Hello everyone, I'm interested in finding coins across using only four coins. I have put together a little routine myself using very basic and simple moves, but would like to do a little research on the subject. I have Bertrams passing the half bucks but would like other handlings. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
phread

Stand up—Chris Kenner "The Deep" is a good routine all be it extremely hard (angles and DBC pop up move). That is from his book Out of Control.

Tabled—The Gallo Pitch (Mike/Lou Gallo) i.e. the underground man and some of Geoff Lattas' stuff on HPC in CoinMagic by Kaufman may be worth a look.

Is there a reason for wanting four coins to cross? If you can live with three coins Jay Sankey "Mr Clean Coins Across" or Greg Wilsons similar routine "3/4 across" are worth a look too.

If you are looking to get creative a good Click P***, HPC, Cardini St**l, Himber V****H/ Himber as a Click P***. Are all good stuff to try out.

Hope this gives a few ideas.

Chris

Presto used to do this WAY back in the 70s. He would use the Han-Ping-Chien sleight to make coins travel one at a time or all at once.

Other folks used to do the Klause pop-up move thing.

I remember it well.

Thanks, fast replies...I'm using a fric**** p***,a cl*** p*** and an rov for the last coin. No reason for it to be four coins other than it seems to be an established way to do it. Personally I feel that three coins look better on the table or hand than do four, learned that while chefing, for eye appeal but even with four coins it doesn't take long to do. I just like to read as much as I can about something when I'm interested in it. (I have too many chess books for this reason!) Thanks again.

Hey Jonathan, I won't make a comment on your age but I would have been a wee nipper then. ;-D Would have liked to have been a three fly on the wall back then!!

Actually that should be a VCA on the wall but it doesn't have the same comedy effect.

What are your favourite methods/moves, any gems that you don't mind sharing?

The other one that gets a lot of good comments is Michael Ammar's version in which the coins travel to the spectator's hand. Forget the name of the routine though.

As you may well have read in other threads on the Café, many people like to follow a standard coins across with a Visual Coins Across or Three Fly effect. Jonathan Townsend is the originator of this effect so he may have some pointers...and hopefully a manuscript on the original handling...Jonathan?

I can't claim to be any sort of purist as far as methods go. For the most part I just happen NOT to use gaffs. To worry about dropping, denting, breaking and hearing that horrible noise as what should "ring" makes a sad "clack" or tinny rattle sound is just more than I need when doing magic for people.

On the effect side, I try to keep things very simple. Also very clear as to where things are and when the magic happens. To me this means not counting or fussing with the coins. Also means keeping the coins in plain view. Watching folks in the 1970's do the moves mentioned in the posts above got me wondering about a different aesthetic in coin magic, one where there would be no unmotivated action. The coins across folks seem to have made popular was a routine I put together to acid test some new sleights and the basic approach. I guess it left an impression with some folks.

As it happens, a small book is taking shape. The text is looking well. The photos to illustrate the sleights are being re-shot this week. Once they are done, and I have some art for the cover, I'll be looking at publishing/distribution.

I have a version of mine with just four coins. It's not that complex so I'm not claiming originality.

I also seen some dude doing it using the Sylvester Pitch.

Jonathan,

Is that like the Schneider move?

I've just recently read his "On Coins". Some very direct coins across in there that rely on his Schneider Classic vanish coupled with the pop-up move.

Bob

I recall the move with coins being associated with Roger Klause. Perhaps I'm mistaken. No intent to Deny a credit to Al.

There is a nice four-coin coins-across in the Deep Back Clip section of David Roth's Expert Coin Magic.

Paul Harris' "PDQ 2" does wonders for the spectator. I perform it all the time. Check it out in AOA book 2. You perform it in the spectator's hands, no table. Added bonus, no gaffs or extra coins. Just 4 coins!

Jonathan,
I wasn't raising a credit issue, I was just wondering if perhaps there was more than one type of Pop-up move. I believe Al Schneider says in "On Coins" that the move with coins was credited to Ed Marlo. He doesn't claim to be the originator.

Cheers,

Bob

P.S. John Carney uses the move with BULLETS (of all things!) in his trick "The Thirteenth Victim" from Carneycopia!

Michael Ammar teaches a simple method on his Introduction to Coin Magic DVD. Dean Dill teaches one on his IMS video, and I suspect in his Extreme Dean DVDs.

I have heard good things about Jay Sankeys Mr. Clean Coins Across and Gregory Wilsons 3/4 coins Across but havn't seen or tried them.

Enjoy!

Mike

On cultural x change 2 there is a three coin coins to spectators hand but is easilly changed to a four coins across routine

Richard Sanders on "Close-Up Assassin" teaches a coins across using only 4 coins, no gimmicks.

I have an original standup 4 coins across that I do with silver dollars using moves that I have developed. I've done this surrounded and under some of the worst peforming situations you can imagine. There is no counting coins from hand to hand each time and no click passes or pretended placements are used. I'd be glad to show this to anyone who is coming to the Hank Lee Cape Cod Conclave next week (April 16-18).
By the way, there is an excellent 4 coins across in Tarbell (the Harry Lorayne edited Volume) called The Travellers using only four coins. I remember seeing Lou Tannen perform this behind the counter many years ago and he really impressed me with this effect.

Thanks to everyone for a lot of suggestions...i see I've got some reading to do.
phread

My friend Frank has an AMAZING four coins across where you can hear every single coin, including the first one! (Funnyfrank.com)

David Stone has an excellent version on volume 2 of his Video tapes.

Henok Negash