I actually remember Frank Garcia from the old Tannen’s in NYC when I was kid. He was an exceptional closeup man, but I was warned a few times to not share anything with him. As I remember it, he actually “lifted” the famed packet trick, Wild Cards from someone that had showed it to him. Supposedly, after figuring it out, simply went in the back room and put the cards together and sold the trick as his own. Yeah, so much for crediting back then.

Seemingly, as put above, Harry Lorayne didn't put too much if any effort into crediting either. I’m sure other knowledgeable coin men recognized that he seemingly overlooked or just dismissed it all in such a recognized book, but seemingly he was a nice enough guy (at times) and I guess it was just given a pass…Some people get a pass without much of any fanfare, just the way it is I suppose. A lot of people angrily grumbled about Frank Garcia, but also a nice enough guy and one heckuva good magician, I seem to remember.

Here’s more precisely what Harry so compactly said about it, I guess enough that no one said otherwise to his little work-around the matter…Somewhat like a clever little use of equivoque…but hey, that’s seemingly all it took and done…

“… In no way do I mean to imply that I originated all the ideas in this
book. The handlings and presentations are mainly my own, but most
magic effects are built upon ideas that go back perhaps hundreds of
years. They’ve been built upon by magicians over the years, each add-
ing, changing, molding, making them better effects. That’s the essence
of progress. If I’ve touched on an idea that originated with a contempo-
rary, and have given no personal credit, I’ve done so inadvertently, and
I hereby offer my apologies...”

There have always been, and will always be, people who steal sleights, ideas and effects, and then claim them as their own and/or try to make big bucks from them. Someone physically stole Servais LeRoy's Asrah gimmick from its backstage trunk, hordes of magis imitated "Sawing A Woman," Kellar blatantly copied Maskelyne's levitation illusion, and on and on. Stealing routines and patter was also rampant in vaudeville; W.C. Fields actually copyrighted many of his routines in an effort to combat imitators.

Harry's half-hearted conditional apology ["IF I've touched on an idea . . . .] about crediting really doesn't cut it, especially in this day and age, when most ethical magis at least try to be more careful about giving credit where credit is due.

There's a kernel of truth in the famous quote by the author and wit Wilson Mizner: "If you steal from one author, it's plagiarism; if you steal from many, it's research."

Of course, in the end you have to live with yourself. Some people can do that more successfully than others, depending on how they have lived. SETH

I also recall being warned not to show Frank Garcia anything as he blantently stole ideas of others. I remember he got a LOT of flack for stealing Fred Kaps's publicity package, and using it (including the quotes) as his own! And this while Kaps was alive! That being said, I also recall him being very nice, and generous in showing material to others at Tannens.

Ironic that he was billed this way…

“… As "The Gambling Investigator", Garcia demonstrated and exposed cheating methods at trade-shows and to law enforcement organizations throughout the United States…”

That’s pretty rich, sorta like the cops committing the crimes, or something like that.

And I grew up in the streets of NYC with a lot of shady characters that were pretty nice guys as the hard uptown streets go, but I guess, not really so nice when you better consider. I also remember, while covering boxing in NYC, Mike Tyson being a pretty nice guy, at least pretty nice to me, but then again, I guess mileage varies on stuff like that.

*Also Seth, I was thinking that too…”Harry Lorayne’s half-hearted apology about crediting, not cutting it.” He had a real sorta NY Style Napoleaonic Complex that develop from his family life I seem to remember, anyway it all seemingly kept people off his back. Mix that in with how good he was at magic and other things and people begin to look the other way as to this & that.

Good talk!

Seeing you guys talking about magicians of New York, what about Albert Goshman? Any interesting memories of him?

https://youtu.be/Z1oaVZADKDM?feature=shared

As a college student in Syracuse, I went to a lecture by Goshman, and loved his spellbound. He was one of the guys who helped stimulate my interest in coin magic. Later on I met Goshman while I was studying in Italy. We both performed at one of the national conventions. We didn't talk much, and I think he was perplexed that I was an american speaking italian and living in Italy. We had dinner together with some other magicians, and all I remember is that his dinner would land all over his chest and stomach as he ate. Ahhh, sometimes the memories are good and sometimes...

There is an interview somewhere with Haryy Riser about when local magicians used to come to his house. One time Goshman turned up covered in flour from the bakery and fell asleep in a chair where the wives were sat talking. Another time he started clashing his coins about on the pristine dining room table much to Mrs Riser's horror.

Fascinating and funny stuff. I enjoy hearing these old stories.

I worked in a brick and mortar so I only spoke to him on the phone a few times. As much as I liked his products, I was not used to his Brooklyn charm and was more than happy to transfer his calls to the owner of the shop.

Unfortunately, he was one of the old masters I only got to see at a small show once in the City, but still heavily was influenced by his deceptive magic. To watch him is a treatise of how good coin & closeup magic is done. He had such great control of the moments and was an absolute wizard. His popularization of the Tenkai Pinch here in the states is something Im extremely happy about as it is one of the most magical moves I’ve ever played around with, even to this day. Didn’t matter whether you were close up or far back, or even watching on TV, the closer you watch, the less you see with Goshman…

No, this is not the wrong forum.
For me this can be seen as a pretty impressive, out of the box coin trick (even though he uses a poker chip).

Obviously the guy had amazing chops. He was also extremely creative in taking a very old effect (The Free & Unlimited Coinage of Silver) from Down's "The Art of Magic" (it was also later reprinted in Bobo), and making an entirely different and entertaining routine out of it.

BUT -- at least on the video clip that's linked in this thread, Albert just seems to be going through the motions; there's no enthusiasm, no reason for magic to happen. It's just reduced to a "find the coin" routine that challenges the spec to figure out how the coin gets under the pepper shaker. All we see are the bare bones of the trick, there's no fancy dress on it and it could really have used one.

Now in all fairness, I saw Goshman perform the same routine at the Magic Castle in the 1960's, and it had a completely different vibe and effect on the specs. So maybe he was just having a bad day, maybe he was rushed for time (gotta get that commercial in right now!), or maybe he was thrown off by being on television. But that's how it looks to me. SETH

I still like this old way of producing a coin. It’s like having a nice little pocket knife onya…Remember those? And like pocket knives, you don’t see it much anymore, but it truly is magical and makes spec’s eyes pop with amazement, and most times you haven’t even done the effect yet. It’s sorta like topping off a really nice suit (routine) with a nice hat or slick pair of shoes. I mean, it’s not the meat & potatoes but one heckuva appetizer.

I remember using it in my effect, “Me & My Hat.”
https://youtu.be/iG6nWQwUt3k?si=qs31b3Da4VFh9Gll

I still carry a small one around with me for that little extra punch, especially when I do a little something with just one coin and I want their immediate attention. This always does the trick!…

This is a nice little take with it…

Now that the coin is visible, it would be great visually to put it down in the purse, and the coin would be seen hanging there

Using "predictive vision" techniques similar to the Schneider Basic Vanish can have observers "see" the coin fall from the finger into the frame for a later reveal of "gone."

Of course, but I was thinking more of the visual effect of the coin put back into the purse and sitting there with no apparent support, other than that of the now-invisible purse.

Sounds like some good thinking here, my friends…

While you do, take a look at this guy (and quite a clever performer too), maybe it will help…The very best I’ve ever seen with this darn thing…Levels!

OK - why not do both? The first actual drop would set up the later Predictive Vision Vanish, with 'hanging coin' adding mystery.
The second drop would have the coin be invisible and both hands shown empty.
Then the coin could be extracted again desired.

I am intrigued how one sequence can mask the other and will play with it.

It seems to me that Danny Cole has done your 2nd & 3rd parts here, and quite brilliantly I might add. The only mystery remaining is what Lawrens first suggested as to the hanging coin. No?

Interesting here is why Danny uses the red outline to the purse??? What does it do psychologically as to the effect, and as to the spec?

Anyway, how would one display a hanging coin here???

Was thinking that sometimes rather than doing some neat manipulation with coins, you might just want to do some clean mentalism with them.

One of my lasting favorites has been “Fading Coin” by Takahashi, just a memorable little effect that is not hard to do but leaves specs scratching their heads. Just a wonderful little thing with coins you can do anywhere you go, something that specs will never forget that you uniquely shared with them. This one will help you with your presentation, interaction via the power of suggestion & manifestation with just a few coins or so.

I do remember a fabulous worker that used to do this effect, Eugene Burger. What a tremendous and magical elder statesman of magic he was, and he just made this sing as he did most things he touched.

Simple, brilliant, magical effect… It truly is worth tracking down and keeping in your pocket & mind forever.

I met Mr. Goshman in 73 when I knew next
to nothing about coin work. He stimulated my imagination
an interest in Coin magic. Although my gigs are mostly music
these days, I still like to combine magic and music.
Harris
Artist and Harmonica Whisperer