Unofficial Coin Information

[Ben Long]

I was hoping that maybe some numismatists could post some information about the different kinds of coins that are good to use for coin magic.

I'll get this started:

Kennedy Half-Dollar:
Mass: 11.3 g
Diameter: 31 mm
Color: Silver
Availability: Commonly sold at banks and coin stores.
Notes: A good size coin for coin magic, they shine up fairly well. Also a well-known coin that is widely recognized. Good for closeup. Tend to slip a little bit.

English Penny:
Mass: 9.4 g
Diameter: 31 mm
Color: Copper
Availability: Common at coin stores
Notes: Also a good size for coin magic. Less slippery than the Kennedy half. About the same size, so good for changes, palming, etc.

Walking Liberty Half-Dollar:
Mass: 12.5 g
Diameter: 30 mm
Color: Silver
Availability: Slightly harder to find than Kennedy halves, try coin stores.
Notes: Heavier than both the Kennedy half and the English Penny. The high silver content causes it to be smoother. Good for palming due to size. Good closeup coin due to design.

Morgan Dollar:
Mass: 26.7 g
Diameter: 38 mm
Color: Silver
Availability: Rarer than most, due to era of mintage (just try to have that make sense). Look in coin shops.
Notes: Larger size makes for ease in palming and increases visibility, so stage work is easier. Very nice design.

Peace Dollar:
Mass: 26.7
Diameter: 38 mm
Color: Silver
Availability: More common than the Morgan. Again, try coin stores.
Notes: The design is very nice. Very similar to the Morgan dollar in terms of handling.

 

[JD4WG5]

Thx longman for this post i was just getting into coin magic and i was needing some coins but i didnt know where to get them so thx. But do you have any suggestions on tricks you would recommend to a beginner in coin magic

 

[PatrickDonovan]

Another place to get coins that are harder to find is (of course) eBay.

 

[Ben Long]

Thx longman for this post i was just getting into coin magic and i was needing some coins but i didnt know where to get them so thx. But do you have any suggestions on tricks you would recommend to a beginner in coin magic

Definitely pick up Modern Coin Magic. There's a thread here somewhere where people have put their favorite effects.

Also, David Stone's coin magic videos are really good, so check those out. You can find them on his website: http://stone.magiczoom.com/

I would also recommend checking out Chris Kenner's book, Totally out of Control. There are some really great routines there.

I only recently started coin magic and those sources have been great.

The most important thing that I have learned so far is to find good coins that work for you. They should feel good in your hand. It will help, I promise.

 

[Amane]

some coin magic books you SHOULD pick up if you're getting serious with coins.

Richard Kaufman's Coin Magic
David Roth's Ultimate Coin Magic.

Packed full of awesome coin routines from the masters.

 

[Nikajo]

David Roth's coin magic DVD's are wonderful. They will take you from beginner to expert should you wish to put in the time. I hear a lot of Magician's talk about Bobo's coin magic. Don't get me wrong, it's a wonderful book it's just a dry read. David Roth's book "Expert Coin Magic" is quite an encyclopedia. A book that has some real high end coin stuff in it is Paul Gertner's book "Steel and Silver". It's not all coins, but the coin stuff in it is top notch and quite difficult. Dean Dill has some wonderful coin DVD's. So does Troy Hooser. His book DesTROYers has some great stuff gimmicked and non-gimmicked.

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