Dear Café members,

I started coin magic as a hobbyist and since I am able to perform a few routines, I try not to leave the house without coins in my pocket.
I was wondering how you organize your coins in case somebody asks you spontaneously to show a trick.

Do you keep them in a special order? E.g. "coin, coin, nested shell, coin" for Roth's Shell Coins Across.
Do you maybe keep your gaffs separate from the "normal" coins?
Do you carry them loose in your pocket or do you use a case/purse?
How many coins and gaffs do you carry with you?
If somebody asks you to show you a trick, do you just take out the coins and start a trick or do you even produce them magically? E.g. with Eric Jones' Impossible Production or the Pocket Misers Dream.

It would be nice to get some information how you handle this situation/keep yourself prepared!

Thanks and best regards,
Nightcrawler

Http://shop.dananddave.com/fly-trap.html

This is what I carry my 4 coins and a [ with. And the product name goes pretty well with my online name

Welcome Nightcrawler.

This is something that crosses every coin man's mind at one time or the other, just what do we put our stuff in to carry with us? From this, and enticement genre of coin accessories has emerged - "Coin Carriers," as Fly here points to.

As for me, I don't carry a lot nowadays but the few coins I carry (about 4-5), I most everyday just keep them simply in my pocket and just reach for the ones I need to do a few of my favorite effects. My fingers know the right coins for each trick and quickly get to them, and since I don't use gaffs much, no problem. They don't rattle much in my pocket and so are mostly quiet.

Whenever I do an effect, often times I might have a coin(s) in my hand and produce them magically or just show them out right, or I just reach in my pocket, get what I need and do the do. I also sometimes carry a catchy little coin holder I came up with quite a while back that is made of simple ingenuity…It allows me to carry coins on a chain around my neck. People see it, find it interesting, and the magic begins.

Main issue is NOT spending them, so keep them separate from regular coins.

I tend to lock my wallet in the car when performing and have one coin trick in each pocket. I empty my pockets of all magical items before retrieving my wallet and spending money.

I don't carry bills or change.
I don't carry any [ or c/s unless I am at a gig.
I do carry 3 matching coins in my right pocket
1-3 contrasting coins in my left pocket

Larger coin or some other kicker in my left jacket pocket

and.........

I carry a lot of coins for magic (I generally have more half dollar size coins than my UK currency!) as I rarely carry anything else unless at a gig.

So if I'm wearing jeans, I have 4 half dollars and a [ in my left back pocket, an English penny and C/S coin in my right back pocket and any other coins I'm playing with atm are kept in the "matchbox pocket" in my front right pocket (currently a karate coin and a flipper). So my front pockets are free for phone, keys etc. I also carry a jumbo in my left back pocket and a handkerchief there too to stop the rattling noise.

This is basically the same set up as I have for a gig as it caters for all my best routines, although I'll have one half in my right front pocket for easy access. I'll also add a nest of wallets to the back right pocket and a sharpie.

"If somebody asks you to show you a trick, do you just take out the coins and start a trick or do you even produce them magically?"

Either are fine for impromptu, but the latter is even more impressive when it is is spontaneous! My magician friend was asking me how I was always ready for my one coin routine, as even if somebody came up to ask me to see some magic, I never put my hands in my pockets first.
I revealed my secret - I always have a coin in my hand!
From here, I can go into my one coin routine and set up the jumbo during the misdirection in a body loading sequence.
Or I can do a FT to put it into my pocket and retrieve the other coins (like Jone's pocket miser). I tend to do that but finger palm all 3 other coins (including [ ), and do "One to Four" from Bobo's, which is an under-rated gem in there!
The one-to-four idea can also be used if you're unprepared. Reach into your pocket and pull out a coin, then change it into however many you need (Mb does this in a number of his routines)

Since the early 90's I've always, and I mean always, had 4 silver dollars and a matching [ all nicely tucked in a claspless Ton Onosaka purse which I carry in my right pants pocket.
I'm on my 3rd set and my 2nd purse.

Sometimes I keep a Zee box in the small right hand pocket

Usually with 3 coins that are a match for the 3 in the main pocket.

I always carry a leather "squeeze" type coin purse w/an outside snap or zippered pocket that I carry my everyday coins in so people are use to me having it.I keep matching purses in other pockets that contain my working coins/gaffs.(the outside pockets keep bang rings and such separate but handy)I sometimes carry my Okito Box(s)w/coins inside if I plan on using them that day.

Yea I have 4 coin Purses With me at all times!

Pocket no 1. Main Purse 3 half's, A steal core Half. And A shell!

Purse No.2 My 5 Way spellbound ( In my hardbound Book! )

Outer Pocket Purse no. 3. My solid C.S.B.no.

4 Whatever I have to working on at the Time!

I usually just carry 4 half dollars in the little coin pocket some pants have.

I like to borrow Coins from an audience makes it seem more off the cuff and impromptu.

Yea That's cool! But it getting Harder To do these days!!!

Depending where I'm going, I also carry the squeeze type coin purse.

It doubles as a coin purse and a small puppet.

The ones I have are imprinted with eyes and a mouth.

On the back I have stickers with my contact data.

Borrowing coins is more impromptu, but one of the reasons I carry all my coins around is that I can practise whenever. If I'm waiting for the bus, waiting for the kettle to boil, or even walking to work. I can always practise my routines wherever I am. I don't get much time to sit and practise coin magic, so I carry it with me all the time.

Something I've been doing lately is putting four coins in the little slot underneath where all the credit cards and things go. The only problem with that is just making sure you never open it so that the wallet has those coins falling out( You have to open the wallet from the other side).

I agree David, but I also find that for the most part it really doesn't matter much whether you use coins from specs or not…They don't really care, and it don't much matter if the coins aren't gaffed, as you can always hand them out before or after if you want. I rarely do a trick with borrowed coins, unless I absolutely have to. Typically, the best you will get as to size are quarters, which I don't use much if at all. Again, I don't think it much matters at all to specs, as much as magicians might think it should as to proving that the coins are the Real McKoy.
Just my 2 cents, aka "I'm just sayin' ".

Yea M.B. I'm With you! And if your Known For coins Even more! But as I have said Sooooo Many Times before! It's A lot more About WHEN!!! Then How!

Reminds me of someone carrying a brick it block of ice.

(Malini?)

When I was younger I was inspired to be loaded with a small shot put.

I carry a pocketful of quarters on my left and a pocketful of half dollars, English Pennies, and two C/S coins on my right.

The quarters get me two routines that have never failed me: Eddie Fechter's Flying Eagles and Daryl's Cross of India. Those two will amaze anyone!

Jim