Scott - do you own any Lassen or Schoolcraft coins? I have used lower quality coin gimmicks, and they look like lower quality sets...they handle like that.
Buy a Johnson shell - it fits like you trying to wear Shaq's sneakers...yeah, I know, I could have made a harder comparison to something that was loose...moving on.
I own Lassen products, but only a few, a friend of mine owns almost ALL of them - from the triple threat gimmick to a copper silver - I have handled them all - even his custom made stuff, for created effects. I am not saying to fool people you need Lassen stuff, but I know that I can roll a shelled coin across my fingers without it unshelling, you can't do that with a 10 dollar shell. I also know that I have seen many Johnson copper silver gimmicks...which are cut in half and crazy glued, become unglued during performance. I have used Lassen product for a long time, and am more than happy with his work.
What it comes down to is this - how good do you want your tools to be.
Perhaps you are the kind of guy that uses dollar store playing cards...or, to go back to the basketball analogy, perhaps you are a Wal-mart runner guy...but I prefer to wear Jordans. Not because they are Jordans, but because they are designed by the best to be the best (Jordan designed his shoe for him, and sold it - nice perk).
Anyhow - I own digital dissolve, I was aware of this effect, from Lee sending me the video, about 10 years before T11 sold it. When you order the gimmick from Lassen, it is MINT - a slippery sam allows for some cool stuff, especially if you know how to handle it.
That being said - I found the gimmicks in the DD package to be flimsy, and not always sized to the provided coins to prevent the hidden coin from being seen. Not the best bang for your buck.
I thought the effect looked like a 10 on video, and I don't usually fall for this hype, but knowing the strength of it, and seeing it in the hands of a few pros awhile back - I finally bought in....and was disappointed.
I think this effect looks and plays better when you use a Morgan dollar coin, with a larger Slippery Sam equal - THIS you can order from Lassen, and it will be worth it - precision, as it won't be in bulk, but custom made.