I'm going to the glass store this week to buy a piece of glass to practice this effect. Is there a recommended thickness? And on a related note, has anyone run into problems with glass coffee tables that were too thick for the trick to work? Thanks in advance for any help.

I don't own this trick, but I've seen it done before. I was at my house when a buddy of mine did it. He did it on my desk(a glass desk) which is roughly 1 cm thick.I don't know if this is any help to you, but I tried.

Hope it helps,
Chrix

I ended up buying a 3/16" plate of glass for practicing, and it works well. I think the minimum thickness for a glass coffee table top, though, is about 1/4", and some are much thicker. The supplied coin worked fine with a 1/4" thick top, but the gimmick had problems holding my steel core quarter at that thickness. Since I don't want to use a foreign coin, a steel pennies might be the solution.

Will plexiglass work? Much safer...

That's a good point, Joseph. I tried it on a piece of plexiglass at the glass store, and it worked, but I didn't really think about it. That would have been a better choice for storing and practicing around the house. But ultimately, I think this trick will be most effective in impromptu situations when you happen to run across a glass coffee table in the hotel bar, or at someone's house, etc.

Patio tables are also great, just be careful as they sometimes have textured surfaces that can talk.

Have this and do have difficulty with the coin hang from its edge. The glass is about 3/8" ....hum....ideas?

Thanks,
Joe

OK. Here is my $0.02!

One can not make an assumption regarding the thickness of the glass. In one case a 1/2 inch thick glass would be perfect for the trick to work. And in another, a 3/8 inch thick glass may prove to be unsuitable for the same coins and gimmick. This is so due to one primary (besides other) reason - The LEAD content of the glass. The higher the lead content the thinner should be the glass (and vise-versa) for the trick to work.

Hence before one is all set to perform, make sure you have a trial run on that particular glass table. This is so because one doesn't know the lead content as well as hardness factor of the available glass.

While buying a glass top, make sure you take your coins & gimmick along so as to test for the most suitable glass thickness.

Thanks for the suggestions and info on Lead content of the glass.

Regards,
Joe

My pleasure, Joe!

Glad to know that the info was useful.

Kind regards,

Narendra

Actually there is a version that you can do wich it doesnot matter how thick the glass is.

I carry this trick everywhere and I have never ran into a problem with glass thickness. Every glass table I have every come across seems to work. My main suggestion is to get rid of the Euro coins and replace them with steel core quarters. The instructions outline a method of treating the new coins. In the US, any sort of foreign coin for this effect will scream fake.