coin in my left hand and fist commanding, "Open." I took a second coin while he clenched the third.

This I placed in my left hand and displayed the two coins resting on my palm. I made a fist of both hands and asked him to blow on my left hand, my right hand far away.

When I opened both hands there was a single coin in each hand. "Wow, he exclaimed, I didn't see that coming."

"That's not all," I laughed, "I now have a silver quarter in each hand while you have guarded the third."

He nodded, "Open!" On his palm was a brass bus token.

I won't repeat what he said.

Huh?

I am a bit surprised that more folks did not comment about the described effects that obviously cannot be achieved through the use of standard "well known" sleights such as in BoBo.

More surprising is the number of Private Mails addressing that issue with the usual "do you have a video" and "you can't do that" from some.

Is there something about an open forum that makes people afraid to share their thoughts?

Regardless, because of the inquiries I have expanded the routine with more "in their hand" actions and making the spectator the cause of the magic.

continuing from the surprise discovery of the Brass Coin in their hand I say with laughter, "I wanted to keep the quarter warm -- not bake it!"

Then, "I was going to have you place your quarter in either of my hands to see if it would then attract the other. Now I am not sure what will happen"

They place the Brass Coin in either hand and fists are made with the performer's hands never touching. A wiggle of little fingers and now

the two quarters are in one hand and the Brass Coin alone in the other. "I guess your coin repels the others!"

ALl the coins are dumped into the left hand made into a fist and turned over. The right hand slaps the back of this hand and all three coins penetrate to the top of the hand.

"It's your turn!"

The two quarters are dropped into the spectator's hand and fist. The Brass coin is clearly taken in the fingers of the right hands and the left hand empty.

This coin is slapped on the back of the spectator's hand and it penetrates through to join the others.

Fini
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anyone now interested in learning this routine can contact me at gusarimagic@comcast.net with the usual commitment to feedback.

Warning! You will be learning about ten Sleights and Moves you have never heard of before. Are you prepared to do the work??