Hi All.
Weird, it's strange how I found the Café' a few weeks ago.
Finding this site was pure chance while I was data mining for coin magic info.

About 3 months ago I was reading some article on a Anthropology News site
I frequent, and there was youtube link to the vid referred in the article.
Well, you know how there are those links of interest on the right side of the
web page. One of them was Ponta's Spellbound flurry, and after watching I was
mesmerized and hooked.
I have Sweet Wonderful Memories of going to Knott's Berry Farm in the early 1970's
where there was an old man in the Gypsy Camp, who could make coins appear and dis appear,
he made one change inside my closed fist...

Now I have my own 2 boys and I've been trying to learn the Arte of Coin Magic.
So far I can preform a decent retention vanish, and I'm trying to figure out how to
link all these different moves.
It's kinda confusing, but being able to watch everyone's vids really helps.
Talk later

Welcome!

Welcome Duaut,

If you let your sense of wonder as a child drive your interest in Magic, you can't go wrong. You sound like a fun Dad.

-Mary Mowder

May be, it is better not to start with the stuff of Ponta!
It is only for the real experts ....
May be, once I will do it (I hope so!)

For sure Stapper, I totally agree,
I'm not even attempting Ponta's stuff, he just amazed me.
I bought the BoBo book in March and watch youtube vids now
Just learning the basic moves right now.

Thanks Mary. Right now the little guy is 3 and imitates/mimics
the few ximple vanishes I've learned.

Welcome! It sounds like you are on the right path so far! If I may, here are some tips for you to try if you have not already discovered them yourself:

Practice in front of a mirror. Instead of standing in front of a mirror, you can buy three cheap mirrors in plain wood frames (Michaels Craft Stores - $2.99 for an 8x10). Remove the mirrosr and attach them to a tri-fold piece of cardboard. You can also attach them to three pieces of wood hinged together. This allows you to see your moves/angles from three sides. Some magic stores carry them for $40+. Any which way you go, they are portable to boot!

A video camera works too if you have one, but unless you have more than that, only the mirrors offer multiple-angle views.

Another tip: Try actually doing what you are pretending to do with sleights, then copy those exact movements and positions when you perform the sleight. For example: Observe how both of your hands look when you actually place a coin into your hand using the Retention Pass. Mimic exactly that when you pretend to place it in your hand using the Retention Pass.

Practice until you develop a sort of muscle memory for each sleight. When learning a new sleight, work on tricks that rely on that particular sleight until you get the trick down.

I hope these are useful to you. If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me and of course, take advantage of this site and its wonderful, knowledgeable members!

Bobo's book will offer you a lifetime of magic. Dr_J_Ayala is right about practicing. I've found it useful to practice how your hand looks when you're not doing magic. Put the coin in. Throw an empty hand in the air (no coin). Watch how it looks. Then mimic that. I got back into magic when I had kids. Enjoy it and have fun. I love coin magic, too, and ropes. See you around those discussion forums. And yet another guy with long hair. Love it. And welcome.

PS - I believe Knotts Berry Farm is where Steve Martin got his start -- doing magic and working in the magic shop there. If you get a chance, read "Born Standing Up," his autobiography from the early days. Very good.

If you land here, there is good reason for it. Enjoy!