Hypothetically, my wife will allow me one coin trick purchase this month. If you had to choose, would it be TUC from Tango in quarter form or Imagination Coins. Any help is very much appreciated.

While I don't personally have it, I think Imagination Coins would be the better bet.
Here's why:
Imagination Coins comes with a dvd by one of the greatest thinkers in close up magic. He teaches one of his best routines. You are getting knowledge as well as a gimmick.
TUCs are great but ]s can be handled more easily. I say this because the coins can be completely examined by palming it off. It can also be combined with other coins for transpositions etc. TUCs are great but better for more visual in the hands routines. ]s work better for stuff happening in spectator's hands (such as imagination coins) which I feel is more valuable.

I do love the fact that imagination coins can be done in the spectator's hand. That's powerful. Conversely, TUC seems to offer more variety. Hence my dilemma.

Two great choices.

That said, If your not quite sure how you will use the TUC and are just a beginner, then go with Imagination Coins. You get a complete and masterful routine from the mind of the great Garret Thomas. who in my opinion is a genius.

If you are just getting into coin magic, the gimmick that IC comes with is something you should have in your toolbox regardless. So if you don't have it already, then its more reason to go with IC. But what your really paying for is routine. Which again, is mind blowing.

You can do a lot of other stuff with the gimmick too so with a bit more imagination and learning, possibilities are endless. And there's plenty of material out there for this staple of a gimmick. I should point out that the four phase routine option taught on the DVD gives you some of the additional moves you can do with the gimmick on top of the coin appearing and disappearing from the specs hand.
So it will already tease you with additional ideas.

TUC is great too. Indeed, It was the first gaffed coin I ever purchased. There are some nice and basic moves and routines taught on the DVD to get you going but there's nothing on there (in my opinion) quite at the level of what the IC routine is. So if your just starting in coin magic, you'll have a pretty powerful weapon in your arsenal, no doubt....but you may not know how to realize it's full potential yet.

If you are pretty well versed in coins and have ideas in mind with what you'd do with the TUC, then by all means go with it.

Otherwise, Imagination Coins is a perfect launchpad into coins and a masterful routine in and of itself.

I recommend starting there. And if it excites you further in coins, then learn more basics and sleights (I recommend Eric Jones Metal Series).

And once you get more proficient, then consider something like a TUC. But by then, you'll probably catch the bug like I did and want to get something like a Lassen Triple Threat or Schoolcraft 3CM.

Personally, I stopped using my TUC and got a Schoolcraft OxF because I wanted to do specific type of routine (and open up more possibilities):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nWpe3jBENg


Everyones journey is different but at the end of the day, the TUC is more of a tool that's made better, in my opinion, with more experience and with a specific purpose.

What you get with IC is a coin magic staple but your really getting a tried and true amazing routine.

PS: For next months allowance, you may also want consider Triad Coins by Vanishing Inc. I don't have it but it seems like you can accomplish similar effects as the pricier gaffs I mentioned above.

I really appreciate the thoroughness of your advice Pendleton. I'm actually not completely new to coin magic, though I do far more with cards. I have a few Johnson versions of the IC gimmick, but the ic routine has a few subtleties I'd like to learn. That being said, the TUC coin is a new gimmick for me. It introduces a few new possibilities based on what I've seen. I may end up with both but not sure I can resist doing IC.

My pleasure. Sorry if I implied you were a beginner. I wasn't sure so figured I would try to cover a range of experience in my reply, just in case!

I would definitely sway you to the IC.

As for the TUC, the last thing I'll say on it is to just make sure that this type of gaff is truly what you think you need vs another ] or a fl#pp#r, a combination of the two like the OxF, or something like the Triple Threat or 3CM.

They all are not cheap and all have their pros and cons. So it just comes down to if suits your need and the type of utility you want out of it.

Either way, you will have some powerful tools and magic no matter which option you choose.

Having both, I would recommend Imagination Coins. A great teaching DVD by Garrett Thomas - a fantastic instructor of close-up magic, plus a surprisingly good expanded coin gaff made, from what I understand, by Roy Kueppers. And you will end up, after appropriate practice, with a good, solid, professional coin magic routine that you can use forever! Whereas a TUC will give you another gaff that you might work into a routine when you get the time to be creative with it. But you won't get the same level of teaching with the TUC, nor any routine that approaches IC.

There's my opinion!

Jim

Thanks gentlemen. I'm going to take your advice and go with IC.

Cal