Hi all.....Which is the best palming coins for Misers Dream Routine..Is there any reference for a Good Silent Act ?

The very best book ever written on the Miser's Dream is by the late Ron MacMillan's Modern Art of Coin Manipulation. I believe it is now out of print. Was printed in both hard bound and Perfect bound. Published in England.

This is an entire explanation of his coin act, production coins, creating flourishes, and periodically producing handfuls of coins.

Arthur Buckley and Allen Shaw has material in an old out of print reprint book as well.

All other reference material is only bits and pieces here and their.

DVD instruction on Miser's Dream is on "Levent's Ultimate Guide to The Miser's Dream", 3 DVD set. A lot of great ideas in this 5 hour set. None of Ron MacMillan act is not covered here though.

If you are going to use palming coins for the Miser's Dream, most performers will tell you that Norm Nielsen's coins are best? They are thin, shiny, and have a pleasant tone when they clink together... Also the edges are milled nicely for grip.

There is a whole other school of thought that only uses real coins such as US 50 cent pieces or USDollar size (38mm ) coins. They are less expensive to replace if lost and have a more solid feel and tone. But of course, are thicker and fewer can be palmed at any one time.

Are you interested in an ENTERTAINING presentation, or, a "watch how clever I am" presentation?" AND, What ages are your intended audience?

Your reply will determine my answer.

Listen (or read , to be more accurate) to whatever Dick Oslund tells you... It will be advice born of experience.
And of course, when it comes to good advice, Bill Hegbli is no slouch either!

(BTW - don't you just love those archaic expressions such as.... 'he's no slouch')?!

I for one think a well presented manipulation routine is fantastic.

There is different kinds of magic presentations, and whatever you choose to follow is the path you should study.

Dick Oslund does school shows with a message to help children understand the world better.

JNeal, is an entertainer, and bringing high class magic and mystery to his Cruise Ship passengers.

There are Gospel magicians, Trade Show magicians (pitchman), etc.

magicsachin, said he is looking for a Miser's Dream for a good silent act. Thus my information referenced and given.

I agree with JNeal, thus far the Norm Nielsen Palming coins are the best ever made for stage presentation of the Miser's Dream.

I like Colloquialisms, not used very often today, but at least the new generation does not know what we are talking about.

Hey Bill~! I guess my "Puzzling Environment" program is/was more memorable than I thought! Actually, I did that "message with magic" only one season ('71/'72 --335 programs). All of my other tours were "fun magic". The first year or so, I used "Fun & Fantasy With a Bit of Philosophy". The philosophy was a brief "commercial" about PREPARATION, PRACTICE, AND PERSISTENCE. for one season, I used: "FUN-omenal Magic". It was OK, but the principals kept introducing me with "FUN-omeeenal Magic!!! The last season or so, it was: "FAKE BELIEVE". I "inherited" that from, (I can't remember his name)He had become ill, and I filled in for him.

I didn't mean to imply that a silent act can't be entertaining!!! (Cardini, Norm Nielsen, Tony Marx, Neil Foster, et al...) I just learned that the involvement and interaction that is needed for a successful working act, today, is a bit more difficult to obtain without talking--at least for me!

When I was 19 or 20, I tried being "swayve and deboner" in a dumb (silent) act. I did split fans, multiplying balls, Misers Dream, and a color changing silk. I was doing a "look how clever I am act" The magicians in Ring 103, thought I was wonderful!!! (They all did shows with "boxes & tubes, cans, and pans.) I tell that story in my book, too!

An agent in Norfolk, VA, got me a "showing" date for a Kiwanis luncheon. The members were polite. They applauded. Later, the agent said, "That was nice, but, can't you make 'em laugh?" I replied, "I think so!" He said, "Make 'em laugh, and I'll get you lots of work." I did, and he did.

I learned that a 20 year old (at least THIS 20 year old) isn't believable as suave and debonair! (I sold the "white tie and tails"!) From that point on, I performed as "myself". I've never been seriously at liberty--I always had contracts 2 years ahead.

To quote a guy from Montour Iowa: "The entertainment is in producing a coin from a child's ear!) Faucett Ross passed that quote along to me. Faucett said the guy's name was DOWNS, or something.

When I got rid of the tie and tails and cane to table, I also dropped the champagne glass,and, "forgot about" the DOWNS P*LM, which I had learned when I worked as a teenager in a carnie side show.

For 65 years, I've carried a little pail that I found for 89 cents in a thrift shop, and five silver dollars. It closes the elementary school program, and, is near the closing in high schools.

I wrote up my MD routine in minute detail in "Dick Oslund, Road Scholar". It's the first time I ever published it. It conforms to my guiding principle (KIS MIF).I had taught it to several friends, one does only occasional shows for friends. The other is a middle aged professional, who usually does the big box stuff. Like Karrell Fox, he also does parties. He uses my MD routine, for which he paid me a sizable sum. --And, I receive "residual checks", too!

I'll never forget Blackie Norton, that agent in Norfolk. He taught me what was commercial! I've been in $HOW BU$INE$$ most of my life!

P.S. My MD routine is/was designed for kids, and high school "young adults". Because, I "invade their bubble" just a bit, it would not be appropriate for adults. Adults LOVE it when I do it with kids in a family show.

For those who haven't seen Norm Nielsen do the "coins", I should say that Norm is a fine sleight of hand artist. He's GOOD!. For me, his "tuned" coin ladder adds just the right amount of flash.

Ormond McGill OPENED with the MD. Roy Mayer used it in the middle, I close with it. We've all found the right presentation that fits our personalities.

'Palming Coin Set (U.S. Half design /12 piece) by Premium Magic' also looks good for the Misers Dream Routine...and these are Inexpensive also......

Those coins do not look like they are shiny, therefore will not reflect light well on stage, so the audience will have a hard time seeing them.

For stage magic, Dollar size coins are best for visibility.

Remember, you get what you pay for, and these do not look all that good.

There techniques, of course, that do not require palming multiple coins so normal coins can be used,
and ways of displaying large numbers of coins at the end to verify the productions.

So, I guess I am questioning the need for special coins that cannot be handled by spectators.

There may be one for sure. The OP seems to suggest that palming coins are necessary for Misers Dream.

Considering alternatives ma be cheaper and more entertaining.

Funsway, no one side the coins would be handed out. This is for a stage act, if you wish to go into the audience, then real coins can be used at that point. I use half dollar size and dollar size palming coins. Having the coin look more like real money, is more for the fulfillment of the performer, then for the audiences benefit.

Norm Nielsen does not go out into the audience to prove anything. When someone says Miser's Dream, this is what comes to my mind.

The Master of Manipulation and artistry, I give you Norm Nielsen. A living legend!

I never said any coins had to be handed out or even suggested they should be. Being able to be handled is not the same as "handing out" anyway.

Where did "proving something" come from?

Who said was "for a stage act?" The OP certainly doesn't even suggest a stage act.

My bad, I guess. I have never performed Misers Dream on stage, only parlor/small group.
I have found it to advantage to have the same coins produced in MIsers Dream later used in other effects.

If I was forced to use palming coins I wouldn't do the routine as I have no desire to palm multiple coins of any thickness.

Just offering options here ...

Funsway, how to you interoperate the words, "for a good silent act". Yes, I guess I could be wrong, all the silent magic acts I know of are on a stage.



I read your statement as handing them out, how else could a spectator handle them. I guess you could throw them at him/her, or one missed the container and rolled off stage into the waiting hands of an audience member.

And yes, thin palming coins are needed with you are to handle large quantities of coins. I can Down's Palm 8 dollar size palming coins, but only 4 silver dollar coins. When cascading coins, it looks much better to drop 15 coins, then only 10 or so real silver dollars.

In my version of the Miser's Dream, I produce 50+ 2 steals of a dozen palming coins.

I'd like to see such a cascade, and it makes sense for a stage routine, and I would agree that most silent acts probably are stage routines.


to answer your question:

"How else can they handle them?" In many of my presentations the coins are removed from the main container (dumped) onto a plate, tray or basket.

I usually only do 15-20 for a small group and end up with that many one the tray by way of verification of count (unstated)
These are often mixed coins. Actually, with crippled hands I can't palm that many

I have a spectator select coins and I perform with them - C/S, Charming Chinese Challenge, etc.

Ok now I'm interested in a routine for kids

I have an awesome bucket with 5 loads in the bottom and two more your familiar with -&- I can make a portable ladder

How many 4 minute routines work for kids?

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I remember seeing Buckingham do his routine and THAT was a lot of work to set up.

Jay...I'll PM you.

I saw Buckingham in 1950. Yes! THAT was a lot of work to set up!

My motto is: K I S M I F !

I started doing the MD in 1946.

My routine CLOSES my elementary school program.

THE OP HAS NOT BOTHERED TO REPLY TO MY QUESTIONS IN MY FIRST POST ABOVE.

i WILL THEREFORE NOT BOTHER TO TRY TO GIVE HIM ANY ANSWERS. THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THESE YOUNG PUNKS. THEY WANT FREE ADVICE, BUT, DON'T HAVE ANY COURTESY.

Jay Leslie...I tried to email you. My email would not transmit. The net "does not recognize your address"!

Wow, Nielsen's routine is phenomenal, start to finish. What a beautiful act.