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CarpetShark Special user 576 Posts 
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Many interesting posts in this thread. One thing some of you may want to consider is if a Morgan is too big go with a slightly smaller coin,e.g. a Canadian silver dollar is 36mm in diameter, whereas Morgans tend to be a couple of millimeters larger. It's surprising how much of a difference this makes! Of course there are other choices out there and yes, I realize gaff availability could be an issue but that's where craftmen such as Roy K come in. Just a thought...
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daniel116 Regular user 196 Posts
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Has anyone considered using coins other than halves and dollars?
There is so much discussion about halves vs dollars because none of them is the right size! I use old French coins, old coins from the Czech Republic, old Israeli coins, and many other old European coins that are BETWEEN a half and a dollar, that I've found in flea markets over the years for no more than 5 dollars a piece. That way I "enjoy" most of the two worlds: big, visual coins that are easy to handle. I'm not from the US and so even when performing with half dollars (never performed with morgans) I have to begin by "introducing" these unique american coins to the audience, so what's stopping me from introducing coins other than halves and morgans? I would imagine it's the same thing in the US, you don't just take a Morgan Dollar out and start performing, it's not an object that is familiar to everybody in the audience, try using other coins that are comfortable to you and see what happens. |
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CarpetShark Special user 576 Posts
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Quote:
On Apr 14, 2017, daniel116 wrote: Gee, wish I had thought of that ! What I've found is most people have zero interest in what type of coins are appearing/disappearing... it's about the illusion and NOT the tools used to create the magic. There is a strong bias towards using Morgans and Kenedies - which in itself is not a bad thing, but there is also room for other choices. Keep this in mind if you find different coins 'fit' your hands better. |
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evikshin Special user 892 Posts
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I've been using the Philippine 1 Peso coin from 1907-1910, they are almost as big as American Silver dollars in terms of diameter, but they are only a little bit thicker than a Kennedy Half! So best of both worlds, they are big but thin. The thinness allows easier palming, and the larger diameter makes visibility much better than halves. I have stockpiled a bunch over the past few months. At 80% silver, they are more resistant to dents and scratches, and are also not as expensive as American Silver Dollars. Also, they tend to come naturally "soft," if that is important to you.
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Dougini Inner circle The Beautiful State Of Maine 7130 Posts
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I don't have a lot of $$$, so I got 10 Ikes from the bank for $10. I got an Ike Expanded [ for $60. With four Ikes and a [, I can do a Coins Across/Thru The Table routine. I also have a Sudbury Penny. With a Spellbound-type presentation, some Copper/Silver effects are accomplished. What's missing is, a C/S coin in that size. With half dollars, I can do a Crimp Switch/Change with either hand. Then, adding an English Penny and a Chinese Coin, a TRIPLE change is accomplished. Plus, I have [s in half and quarter-size as well.
SOH with quarters is not practical, so I use a table and close-up pad. It was asked: Who uses ONLY Dollar coins...good question. I think Mickey Silver was using only Dollars...not sure. Doug. |
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vinsmagic Eternal Order sleeping with the fishes... 10959 Posts
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I use the silver 1907 peso coins I find this is a perfect size for me..
vinny great post doc |
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ringmaster Inner circle Memphis, Down in Dixie 1974 Posts
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.... but then you have to explain that they are actually a kind of money.
One of the last living 10-in-one performers. I wanted to be in show business the worst way, and that was it.
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MikeLiu Regular user vancouver 120 Posts
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I use dollar size when performing for a larger group, half dollar size is good for close up in my case
The Modern Magician - Mike Liu
Alcardmy - http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S20648 EVANESCE - http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/8577 Project M - http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S26858 www.mikeliumagic.com |
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jljones83 New user LA, CA 90 Posts
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Ringmaster,
To be honest, at this point in 2017, you'd have to explain silver dollars are actually money too. No one really uses them outside of niche communities like magic. And if someone asked, you can just say it's a foreign or Filipino coin. The idea that you have a foreign coin isn't really that weird, or any more weird than using generally unused american currency. |
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Chatterbox41 Veteran user Atlanta, Georgia 349 Posts
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Quote:
On May 24, 2017, jljones83 wrote: And today's dollar coins are smaller than Morgan's or Eisenhowers... closer to the size of a quarter, I believe. Do they even make gimmicked coins in today's dollar coins? Gary |
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Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27300 Posts
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Yes. Though they are kinda small to call silver dollars and not so common to borrow.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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tonsofquestions Inner circle 1807 Posts
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Quote:
On May 24, 2017, Chatterbox41 wrote: Yes, plenty. There are these: http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S14397 And also a Vodka & Orange which is a Scotch & Soda with the same coins. You would never call them "silver "dollars - not only are they not the right size, they're not silver. (Neither are Ikes.) Though I have heard them called "golden" dollars, Native American dollars, and Sacagawea dollars. |
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Douglas.M Elite user 465 Posts
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Arguably, the most powerful magic is done with borrowed objects. I can remember my first time reading Bobo where an effect required one to "borrow a half dollar from a spectator". That was back in the late seventies and even though clad halves were available, people rarely carried them (much less silver dollars). So, for Einhorn's nest of wallets, FireTrap, Imagination Coins, pen through coin, or any number of effects where enhancement can be made by borrowing objects from spectators; I will continue to use quarters so long as they are still minted. I'm not saying I don't use Morgans: they have their place as non-borrowed objects. But I don't just pull Morgans out and start doing magic without explaining what they are, since most people have never seen or touched a silver dollar in their entire life.
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Hare Veteran user 323 Posts
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I have found that when I perform casually and close up, that showing and explaining a Morgan dollar- with it's ties to American history, the old west and "cowboy days", seems to make folks happy and give the coins a familiar home that people recognize from westerns on television. It relaxes people. Many become interested in them as a sort of an American icon of our past at that point- they have a sort of nationalistic intuitive value about the west, saloons, silver mining that people enjoy and quickly understand.
I start off by pointing out the date, and mention it was minted just a few years after Custer fell at the Little Big Horn- always draws positive interest. Once you do that, people recognize you as a coin conjuror, but also because of the cool American artifacts- I think it may have been Henry Hay who made a similar comment about using Morgans and being specifically remembered using them. They would be particularly wonderful for any "gambler" style old-school magician to build a routine around. They are definitely and inarguably among the most beautiful coins, or props of any kind you can handle, and also have a memorable history you can use to your advantage to disarm the folks you are about to mystify. In short, they are very charming and magical.
"Better described in The Amateur Magician's Handbook"
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Mb217 Inner circle 9530 Posts
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Some great stories here on how to present using the larger Morgan coins. Hare my friend, I love that General Custer lead in.
As for me, I've always brought them out as my Grandpa's coins, mostly because that's where magic starts for me - with my Grandpa, which always represents sometime long, long ago, especially as to how old and unique they usually look. 
The big coins weren't always easy to handle for me, as it is not for most, but with some practice, these old coins visually heighten the magic by their grand size and unique look, old or new. I use both half dollars and Morgan dollar size coins and I truly think that I am the better for it.
*Check out my latest: Gifts From The Old Country: A Mini-Magic Book, MBs Mini-Lecture on Coin Magic, The MB Tanspo PLUS, MB's Morgan, Copper Silver INC, Double Trouble, FlySki, Crimp Change - REDUX!, and other fine magic at gumroad.com/mb217magic
"Believe in YOU, and you will see the greatest magic that ever was." -Mb 
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Posted: Apr 12, 2017 08:49 pm 
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