I HIGHLY HIGH suggest, Jeff McBride's World class Manipulation Series. Volume 1 has MANY MANY MANY coin sleights that are mandatory for beginners, while volumes 2 and 3 have more advanced techniques such as rollouts, passes, jumbo coins, and other flourishes, etc.

If you want to see some of the things I can do, thanks to that those videos go to http://www.geocities.com/coinfreakfos

If I was starting all over again, knowing what I know now.....
1. Ammar's World of Magic VHS
2. Hampton's Amazing Tricks with Money VHS
3. Ammar's Introduction to Coin Magic VHS
4. Bobo's for a full read.
5. the Ammar and Stone vids in order

I suggest this order so the beginner can pick up some very easy material and have some effects to work with right from the start. The more difficult effects should be
held off for a while so that enough practice time can be done to show them properly without exposing the methods of working professionals.

Just an opinion.

Consider the 5th volume of the Greater Magic Video Library Teach-In Series from Stevens Magic Emporium. The tape is called "Coin Classics Volume 1" and features the likes of Bobo himself showing multiple ways to vanish a coin. The tape features 13 performers and 14 different effects shown in performance and subsequently clearly explained.

Mike Ammar (back when he *had* hair!), Eugene Burger, Daryl, Jay Marshall, David Regal, Jay Sankey, and a whole host of others.

A real find for the beginner and intermediate coin worker alike!

If you're looking for non-card material, I would also include Lewis Ganson's 2 book set of close-up material.

DonB.

As a newcomer to coin magic, I think the list of starting materials should be short. I am using:
Bobo's book "Modern Coin Magic,
Ammar's Video "Complete Introduction to Coin Magic"
and I must say how helpful the http://www.coinvanish.com site has been so far.

I would like to recommend for the beginners of magic who would like to know the history of magic, effects, and magicians to seek out a copy of T.A. Waters "Encyclopedia of Magic and Magicians."

DA

Nothing like starting at the beginning.

Discoverie of Witchcraft by R Scott (1560)
The Art of Magic by T. Nelson Downs (1909)

Sorry, that was a bit before video. On the other hand these guys did want to communicate so they wrote clearly and plainly. Both are in Dover paperback.

I'm at exactly the same position as you!

And I feel it's been working great so far. Ammar's DVD was a good hook that gets you interested and Bobo's helps with the fine details as well as the foundations at coinvanish.com

Since this is a sticky topic that stays at the top of this forum I wanted to post some advice here for new coin magicians.

Along with people posting about new videos and books I often see people make threads asking about topics such as Matrix routines, or the Raven, or _Insert your favorite coin topic here_.

One thing that I recommend for anyone looking for a particular topic. The Search link at the top of this forum allows you to put in a word or words if you are looking for a specific topic. This can also be done in the archived section as well.

In many cases threads that have come before will be able to answer your questions. If not you can add to the preexisting thread or start a new one to add upon what has come before.

I find the search tool one of the most helpful features of this website. I use it all the time when I am looking for a specific topic.

Dan

For a beginner. I would suggest nothing other than JB Bobos Modern Coin Magic.
That book has a wealth of material and takes a great deal of time to LEARN the sleights and routines.
Getting too many books only clutters the learning path for the beginner. Focus on the best book for beginners. I believe that is the book.

The quick answer is yes, you can learn coin magic just with Bobo's.

The long answer is, though you can learn it with Bobo's, its not the easiest way to do it - coin magic is very visual and it helps to see what is going on. You do not want to learn the basics wrong, one of these videos will show you the basics properly.

In the long run, I am sure you can do coin magic with only Bobo's but by purposely limiting the resources you view or read on a subject will ulitimately limit your knowledge. The more resources you can use, the greater knowledge you gain on the subject.

Regardless of what you plan on purchasing, definately do get Bobo's. Make sure you get the Hard Bound New Modern Coin Magic, not just the cheap Dover reprint. After you start with Bobo's you can decide if you need or want something more.

Dan

That's right. When I first started my first purchase in coin magic was Scotch & Soda, then Bobo's The New Modern Coin Magic book. After reading it for a week, I bought Michael Ammar's Introduction to Coin Magic and then "I got it!" was my reaction. Since coin magic is a very visual trick I didn't know how to present it properly--both book and video forms go very well together. Books usually have a lot more material than videos and in my opinion can give more material once you can actually visualize the trick, routine, patter and presentation in a flowing manner (naturally, presentation and patter would be best if you presented it in your own style, but that comes later once you become comfortable in the routine).

Beginners should watch a video before reading a book. The tape makes the rountine easier to understand. After the video, change over to books. It will prove the trick can be done, and how.

When I was younger I started the hard way because there were no tapes, only books.

I just this morning bought Bobo's book. As a stone cold beginner in coin magic I can tell you that the very first concealment was pretty tricky. Not that I'm opposed to practice. I bought that book specifically for long term learning. But for beginners looking for "immediate" results, Mark Wilsons Cyclopedia has a very good coin magic section.

I personally like the Wilson book. It gives you step by step drawings to walk you through it. I find it great for learning the basics on both coins and cards. I picked up my hardcover book on e-bay, and it was like brand new for around $10.

Ed

Bobo's text
Roth's video
Ammar's video
Johnny Thomson's Commercial Classics to see a true pro perform coin magic classics

For what it's worth...I have supplemented Bobo's book with Ammar's Complete Introduction to Coin Magic DVD and the coinvanish.com site. I am finding that, for me, it is very helpful to visually see the techniques described in books. I'm getting ideas of what the techniques LOOK like. Of course, I'm basically repeating some things that have been said above

Hope this may help other beginners.

Roth's videos are top notch. Bobo's is the classic work on coin magic, every magician has to have a copy, and for 8 or 9 bucks you can't go wrong.

Flip through a copy of "World's Best
Coin Tricks" by Bob Longe the next time
you're in a book store. I think he's
distilled basic coin magic down pretty
nicely.

Frank

When I started out in Magic the best thing that could have happened was the Bobo book, Expert Coin Magic (Roth), Coin Magic (Kaufman), All the Roth Tapes. I have to say that for me Rubenstien and Ammar didn't quite cut it. For ME that is. I am a big fan of simple is better and between Bobo and Roth material you can find a lot of low tech utillity sleights that can be very effective. All the exotic palms and placements will come later with practice if you want to use them. I don't, simple is better for me.