Nope...no one has...but it won't stop others repeating the same.


Steph

Wow. This is impressive. Everyone gather 'round the bonfire and we'll all tell horror stories called 'The Coins that weren't coins, but might get confused for coins but only if we don't let a person see them'.

Really.. is all this worth the time YOU guys are putting into the arguement.

Let's do some math.

white card + magician = suspicious spectator
black cards + magician = suspicious spectaor
normal coins + magician = suspicious spectator (and by normal I mean regular circulation...)
not-so normal coins + magician = suspicious spectator (50c, silver dollars etc..)
ellusionist coins + magician = suspicious spectator

While the statements above may tend to be broad they get to the heart of the situation.

Are any of us really (and I mean REALLY) naive enough to think that anything in our hands doesn't make a spectator immediately suspicious? Whether it's a regular deck/coin or not there is always some degree of suspicion in the eyes of the spectator.

Here's what I find the MOST interesting. Are magician really so resistant to change and anything different that we'd rather jump on the 'Don't buy it, it sucks, it's worthless, why do we need this' bandwagon, instead of saying 'Hey, something different, can I take advantage of this, can I use this at all, is there potential'. Seems like most of the people here can't.

I understand the important of history and knowledge in magic, and understanding fully what we do.. I get it... I really do. But what I don't understand why it's so important for everyone to be fit into your pre-conceived notions of who or what a magic should be, what they should use, how they should look, and how they should perform. If I want to use these coins, would I be able to do it in peace, or would there be a disclaimer attached saying 'Warning: stubborn magicians may attempt to force you to conform to what they believe is right"?

Is it really so important that we be 'right' all the time rather than allow others to reach out of thier bubble to discover new things?

Most folks here hate the Ellusionist fancy card decks (Black Tiger, Ghost, etc.) but E sells one heck of a lot of them. Most said that only kids would buy them, but I've seen a lot of folks here mention having them. I have a couple of each of their early fancy decks; I don’t generally perform with them but occasionally I will for friends.

The Artifact coins will no doubt go the same route. Getting dissed here but E will make a mint on them. And I don’t think that the Stealth branding on them makes a bit of difference as to how specs will react or think about the magic. It's the magic, silly! Not the props... the magic! If your specs suspect your magic because of the coins you use, then you need to pull back, stop performing for a while, and practice your technique and more importantly your performance style. You won't have to change props to make your magic more "real". Silly arguments here on these coins IMO. Heck, I can use my grandkids' plastic "play money" and make amazing magic with them! And so could most coin workers here, and you know it. I truly don’t believe that the use of Artifact coins in a routine would detract from the performances of any of the magicians here that I know well. Not a one.

Fool 'em well!

Jim

Magic Dogma can be a real b I t c h!

These look goofy. (Yes, I bought one.) They're way to thick to palm well. The milling is too smooth. The latin is screwed up. "Veritas intus", "the truth within...?" No verb. "Jacet" is missing. At theast the half-quote from Cicero is ok. What a mess.

I'm Canadian. Bought them locally at a coin store. Our dollar was doing much better than the US.

Got some of these in the post on the weekend...I like em'.

Nice weight, look good, nice design. I'm not a coin purist like a lot of you seem to be so I'm not bothered by the fact that they're not real currency, however I can see how it would be slightly weird for a coin magician that's been using silver dollars for the past twenty years to suddenly whip out a set of these to do some magic with...and of course, it goes without saying that one can't 'borrow a few coins' from a spectator. But apart from that,...yeah, I like em.

Course, I haven't tried eating them yet....

Steph

I heard they have a nice chewy caramel center.

Something that seems to have been overlooked is that a good bit of what we do is really based on performance, yes a 'flashy' prop is not necessary, but under the right circumstances can add something. When I pull out an Ellusionist deck (I admit it is mostly when I do a trick for a younger crowd) I see eyes instantly light up, because they want to see something that's not everyday, and that's kind of the point guys to let them pretend that the abnormal is possible, even if it's only just for a little while. These artifact coins are a prop, and I'm sure that some spectators want to see something that looks out of place, something that is not everyday. They are there to be entertained, to throw away the real world for a time, and be in a magical one, and in that case a prop that is not ordinary is a good fit. That said, personally I use Kennedy half dollars in most of my work, just because that's what I have and that's what I'm used to, but I am never against an item that can possible (even if just for a kid) instill a since of awe.

Oh.... You must have bought the ones that came in the tin foil wrappers!

I must say, my Walker's "instill a since of awe" when I show them around. You don't see those in every day use. That's why I use them...plus they're pretty.

I got a WL expanded shell set awhile back. I sold it because I just didn't like the way the WL's looked! That's life...

Looks like Ellusionist made some changes. The new Artifact Coins come in copper or silver color, dollar or half dollar size, feature new Latin phrases on the front, and supposedly have sharper edges and deeper milling. Also, the word "Stealth" seems to have been deleted. It's worth taking a look - I think they look pretty nice both back and front: http://www.ellusionist.com/artifact-coins.html

Quote from the E website:
"Elegant, stylish and handle like a dream." - Eric Jones

Are these still available?