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The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » New to magic? » » Beginning coins (0 Likes) Printer Friendly Version

TeddyBoy
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New York, NY
604 Posts

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Perhaps a silly question here, but if one is just starting to study coin magic, which coins are good to start with? Sizes? Any special places to obtain them?
So many sleights...so little time.
"Slow...deliberate...natural." Bill Tarr

Cheers,
Teddy
davidpaul$
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Inner circle
Georgetown, South Carolina
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Depends on your hand size. For visibilty many coin workers use Kennedy Halves. Can be obtained at a bank. Some might not have but check around. English Pennies are also often used. Sun and moon coins.
English Penny on one side, Kennedy Half on the other. So many effects can be performed with pennies,nickles dimes and quarters. Coin gaffs,so many options.
Guilt will betray you before technique betrays you!
karnak
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Connecticut
777 Posts

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Much if not most “high end” coin magic uses half dollars (Kennedys, Franklins, Walking Liberties, Barbers) or big dollars (Eisenhowers, Morgans, Peace dollars — not Susan B Anthony or Sacajawea or presidential dollars, which are all much smaller), or coins of similarly large size (such as half-dollar-sized old copper English pennies).

To be clear, the term “sun and moon” does not refer simply to just any standard full-size coin with a half dollar on side and a English penny on the other. That’s known simply as a “copper/silver” coin.

Technically, a “sun and moon” set is a shaved-down and thinner version of that c/s coin, together with a matching unexpanded English penny shell that covers the thin c/s so perfectly that when nested together the unit looks exactly like a single English penny (on both sides).

If you purchase a Hopping Half set, you’ll receive a complete “sun and moon” set just as described (c/s insert plus unexpanded shell), PLUS both an expanded English penny shell AND an expanded half dollar shell (“expanded” just means these shells will fit over regular coins of the same type).

Hands down, the HH set is one of the best values in magic. That, plus a regular (full thickness, non-shaved) c/s coin, will have you all set for vast amounts of gaff-using coin magic.
For a supernatural chiller mixing magic (prestidigitation, legerdemain) with Magic (occultism, mysticism), check out my novel MAGIC: AN OCCULT THRILLER at http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Occult-Thriller-Reed-Hall/dp/1453874836
TeddyBoy
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New York, NY
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Thanks so much for your valuable information. It will be a big help. Cheers!
So many sleights...so little time.
"Slow...deliberate...natural." Bill Tarr

Cheers,
Teddy
karnak
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Connecticut
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Oh — and some ordinary half dollars and English pennies too, of course, to go with the gaffs (and which are good visual matches for the shells, in terms of degrees of both tarnish/patina and wear/tear).
For a supernatural chiller mixing magic (prestidigitation, legerdemain) with Magic (occultism, mysticism), check out my novel MAGIC: AN OCCULT THRILLER at http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Occult-Thriller-Reed-Hall/dp/1453874836
Wednesday
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I'll add my two cents and also say clad Kennedy coins as a beginner. My reasoning is that as a beginner you want your coins to work for you and clad Kennedy coins do that quite well. That's because they have really good milling in their edges so you can grip your coins easily. They're also inexpensive. Really durable so you don't have to worry about dropping them and getting dings.

But also as a beginner clad coins open you up to the world of gaffs at an affordable price and also easy availability since every magic store will have clad Kennedy gaffs.

In the same vein, if you want to size up and are finding half dollars too small for your hands, eisenhower dollar coins will be your answer.

Then after you feel you want different coins then just go for it.
TeddyBoy
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New York, NY
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Thanks to all. I did not even know there were that many alternatives. Thanks again.
So many sleights...so little time.
"Slow...deliberate...natural." Bill Tarr

Cheers,
Teddy
MultiSlacker
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GA
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I started with kennedys and just got a set of walking liberties and they're great.
karnak
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Connecticut
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Moving up to real silver coins is nice, in many ways. Though the gaffs get much more expensive....
For a supernatural chiller mixing magic (prestidigitation, legerdemain) with Magic (occultism, mysticism), check out my novel MAGIC: AN OCCULT THRILLER at http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Occult-Thriller-Reed-Hall/dp/1453874836
Oliver Munoz Gutierrez
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Are there sets including gimmicks which can be recommended?
Ioannes
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I started with quarters and then moved up to Kennedy half-dollars. I agree that the bigger size makes things easier.
jaykelly7
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UK
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I'm from the UK and have got some kennedy half dollars to go alongside our coins. Half dollars are about the same size as our £2 coin which is our biggest coin. I'm also a beginner to coin magic, although I've learned some of the essential moves, I'm not proficient at putting them together for a routine. I have found I find it easiest to use the 2p coin in practice, maybe because its the best size for my hand. However I want to be able to use half dollars because they are bigger and thus more visual to the audience. Any tips of beginner routines to look into? Also does anyone know if the US quarter coin is similar to the UK 2p coin in size? Lastly I've took a photo of how big the half looks on my hand - is this about right or would you say I should use a smaller coin? Thanks in advance for any feedback Smile

Edit: I don't know if the photo uploaded Smile
Wilktone
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Asheville, NC
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When I grew interested in coin magic I focused on half dollar size coins, but played around with some dollar coins too. The bigger the size of the coin, the more visual the effect tends to feel. Of course there are certain sleights and palms that work better with different sizes, depending on your hands and such.

That said, in retrospect I wish I had spend more time initially learning tricks that use common pocket change (quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies). If I'm hanging out casually with friends or family and the opportunity to perform some coin magic comes up, it's much more natural feeling to borrow some change or grab some common coins out of my own pocket than to bring out rare silver coins that haven't been in circulation for decades. Especially if you're going to ring in a gaff.

These days I save the half dollars and dollar coins for those times when I get to do something a little more formal.

Dave
thegreatscungilli
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If your hands are such that US halfs are too big but quarters are too small you can try the older UK two shilling coin. It is in between the US half and the US quarter size and they are inexpensive to buy...I use them for my Matrix routine ..my patter is about four kings and four queens. The queens are the cards and the kings are on the coin so that provides the reason for using the foreign coins.
MGordonB
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Toronto, Canada
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Canadian loonies and twonies might work as well
Loonie (1$) is a bit bigger than a quarter. The twonie (2$) is a bit smaller than a Kennedy half

Kueppers makes gaffs for both
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