I need some help from the wise minds who troll this forum. I was strolling the tricks for sale section and happened upon this:

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......rum=76&2

It's a weird looking set, but if anybody knows anything about it, I'd love more info. Also, do you think it would be good for a beginner? Are there serious downsides to not using recognizable coins?

I've PMed the seller for more info and I'll post it once I get it. It might be a bargain or it could be less than desirable...I'm out of my league.

Edit: Oh and I forgot to mention that this is really more about the product and if it is a good fit for me...the seller looks quite legit.
He did get back to me and says that they are the same size as a Kennedy half-based set. They are also brand new and very attractive to look at. He doesn't have any info on the maker and I'm assuming I'll need to find the handling myself.

Thanks!

Ok, just got a bit more info, the sh**ls are cut down, not expanded. The nesting is apparently very loose. He describes this as desirable...but I was under the impression that this was not the case. Thoughts?

I have a 2 Johnson sets of hopping halves, and a cheaper version as well.
One of my Johnson sets is the silver version. I find all three sets to be rather "loose".
So, I assume this is good.

Well, he dropped the price to 20 bucks so I went for it, but I may have been too late because somebody else PMed him moments before I did. Still, even a pretty good set for 20 bucks seems like a good deal...

Ok so instants after I paid, somebody came on and identified it as the gold and silver set from magic makers. Now 20 bucks is still a discount on this product, but I can find almost nothing online about this particular set other than Magic Makers own page (which doesn't even have a price).

What do you guys think....and sorry to be posting so much on my own thread.

I sold a ton of them when they first hit. It's an excellent set of coins. They may not have quite the gravitas as a Johnson set, but then at $20 they would be less than a third of the Johnson. On the other hand the Johnson set give you true expanded shells that can be used in other work as well, so there you go. But, there is nothing wrong with the Magic Makers set and in some ways may be one of the better products they have produced as the set is VERY sturdy and works well. Best,

Well it's good to hear something tangible about the set....after I play around with them I'll let you guys know how they work.

Mark Jenest, on his video "Miracles While-U-Wait" has a sh***-less version of the Hopping Halves which I use all the time. It is nice because you don't perform sounding like the tin man. It is also very easy to do.