I finally got my first coin gaff (after a year of pure sleight of hand!) Well, if you don't count the folding quarter...

Anyway, I just bought a Sterling hopping half set just to see how they were like. And heres the horrible part, the sh***s won't fit over the normal variety. This applies to the copper coins as well. Even the supplied half dollar is just plain fake looking.

Is this true of all Hopping Half sets? Even the Johnson's?

What I really wanted to do was the Roth "Chink a Chink" coins across routine (and the main variations etc.)

I'll probably have to get an expanded shell right? (I originally thought the Hopping Half set was better value but Copper/ Silver coin - too thin, and the mentioned problem with the sh*** above)

Keith,

The reason the Sterling set won't work on a standard half piece is because the supplied piece is shaved.

It's the unmentioned penalty for spending $25 on it instead of $70 on the Johnson set.

As far as I know the JP set is actually an expanded shell. One of the reasons for the cost - you're actually getting two gimmicks in one.

Plus it's a superior product.

Robert Bloor

I don't have the Johnson Hopping Half set, but I have just about all the other Johnson sets that I know of, and I'm not sure that the HH set has an expanded shell. The Ultimate C&S, Magnetic C&S sets have unexpanded shells and cut coins, so that the gaff halves, when assembled, are the same size as regular halves.

I'd verify that the Johnson HH set comes with an expanded shell before buying it. You can call Johnson Products at 626-445-1411, and ask for Kathy to confirm that.

All the Best,

Mike

Johnson's HH does indeed come with the expanded shell. And yes, the johnsons copper/silver sun moon emm 'component parts' are thin.

Early on when I just got started, I originally owned the Sterling, then I sold it and bought the Johnson set to get my first e]. (By the way who started this "e]" abbreviation - I have just recently seen it, its nice).

However - You may want to keep your Sterling set which is a cut down coin and unexpanded ]. If you get an e] and put it over your current ] to get coin with two levels of ]'s.

And if I did not use the abbreviation enough, here are a few more [[][][]]][[[[[]]]]

The Johnson has two e] one is a half and one english penny along with the sun and moon. If you don't want to buy two different sets, you can swing the two levels Dan is talking about with a sterling set called 'English Express' Sterling also makes this cut down set in Centavo and Chinese coins to match their C/S/B set and others in the same line.

Dan knows what he is talking about here on the stack. You would do well to pay attention to what he is saying on this.

I owned a sterling set then I ]d out the money for the johnsons, I was ] shocked as to how well made they were... er... are.

Hey, Dan!

I might be remembering this wrongly, but I'm pretty sure it was Jonathan Townsend who came up with the "e]" notation, along with a couple of others.

Cheers,

Cy.

Mark Jenest has a great Hopping Half routine that doesn't use all the gimmicks. I've been doing that one for years. Same effect, just uses subtleties and simple sleight of hand. It's called "Short Hop". I've changed the ending, though, since I didn't really like the complete vanish/sucker ending that he had.

Rick