I've found that the vast majority of routines use four or less coins, apart from the obvious: midas. Is there any reason to own sets of five or more coins, apart from the use as spares ?

Slydini has a beautiful coins through table using 6:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2e6IVPc5_U

In this video he only uses two of the coins. It looks like he's about to do a coins through the table when the video stops.

I have a 5 coin P.D.Q. Handling In my 1ST.set of Notes!

Bobby Bernard and others Coin Star. Coins through the body

A fifth coin lets you start a four coin routine one-ahead.

There are a few coin routines using six coins. Slydini's coins through table. There's three and three from Bobo (See Pop Haydn's Winged Silver for the same effect).

However, there are rarely more than four phases. Three phases seems best, unless the fourth can be made to go above and beyond the others (eg. a coins across ending in spectators hand). So for this reason and for that of limiting confusion, less coins are generally used.

An exception could be Tommy Wonder's Socked Coins. Can't remember how many, but watch it online - it's fantastic! He diminishes the coins involved which reduces confusion.

A 5 coins across would just be boring unless a continued progression of impossibility could be used.

Also the uses of extras as mentioned above. There are some routines using up to 3 extras!

Roth's chink a chink. On one of his videos, David Williamson has a good coins across that uses 5.

Here is Michael Ammar performing Daryl's "Cross of India" with six coins.

That's relatively recent. Older books have routines of the sort where a named number of coins pass from one volunteer's hand to another or where a pile of coins changes places with an object.

There's also the classic Coins and Champagne Glass by Dai Vernon.

You can it in "Vernon Revelations Volume 3 & 4" video/DVD, "The Vernon Chronicles, Volume 1 - The Lost Inner Secrets" by Stephen Minch and "The Video of Secrets Volume 2 - Lesson for progressive Conjuring" by John Carney...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyuuHyDTSTY

There is also A 3-3 Silver brass Tranpo!

Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVD1PV9tmdQ

Wow, I had no idea there were that many routines using 5 or more coins ! The only one I am familiar with is Chink-a-Chink, and as inigmntoya mentioned, 4 coin routines with a hold-out.

Thanks for the responses guys, I know I can count on the many experts here for help

JOhn Carney's Silver and Glass!!

Curtis Kam's:

The Goblet or Bejien (sic) Coins