I wouldn't be surprised if there are threads on this subject already...unfortunately I'm limited to my Blackberry at the moment, and I attempted a search but it was exhausting.
I just picked up Kevin James' Perrier with a Twist, and I can't seem to get the coin out of the bottle without reaching inside with my pinkie to remove it. I've never owned this gaff before, but it never made sense to me that simply shaking the bottle would make it come out. Am I wrong about this? Does the neck of the bottle need to be a certain shape, or does the coin need to be a certain kind? Judging from the coin I have, I can't imagine it would operate simply by making contact with the side of the bottle...it's just too stiff (although it seems like it needs to be this stiff in order to work inside the bottle.)
I've always been told it will work when it contacts the neck.
Any help or information would be wonderful!

Using a quarter? As far as I know there's a knack to the way you shake. Have you made the whole trick up, missing bottle bottom etc? There's a place on Highland Ave., near Hollywood High School (opposite side of street) named SUNSHINE GLASS, who modified mine. If I can find the bits will bring to Dean's Wed.

I'll bring the whole thing in on Wednesday, Pete. It uses a half dollar. I haven't worked through the whole routine yet...just the basics. You can work your magic on it for me.

I have been performing one version or another of coin in bottle for years and I have always used a half-dollar. In fact, I use silver 64 F-----g Kennedy Halfs I
purchase from Johnson Products. I always shake the bottle to remove the coin and about 50% of the time, the coin will pass thru the neck into my waiting hand. The downside of using this method to remove the coins is the damage done to the coin. Up until about a year ago, I would shake the bottle and the coin will come out, now I use a very long pair of tweezers to remove the coin.

I like the tweezer idea...do you do that as a part of the performance and just keep the work hidden? As I said, I can remove it just fine with my pinkie and a bit of cover...the routine requires that the coin come out of the bottle (not that it needs to, and not that I plan to do the routine exactly as it comes since I prefer to come up with my own whenever possible.) I just always see this performed where it pops right out, but in this case I have yet to get that to work even once.

John Bannon has aroutine where he uses a tweezers to openly remove the coin from a small makeup bottle.

Andrew, glad to see you at Dean's and I think we all worked together to solve the problem you thought would be difficult. As they say, JUST DO IT.

BTW... Dean KILLED today with two totally new coin routines. Fried us badly.

Now I always use tweezers. I have several funny lines I use when bringing the tweezers into play.

He specifically recommends scissor-handled tweezers; they work perfectly.

If you use this method, give the tweezers a slight twist as you remove the coin. You'll only forget this bit of advice once (as you clean up the bits from the floor, and try your best to make a very unmagical moment slightly less embarrassing).

I still prefer the shake out, and switch, all in one move.

Quote 'I still prefer the shake out, and switch, all in one move'

I also prefer the shake out and switch. I'm using an old English 50 pence piece which hss a s***e f**d and have no trouble getting it out of the bottle

I also have a new type English 50 pence piece which has a d****e f**d and this is easy to get out of the bottle.

Michael J

I'm going to keep playing around with it and see what happens. After reading about the tweezer method, I do recall seeing that done once or twice. Seems like it would add some comedy to the whole routine if used correctly.

I think medical forceps would be cool. You could first have spec "hold the bottle" and bround out a little saw and or hammer... then say, "No too messy" and then the forceps.

You're a genius, Pete. I wonder if I'll raise any eyebrows going through airport security with a pair of forceps in my close up case. I'll let you know how that goes.

I just picked up a pair of tweezers today to try this out, since I'd never gotten the coin to come out on its own. I put the coin in the bottle after opening the tweezers, gave it a gentle shake to get the coin into position, and the friggin' thing flew right out of the bottle. Now it's working every time. Go figure.

I played around with the tweezers though, and I think it will make a funny bit of business, so I'll hang onto them. I kind of like the "hands off" approach on this one.

You've got it scared now.

Maybe I went overboard with the rubber gloves. Poor JFK.