Really? I always thought the hole in the Chinese coin made the effect a lot stronger. I already owned 2C1S the first time I saw CSB and it still blew me away.

I've always used the C/S/B using the same approach that John Mendoza suggested--refer to the Copper and Brass as a logical grouping of two, for example, two foreign coins. That way, you get the best of both worlds--the strength associated with one of the coins having a hole in it, and the directness of having only two "objects" to follow.

Mb

I use a magnetic copper and silver set; it will do the Scotch and Soda effect plus more.
It can be good for table hopping since the reset is quick and easy

A routine that I like for this can be see here.
http://www.calmagic.com/silvercopper.html

John

Rob. the problem is that for some strange reason spectators feel the need to remember three colors as opposed to two...this makes (or can make) for a confusing effect!

Mike

2 copper 1 silver is a 2 for 1 transposition that is immediately perceptible visually without labels. The label "foreign coins" is a meta level, another level of abstraction. Thus I don't think John Mendoza's solution is as good as the original 2 copper 1 silver, although I am quite sure that if anyone can clarify an effect (as much as it can be clarified) it is he.

Foolsnobody, I agree that the "grouping" is a level of abstraction, but at the bottom line, it works. I've performed C/S/B professionally for more than 25 years (and played around with it for many years before that) and can tell you that in my experience the audience isn't confused (and I performed the effect in bars for many years, where, as Mike Gallo rightly points out, audiences can have a difficult time concentrating). I think the secret to the success of my version is also that, unlike a number of verions I've seen, it's very direct without any extraneous handling. So at the bottom line, I agree with Mike Gallo that it "can" make for a confusing effect, but it doesn't necessarily have to.

Regards, Larry

I agree with Larry on this one. With proper routining, the three-way transposition just seems much more magical than a two-way. If you switch the silver for the two coppers three times in a row, it may be a nice trick, but it's still just the same effect three times. Three unique and distinguishable coins making a variety of transpositions seems far more impossible and therefore, makes for a stronger effect. Just my humble opinion.

The C/S/B does seem to have an extra layer of deception. When working for non-magicians I just have the 2 gaffs and 1 regular coin, and do double-turnover moves with the gaffs seemingly showing two regular coins, and when showing the regular coin on both sides I try to make the movement seem similar to the faked turnover. Then I do the trick and end with the "show" with the 2 double-turnovers and the 1 regular turnover and then put it all away. The copper gaff goes by because they don't know what is supposed to be on the other side anyway. It saves all the work on switching in and out.