I have always strayed away from coins. I'm just not good at it. Maybe cause I'm not patient enough with them. I have always gravitated towards cards cause I just seem to be able to pick them up faster. But I think I would like to start trying again with coins. So what are some good places to start? How bout some tricks that are easy to learn but really amazing to the lay person?

First, Welcome to the Café…

You say here… "How can I not suck at coin magic?" -- Simple, begin by changing your attitude about it and you.

Now, stop striking out before you even step to the plate. Everything is pretty much mental or that is to say that our lives are created by our thoughts, and with that, "it is done unto you as you believe" or as Henry Ford once succinctly put it, "If you think you can or think you can't, either way you are right." So, how about we at least start out thinking positive to better begin with here? That way, if you happen to strike out at times (And believe me, we all have felt failure), you'll look better to the next at-bat, rather than just denigrating yourself and quitting, which typically gets you no where fast, every time.

Repeat after me: "I can do this."
Say it now and often and you will succeed. "Practice" the work and you can do this too, just like you say you do cards.

Get yourself a copy (The cheaper paperback is fine) of "J.B. Bobo's, New Modern Coin Magic," learn the moves and the progressive tricks there, and you will set sail. Do it in earnest behind good practice, and it will work for you. *You might also check out "Michael Ammar's, Introduction to Coin Magic" DVD, it's a nice little place to more visually start your journey toward success in coin magic.

Again, welcome…

Thanks for the pep talk Mb217. I have looked at bobo's book before but it's hard for me to figure out some of the moves just by reading them. I definitely learn better with DVD's. I have always been a more visual learner. I will check out Michael Ammar's DVD though. Thanks so much for the advice!

I do understand the need for a visual aide, especially as to Bobo's, so here it is…The big 4 DVD set that mirrors the famous book, move for move, trick for trick...Also, very inexpensive, actually an absolute steal!

http://salinasmagic.blogspot.com/2014/04......alf.html

*Tell Ben Salinas that Mb sent'cha…

What else do you need?

I know this is basically the coin with sleight of hand section, but recently I've turned to some coin gimmicks and they can make it easier to focus on the presentation and making the effect seem magical....Even working with those requires some intent practicing, but I think something like Imagination Coins, or any of the effects that can be done with a Scotch and Soda type gimmick, for example, are worth looking into. That way you can have some good experiences mystifying people and get the feel for working with coins. With the Scotch and Soda set you can work out all kinds of penetrations, transformation, etc. Same with an expanded you-know-what. The magnetic c/s set, although more expensive, provides a lot more leeway for invention. Maybe other folks will have advice for other effects with gimmicked coins. At the same time you can practice the tricks that are done strictly with sleights. In respect to that, I think David Roths' Expert Coin Magic Made Easy has some very workable routines on it. If it provides any perspective, though, I've been working on one of those Roth routines for close to two years, and while I don't know if I'd say I "suck" at it...sometimes I feel as if it still has a long way to go...I think it's just part of the deal that these things are challenging.

If you Your Looking for gaff Slight Combo I have a Ton or two of it! And Hay Greg Rome was not build in a day ! Go slow and work your way up!

Listen to Mb.
The key is to be confident and of course: Practice.
I also started with cards, tried coins, didn't work, now Im trying with coins again.
About the tricks, I think it's a good idea to start with coins thru table, it's very simple, and the reactions are always good.
I really recomend you to check out Slydini's work with coins.

And good luck, Im not an expert on coin magic and I don't plan to do so, but believe me, it's not that hard.

I second the Ben Salinas 4 dvd set.I didn't
learn as well with a book of diagram's either.
These will give you a jump-start on learning.
Todd

And If there is anyone Where you live That's teaches Magic One on one is the best way to learn! You would be Miles ahead! Also If they teach not just how But WHY !!!

Thanks for the advice everybody. I will be checking out the DVD soon!

The DVD that helped me the most when I was just beginning to do coin magic was David Stone's Basic Coin Magic.
I still use some of the routines to this day, and watching David Stone performing the core sleights in coin magic will give you an amazing reference to how things are supposed to look.

Which sleights are giving you the most trouble?

In my experience

Results come from = motivation + time + practice + mentor + feed back + time + mentor + time + time + practice + mentor + (etc etc etc...then) teaching + motivation + time...ect...

a non magic example in my experience...

50 years ago, I sucked at basketball and ping pong.

Today I still suck at basketball and am a decent ping pong/table tennis player.

Back to coin magic
In 76 I sucked at coin magic.
hands to small
I'll never get this
people figured out what I was doing
I got mad

The same things that got my ping pong moving more than my basketball learning curve...got my start and progress in coin magic

My hands are still small compared to most adults/coin magicians
There are still some moves I said I would never get.
like my non dominant hand for the crimp change...

These days people say I'm pretty decent at coin magic.

David's suggestion on 1 to 1 lessons is a good one.

In the KC (USA) area I was/am blessed with an active magic club and giving members in the I.B.M., S.A.M. and Fellowship of Christian Magicians.

From Buckingham, Gertner, Cornelius, Goshman..I was inspired to put the time in.
From folks like Jason Dean and John Born I learned more modern approaches.

When I worked out of Reno, I got to meet great thinkers like Harry Anderson and Larry Jennings.

Life and Magic are like sewers, you get out of it, what you put into it.

Enjoy your journey...and pass what you learn on.

Harris
palms of aluminum foil...for a lighter touch in coin magic

Harris - Thanks a lot for the advice! I am defininatly going back to basics in all of my magic. Really trying to focus on learning the "tools of the trade" as far as slights go in both coin and card magic as well as other magic to.

Greg, I've had the opposite experience. I found coin magic a lot easier to pick up sleight-wise, although initially a lot harder to perform, than card magic. My coin magic has now excelled a lot further than my card magic and one of the things I find frustrating is that I have to start with the basics of card magic again and none of the routines feel up to the standard of my coin work. What I forgot though is that the basic stuff is still fooling. So I'm reworking my way through the basics of card magic and I'd recommend you view coin work the same.

Don't try to jump ahead expecting to immediately learn a routine on a par with the card routines you already perform. Start with basic vanishes etc and work your way up until you're performing at a similar level. Good luck

David

Good point for me.

I sometimes forget about routines that I used early in my coin journey.

The one that just popped into my head is from Bobo.
I recall the title as Presto Chango.

Y'know, when I think of all the coin magic that's in Bobo's, well, all coin magic is really right in there if you can see how to put it all together. Tricks like Presto Chango, Gadabout Coins, Tenkai Pennies(?), Copper Silver, Coins Across, etc., truly teach you all you need to know as to moves, effects & routines.

Most other effects, in one way or another, sprout from these basic handlings really. It's all in there, including all the stuff you come to think up as to moves, etc. The book is the motivator, the base-line hammer & nail. You can build all kinds of houses if you want, it all depends on you, and truth be told, people have and continue to to this day.

So yes, Harris my friend…It is a journey.

For coin magic .. I think the most important key is passion+practice.

I barely do card magic now but coins when I am working, I want to be different and that is why

Not many people in my area does coin magic ( I have only seen one ), once you learn all the moves you need to know,
you can put up a good routine, and it will even better if you use gaff coins ( depends on the effect)

Overall, don't give up, the more you practice and show, you will find the confidence, and that's how I keep myself up

Yea I always LOVE Gaffs! But LEARN your S.O.H. 1 St. The you can Ring in a gaff the RIGHT WAY!!!

Once you see the Ben Salinas videos then the Bobo book will make more sense to you. There's lots of good coin magic in that book.