For an effect I’d like to add to my repertoire, I need to obtain an extra- or mega-expanded half dollar shell — one that can fit over a standard regular expanded shell (so that, in conjunction with a normal real half dollar, what initially appears to be a single coin can be un-nested to show as three coins).

I know that Tango makes one, marketed as their “super” expanded shell. However, reviews regarding the quality of its fit seem shaky or mixed at best. (Some say it’s a little too expanded, making for a too-loose fit over even an expanded shell. Can any owners of it confirm or deny this?)

Do any other gaffers besides Tango make this sort of item?

Either that, or perhaps alternatively an unexpanded half dollar shell with an accompanying cut-down coin (ideally extra thin, like a Sun & Moon set’s double-sided insert), which when the S&M is nested together will fit nicely below a regular expanded shell.

If I wanted to use English pennies instead of half dollars, then Johnson’s Hopping Half set would be perfect — with its expanded English penny shell, and the accompanying Sun & Moon subset (whose insert would be nested upside down from the usual HH way, i.e. such that its copper rather than its silver side would show face up when the unexpanded copper shell is removed).

However, I’d prefer to use half dollars for this effect. So might something like a “reverse Sun & Moon” set might work (if it consisted of an unexpanded half and a thin C/S insert, all of which would fit under any standard expanded half dollar shell)?

If that indeed is what a reverse S&M set does consist of, then are any gaffers making one these days?

Sounds like Triad Coins by Joshua Jay.

So it does! I wasn’t familiar with Triad Coins at all. Thanks for bringing them to my attention!

(Just to ensure that my understanding of TC is accurate, it’s just a straightforward bigger shell, a smaller shell, and a coin or inset fitting the latter. Nothing more elaborate than than that. (No flippers, no Slippery Sams, etc. — correct?)

Those are two very different things. It also depends on whether you'd rather have the C/S or the normal inner coin. And also what type of half dollar you use.

There are a few gaffers that do a reverse sun/moon, but it's not usually mass-marketed. It's exactly what you think it is. Roy Kueppers (caveat emptor) does them both ways, but it looks like he only lists the reverse ones with silver coins. If that's not what you want, you could try contacting him about it.

There are a few places where you can get a "3 coin nest" with either the small coin being reduced or normal. Triad coins is probably the easiest to find. Roy used to make them, and there's the Schoolcraft 3CM, though that's silver again. I think Tango makes a 4-in-1, which is 4 coins (reduced coin, through expanded [).
Or, there are various HH sets that are "reduced" vs "expanded" - based on whether the outermost [ is merely expanded (aroud a normal-sized coin), or around a reduced one (including the sun/moon). So depending on how much you're willing to spend, you could get one of each, and combine the two. (Probably not worth it.)
Finally, there's also the Triple TUC which is fairly close to what you want, just with some extra properties that you probably know about.

Roy used to do a Super expanded, but I no longer see it offered.


My personal take: I find the super expanded to be a little too large/distorted (thin relief), at least in half-dollar size. I think innermost reduced is the better way to go - whether you want it to be a C/S or S/S.
Of course, also it depends on your other needs in the routine. If you need multiple (different) coins to go inside both ['s at various times, maybe you need a custom Dean's set (or Tango's "Perfect" set), plus a regular [. If you want to swap in a normal C/S (rather than a reverse sun/moon) you'll need to go super expanded. Both can work, but you get different behavior based on what other coins/gaffs you want to use in the routine.

I hope that helps!

Mostly (nothing more elaborate), but it is worth pointing out that his handling is particular, which affects the way it all comes together, and he made it so that it's visually correct, so the combination is correct from all sides. But that makes it slightly different from a "traditional" nest.
Kind of like how different routines put the EP nest in the HH together in different ways.

It occurs to me to mention that a Scotch and Soda (English Penny, rather than Centavo) set is basically a locking reverse sun & moon. So if you buy an older set, it might be looser, or you could sand things a little to have it not lock. Or get a magnetic one and remove the shim from the [. Again, not quite as polished, but might be enough depending on whether you want something to explore with or something to perform with. Just more options.

Thanks very much for all the detailed responses. Much to consider here.