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Copyright © 2010 by Martin Breese – http://www.martinbreese.com/

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Edited by David Britland.

Illustrated by Stephen Tucker.

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Provenance
1st edition 1983 Martin Breese
 Contents
Contents...............................................................................................................................3
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 5
PARAGON ...........................................................................................................................8
Squeeze ............................................................................................................................ 9
Travel Agent................................................................................................................... 12
t.n.t................................................................................................................................. 15
drring ..............................................................................................................................17
Between.......................................................................................................................... 19
mini ha ha ...................................................................................................................... 21
matchic...........................................................................................................................24
Edge Hog........................................................................................................................ 27
Super Card .....................................................................................................................29
mocker ........................................................................................................................... 31
complex.......................................................................................................................... 33
Z~A ................................................................................................................................ 36
the 53rd Card .................................................................................................................38
** SPECIAL BONUS SECTION ** .................................................................................... 41
Spoonerism ....................................................................................................................42
Bend!..............................................................................................................................44
Concorde ........................................................................................................................ 45
Split ................................................................................................................................ 47
Tucker's Turnover..........................................................................................................49
Face Card Fantasy.......................................................................................................... 52
Bessie ............................................................................................................................. 54
Tucker Trip .................................................................................................................... 56
Seer ................................................................................................................................ 59
ELDORADO ......................................................................................................................62
Fall-Out.......................................................................................................................... 63
skewer ............................................................................................................................ 65
.....& seek ........................................................................................................................ 67
altar!...............................................................................................................................69
The Twilight Cheat......................................................................................................... 72
Cannibal Coins............................................................................................................... 74
Shell Shock! ................................................................................................................... 76
Vampire ......................................................................................................................... 78
Nesty .............................................................................................................................. 81
Throughout: 1 ................................................................................................................83
Cuppa-Silver ..................................................................................................................85
Boinnng! ........................................................................................................................ 87
Janus..............................................................................................................................89
Strike the Hour ..............................................................................................................90
Ideas!..............................................................................................................................92
Note-Pad ........................................................................................................................94
Coin-Warp .....................................................................................................................96

3
 Midas-Kard ....................................................................................................................98
Imagine: II ................................................................................................................... 100
Armed .......................................................................................................................... 102
Foiled again?................................................................................................................ 103
Leaper .......................................................................................................................... 105
Bye................................................................................................................................ 108
CATALOGUE NEWS ....................................................................................................... 109

4
 Introduction
How nice of you all to drop in! Now that you're here, why not grab a deck of cards, a
handful of coins and let's have a session.
In case you're wondering why this epic tome is titled, 'The Gemini Book' let me
explain......
It all started about a year ago when I decided to write a real book on close-up magic. Six
months later I had a finished product titled, 'Paragon.' I showed it to Martin Breese and
he thought it was good enough to publish. He then had the idea of expanding the book
and adding a second section devoted to coin magic.
Off I went and another six months passed.....The book was now complete??
Then Martin had another brainwave, "Why don't we make the two sections into separate
books??
So off I trotted again and designed a cover for the coin book, now titled.....
'El-Dorado.'
Well, to cut a long story short.... (Thank God.).... Eventually we reverted to the 'One book'
plan and here it is!!
Seeing that at one stage the material was destined for TWO books, I decided to call the
book, 'The Gemini Book.' (Get it????)
Before I continue, let me thank you personally for lashing out hard cash on this
masterpiece. That's assuming of course that you did BUY it!!
Hands up all those reading a photo-copy...1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Oh dear, you should all be
ashamed of yourselves!
There are many effects in the book, quite a few routines but no TRICKS!!
I hate the word TRICK. Every time I hear it I immediately get a mental picture of a dog
fetching a thrown stick or playing dead and on the subject of DEATH..........
.......Magic can quite literally bore people to death!!
Don't worry, all the effects enclosed have been thoroughly audience tested and not one
spectator kicked the bucket. Mind you, some are still in the intensive care unit at
Charring Cross hospital???
Before I go let me just tell you a tittle about myself.....I was born on Tuesday
April 22nd 1958 in St. Helens. (Little town near Liverpool.)
The Stable was cold and damp, though the Oxen kept us warm. Suddenly...the door burst
open and in rode these three geezers on Camels. They wanted me to do a trick or

5
something, but all they had was Gold, a female horse and another Geezer called
Frankenstein. My mother told them that, my fee was 25 quid plus expenses, but they
wouldn't listen. Many years passed and I learned many new effects and tried them out on
the simple folk of the town.......Think you know the rest!!!??
Hope you enjoy the pages to follow.....Have fun!!!

6
7
 PARAGON
13 Card-miracles & 9 bonus effects!

8
 Squeeze
The following effect was greatly inspired by Brother John Hamman's 'Micro-Macro'
effect. At least I think that was the title.....For my offering you'll need a half deck of
Bicycle miniature cards and a half deck of Poker cards with the same back designs.
Place the Poker half atop the Mini-half as depicted in Fig:A below and then place two
elastic bands around the deck, so that it appears as in Fig:B....Pocket the whole and
you're ready to perform.....
Explain that you had a great invention that will probably do away with card-cases.
Remove banded deck and remove elastic bands, place them aside and hold the deck in
your left hand dealing position...Fig:C.
Explain that you'll give the Spectator about 1/2 the deck and so saying cut off all but
about 3 or 4 Poker cards from off the top and hand them to the spectator. Ask him to
shuffle them, but before he can...comment that you appear to have more cards than he
does, so cut off all the remaining Poker cards and fan them as you hand them to him.
Note that your left hand now contains only the 1/2 mini-deck, so you'll have to angle the
top of the deck upwards slightly so that this fact will not be noticed. Make sure that you
don't angle the deck upwards too much, or you'll flash the face of the bottom Mini-card.
Ask the spectator to shuffle and once he's started....You shuffle the 1/2 deck. Comment
that you'll give the spectator a card from your half and he'll give you a card from his half
and the object is to replace the cards in their opposite halves and for you both to try and
find each other's card.
While this patter is being delivered you hold the 1/2 deck of mini-cards as if they were a
regular Poker 1/2 deck, by tilting the deck upwards so that neither the top or face cards
can give the game away.
Try to get the spectator to look straight into your eyes during this patter, so that he
doesn't prematurely notice your deck.
Ask him to remove one of his cards for you from either top, bottom or middle.
Once he has a card removed, explain that you'll make it a little easier for yourself to find
it once it's mixed into your half by squeezing the deck like this......
Place your other hand atop the mini-deck and squeeze!!
After a few agonising seconds....Lift your hand to reveal the mini-deck, as you
comment.." That should do it."

9
Ask the spectator to push his card anywhere into your half. (The situation lends itself to
hilarity, as you have somehow managed to squeeze your deck to a third of it's original
size and finding the spectator's card will obviously pose you no problems. So go through
the Pantomime of mixing his card into your half and suddenly pull out the Poker card
and ask if that is his card???
Now it's the spectator's turn...Double lift the top card(s) of the mini deck to show...let's
say the 6 of Clubs. Flip the double back face down and take off the top card and insert it
into the spectator's Poker half.
The spectator is instructed to shuffle his half with your card inside, and will assume that
his task is as easy to accomplish as was yours, but we know better!! Ask him to try and
find your card the...6 of Clubs.
He will eventually locate the mini-card and hold it proudly aloft. When he flips it face up
you say..." No that's the King of Clubs. (Or whatever card it is.) My card was the 6 of
Clubs. You did see it didn't you??"
No matter how hard he tries he won't find the 6 of Clubs and the effect is over.

NOTES*** Like I said at the beginning......No gaffs are used, but that doesn't stop YOU
from including a few like a 'Shrinking card-case' finale. You might even like to gimmick a

10
card case so that you can dispense with the elastic bands and apparently tip the deck
straight out of a Poker card case. (Not too difficult!!?)
You could even go as far as gimmicking the face card of your mini-half so that it looks
like a Poker card, then you wouldn't have to worry about flashing it during the routine.
Indeed you could make a point of flashing it to emphasise the thought of the cards you
hold being regular Poker size.......Have fun.

11
 Travel Agent
The effect I'm about to describe must be one of the strongest and most talked about
effects I perform. The actual move I have been told is one of Harry Lorayne's, though I've
no idea where it is published.
Once a card has been selected and controlled to the top, you ask the spectator if he has a
rabbit. He will think you half crazed, but will laugh!!
Explain that a hair (HARE) would do just as well and so saying...Pretend to pull one from
his head. Ask him if he can see it, then say..." Strange because I've dropped it." Pluck
another from his head and continue....
Pretend to wrap the hair around the deck and give it a sharp tug. Suddenly a card shoots
from the deck, spins through the air and finally comes to rest in your left hand. The
revelation is both humorous and appears skilful.
If you take a look at fig:1 you'll see how the deck is held in the right hand prior to the card
shooting out. What actually happens is....Your forefinger pulls the upper right hand
corner of the top card down, buckling it in the process. Note that it is the fleshy pad of the
finger that is in contact with the card, not the finger nail. Your forefinger bends further,
dragging the card's corner down with it until the finger nail contacts the surface of the
card. The finger continues to bend and the buckled card slides off the smooth finger nail
and springs skywards, spinning in the process. A slight upward throw with the right hand
will propel the card further, though this shouldn't be necessary!!
The hardest part is catching the spinning card in your waiting left hand, that will take
practise and you should be able to catch the card without moving your left hand or taking
your gaze from the spectator's face.

You can perform the effect with this presentation....Hold the deck up with the face card
towards the spectator (Fig:1) and ask if that is his card. He will reply, "No." so you ask
what was his card and gesture with your left hand towards him. (The left hand should be
in the exact position for catching the card when it is spun off.

12
Spin the card and catch it, as you say, "Well this must be it then...."
Just try it and watch their faces!!
It is possible to catch the card with the free fingers of your right hand....Try it!!

Well, that's it!!

It'll take a little time to get the knack of the move, as when you first attempt it the card
will 'PLOP' to the floor by your feet. The second or third time the card will spin off and
land behind the settee, but eventually it will land in your left hand and the audience will
respond with several choruses of 'Hallelujah'...?? Try this presentation which went over
really well when I tried it out on the kids when I was working in the Magic Dept. in
Hamleys London.....
You'll need a rubber frog. Yes you read that correctly!!
Card has been returned and controlled to the top. Spread the face down deck across the
table, as you explain that you have a trained pet frog who will be able to find the selected
card.

13
Introduce the frog and hand it to a young spectator. This alone will start the laughter.
Explain that if the child starts at one end of the spread and 'HOPS' the frog along the
spread stopping on one card....That will be the one previously selected. (Murmur, "I
hope!" under your breath.)
The child stops the frog on a card, you withdraw it and show it to the spectator who of
course denies this.
Pick up the frog, look at it and toss it over your shoulder, as you say.." Stupid frog never
could do the trick right!!"
Pick up the deck, ready for the spin off and ask the child what do frogs do?? The reply
should be JUMP, HOP etc.
As the word is spoken, the card shoots out of the deck!!

14
 t.n.t
I am especially proud of the effect and method to follow, as it never fails to get gasps
from the viewer. You'll need to forsake purity and resort to two fake cards, but please
don't let this put you off!!
The fakes you'll require are double faced cards with different Aces on one side and on the
other sides are depicted two cards of same value but different suits. The cards I use are
from a Piatnik deck no:1300 54.
The cards are......Ace of Diamonds / Ten of Spades and Ace of Clubs / Ten of Hearts.
Place these cards atop the deck with the Aces of Spades and Hearts meshed on either side
of them as follows.....Ace of Spades face down, Double facer Ace of Diamonds uppermost,
Ace of Hearts face down, double facer Ace of Clubs uppermost followed by the rest of the
deck also face down.
False shuffle and double turnover to reveal the Ten of Spades, flip the double face down
and then table both cards squared as one.
Repeat the double turnover to show the Ten of Hearts and table the double atop the
other pair on the table. Explain that you will use the two Tens to locate the Aces. Table
the deck and pick up the 4 card packet.
Separate the pairs and hold them as depicted in fig:1 below. You now riffle through the
tabled deck and thrust the apparent face down Tens through and out of the other side,
but when the pair emerge a face up Ace is seen trapped between them. You have in fact
pushed the top card to the right, thus revealing the Ace below, as depicted in fig:2.

It appears that you have somehow sandwiched one of the Aces from the deck as the Tens
passed through. (N.B.** The tabled deck should be face up, not face down!!) Remove the
face up Ace of Clubs and table it still face up to one side. This card is in fact one of the
double facers and on the other side is the Ten of Hearts. Square up the cards you hold
and pass the top card to the bottom, then spread again, as before so that only the two
normal backs are seen.

15
Repeat the sandwiching of the Ace of Diamonds in exactly the same way as you did with
the Ace of Clubs, but this time you really do have just one face up card between the face
down ones. Table the face up Ace next to the other and you're home and dry.
The two face down cards in your hands are in fact the other two Aces, but the spectator's
believe that they are still the two Tens.
Repeat the riffling and thrusting of the spread face down cards through the face up deck
but this time nothing seems to happen.
Try again and then explain that you don't seem to be able to find the other two Aces. It
only remains for you to flip the supposed Tens face up to reveal the unexpected
appearance of the remaining Aces.....End.
NOTES**
If you try this effect you'll see that it works like a dream and the handling isn't half as
hard as it reads. The actual effect of catching cards, between others is not new, but the
ease of method breathes new life into this excellent effect.
If you use Fox-Lake (AVIATOR.) double facers the following cards should suffice. Ace of
Diamonds / Seven of Hearts and Ace of Clubs / Seven of Spades, If you prefer to use
different sleights than those mentioned above, you should be able to work out your own
method for effecting the routine....Have fun!!
Having read the above and tried it, you may consider the handling a little difficult. In
that case you may like to use the principle with just one double faced card, which means
you only have one double card to control for a relatively short period. We'll assume that
you have shown the two Tens and are holding them face down, but the supposed top
single card is in fact the double with the double faced card 2nd down.
The card above the double faced card is in this instance not an Ace, but a King. Two
spectators have also been forced to select a Jack and a Queen. Pass the two?? cards
through the deck and show that they have caught an Ace. This is of course the double
faced card, which you now deal face up to the table. Click your fingers over the Tens??
and show them to be in fact..A Ten and a King.
It only remains for you to have the two spectators flip their cards face up to reveal a
running Poker hand of 10-Ace. (Better still if all the cards are the same suit giving you a
Royal flush!!) Many other uses will suggest themselves to you for this principle.

16
 drring
Larry Jenning's Open Travellers has always intrigued me, but the final card never
seemed to be convincing. Well, the following is my handling....See what you think!
Set up the top 7 cards of your deck as follows.... Ace of Clubs, any card, Joker, Joker, Ace
of Spades, Diamonds and Hearts followed by the rest of the deck. Turnover the top 3
cards as 7 and use these face up cards to flip over the next card face up atop the deck.
This displays 2 Jokers. Flip all the cards face down and immediately remove the top two
cards without reversing their order and table the rest of the deck.
You are about to make it look like you've pushed the Jokers into the card case, but this is
what really happens....You allow the lowermost card of the pair to fall into your lap and it
is the single card alone which actually enters the card case. The card now assumed to be
the Jokers in the card case is of course the Ace of Clubs.
The Jokers are still on top of the deck above the other three Aces.
Spread the top 4 cards off the deck, but lift off the top five cards, flip them face up and
Jordan count them to display four Aces.
Now Elmsley count to again show the Aces, as you comment that you'll show them
something amazing with the Aces....
Flip the lot face down and lift off the top two cards as one and table them squared on the
table face down.
Flip the three remaining cards face up and spread to reveal the Aces of Diamonds, Hearts
and Spades. Comment that the Ace of Clubs is the leader Ace and the others will follow....
Flip the packet face down and perform the 'Tent Vanish' with the top card, then show
that there are two cards on the table, by spreading them.
These cards are in fact the Jokers, but they will be assumed to be Aces.
Flip the three cards in your hand face up and spread to reveal only two.
Table these three cards spread as two and pick up the two face down Jokers and repeat
the 'Tent Vanish' allowing the two cards to fall squared in your hand.

17
Spread the tabled pair?? to reveal three cards. Handle the two cards in your hand as if
they were a single card and explain that you will make it harder with the last card by
stretching it so that it is harder to palm onto the tabled packet.
Push and pull the two face down cards from either side of your hand until they appear to
be a stretched Poker card. (Doesn't convince anyone, but looks good!!)
Suddenly snap the pair face up as you explain you were "Only JOKING!!"
Ask the spectator to examine the card case and he'll find the Ace of Clubs in place of the
supposed Jokers.......End.
Notes** My only improvement???? is the Joker finish, which means you don't have to
hide or dispose of any surplus cards. Hope you liked it.

18
 Between
This masterpiece is based on an effect of Brother John Hamman's published in a bygone
Kabbala. (No idea which issue, but it's not in Vol: 3...I've looked!!)
The original was called 'SLAP-JACKS.' and if you've read the original you will see that the
following eliminates several factors including a Palm off and a Pseudo palm, (WON'T
MEAN A THING IF YOU AIN'T SEEN THE ORIGINAL!!)
Anyway, here goes......
Place the two Black Jacks at positions 2nd and 4th from the top of your deck and you're
all set to perform. False shuffle, cut etc. and explain that by simply slapping the deck like
this....One of the Black Jacks comes to the top. Double turnover to reveal a Black Jack,
remove the card(s) and insert them about 3/4 down from the front of the deck, as shown
in fig:1.

Slap again and show that the other Black Jack is on top, by repeating the double take-off
and insertion, this time about 1/2 way down. The situation is that both Black Jacks
appear to be out-jogged by about half their lengths from the front of the deck. In reality
there is a single face up card behind each one.
Now perform a multiple shift and cut in order to send the face up Jacks and the cards
behind them to the bottom of the deck. The situation is...Deck face down followed by a
face up Jack, face up 'X' card, face up Jack and finally another 'X' card also face up.
Reach toward the spectator and ask him to cut off about half the deck. Once he has the
half deck, you pass your half into your other hand and in the process....Turn it completely
over.
Triple turnover to reveal the card apparently cut to by the spectator, flip the card(s) face
down and thumb off the new top card face down on the table.
Assemble the deck, with the reversed Jacks and selection at center.
With the deck face down, pick up the tabled selection and place it atop the deck.
Explain that by slapping the selection you can make it travel down and between the
reversed Jacks. Slap and spread to show that not only has the selection found it's way
between the Jacks, it has also flipped face up too!!

19
NOTES** The opening sequence is necessary to position the Jacks meshed face up
between the face up 'X' cards, though if you have an easier method....USE IT!! If you are
careful and don't allow the backs of the Jacks to be seen throughout... You could have an
extra climax with their backs changing colour.

20
 mini ha ha
Well, here we go again into the world of zany card-magic. For this effect you'll need two
decks of Bicycle miniatures and two Poker sized Bicycle cards with the same colour back
designs.
You'll also need a wide elastic band and another regular deck of Bicycle Poker cards, but
with a contrasting back design.
Set the two mini-decks sandwiched between the two Poker cards, as shown in Fig:1
below.....
Once the strange set-up is complete....wrap the elastic band around the center so that the
center portion is covered by the band's thickness and to all intents and purposes the
whole looks like a Poker deck banded about it's center.

Have this in your pocket and now introduce the regular Poker deck and force a spectator
to select one of the cards represented by the two regular poker cards around the
mini-decks.....(lE..If the two cards on either side of the mini-decks are the 2 of Spades
and the King of Hearts....You force the spectator to select one of these cards from the
regular deck, then have it returned and lost. Now force another spectator to select the
other card and lose this card also once it has been noted and returned.
Case the regular deck and pocket it, as you explain that you also have another deck and
you will attempt to perform the impossible.....You will try and locate the same cards
selected, but by using this second deck.
Remove what appears to be another Poker sized deck which is banded. At this stage you
can handle it quite freely without fear of your ploy being suspected, but be careful not to
flash the face card of the deck, as this is a duplicate of one selected from the other deck.
(See note overleaf on this point....)

21
Un-band the deck, but be careful that the mini-decks don't spill all over the place!! Hold
the whole firmly by the finger and thumb of your right hand, as depicted in Fig:2 overleaf.
The deck still appears normal!!
Explain that you'd like to borrow a spectator's EMPTY jacket pocket for the experiment
and once one has been proffered....Drop the deck inside and ask the spectator to jump up
and down in order to mix the cards inside????
This is not really necessary, but will add humour to the effect.
You could remind them of a story you heard of a man who forgot to shake his medicine
bottle before taking a dose and upon reading the label he read..." Shake well."
So he did what the spectator's doing now. (Then again.....You might not!!!!)
Explain that you will attempt to reach into the spectator's pocket and remove one of the
cards selected......Reach in and withdraw one of the LARGE cards and show your success.
Repeat this with the second card and the effect appears to be over?? Explain that it really
wasn't that difficult and ask the spectator to remove the rest of the cards in his
pocket......Watch their faces!!!

NOTES***
You may care to use a double faced card at the face of the deck, so that you CAN show the
top and bottom of the banded deck prior to the effect and simply remove the double
faced card with the selected card face towards the spectator.
Prior to asking the spectator to jump up and down......comment that you FORGOT to
shuffle the cards and that is the reason why you'd like him to do this.
Explain that you had your card box stolen by fans and that's why you've had to use the
elastic band...The price of fame???
In place of a spectator's pocket you could use a hat (Shades of Hoffmann!!) or any other
receptacle that is handy.

22
Decks don't need to be different colours....it's up to you.
Instead of actually saying that you have another deck.....You could switch the regular
deck for the faked one, but in this instance you'd have to introduce the regular deck in a
banded condition also, then...band it after the selections have been returned and use
your favourite switch to ring in the fake deck.
You'll need a good excuse to remove the band and then proceed with the final revelation,
but I'm sure you'll think of something???
At the end the spectator will have TWO miniature decks in his pocket, but this fact
should go unnoticed??
It might be a good idea to use a magic wand, in order to increase the humour.
Stir the cards in the pocket with the wand prior to the removal of each selection. You can
really ham this up if you try!!
You may like to try and VISIBLY change the regular deck into the mini-ones, maybe by
apparently tearing the whole deck in half and then spreading the halves to reveal mini
cards but................That's another story!!

23
 matchic
This effect is loosely based on one from Marlo's 'Taro-notes'. The only requirement is a
complete 52 card deck with no Jokers.
Hand the deck to be shuffled by one of the two spectators helping you. Take the deck
back and cut it into two 26 card halves. (You can deal off 26 cards if you prefer.) Hand
each spectator a half deck and instruct them to thoroughly shuffle their cards once more.
Then ask each of them to cut a small number of cards from their halves but, LESS THAN
TWELVE!!
They are told to table the rest of their cards face down in front of them and to silently
count the cards they have cut off and remember that number. Your back is turned
throughout all this and you now ask them to pocket the cut-off cards, but remember their
respective numbers.
You face them once again and explain that they have shuffled the cards thoroughly and
they cut off some cards and pocketed them and only they know how many cards they
actually did cut off and are at this moment thinking of their numbers. Explain that you
will show them cards from their respective halves one at a time and give each card shown
a number. You'd like them to remember the card that falls at the number corresponding
to the amount of cards in their pockets.
Approach the 1st spectator, pick up his face down half deck and begin to deal cards from
the top into a face up pile on the table and as you deal you give each dealt card a number
thus...1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 etc.
Deal exactly 13 cards into the face up pile, but stop counting on say the 11th card dealt, as
you say..." Are you thinking of a card?" (This question covers the dealing of the 12th and
13th card onto the pile and once the 13th card has been dealt you pick up the face up pile,
flip the rest of the cards in your hand face up and place them beneath the just dealt pile
and finally flip the lot face down and table them again before the spectator.
Repeat this procedure with the other spectator using the half deck before him, but this
time stop the count on say...the 10th card and use your patter to cover the dealing of the
next three cards.
(This is merely to give the impression that you do not have to deal exactly 13 cards for the
effect to work.)
You are now set for the revelation.....
Back-track on what has taken place. Re-state that the spectator's have virtually done
everything themselves and you could not have possibly known how many cards would be
cut off or which cards are now in the spectator's minds...All this is of course true, but due
to the automatic-placement of the above series of moves you do know that both
spectator's cards are exactly 13 cards down in their respective half decks.

24
Explain that you will deal a card from each half face up into two separate piles and the
cards will be dealt simultaneously. You ask the spectator's to call 'STOP' when they see
their cards.
Deal the cards from the piles and when both cards are dealt from the 13th positions both
spectators call 'STOP' at the same time......Coincidence???
You may like to try this sucker ending....Deal off the packets until you've dealt the 12th
card face up from off each of the face down half decks, then stop and say........" Well, why
haven't you called 'STOP'???"
The spectators inform you that they haven't seen their cards.
'Why of course you have!!" you insist, but the spectators reply that they haven't. This
'Ohh yes you have, Ohh no I haven't.' phase can be repeated several times. You now point
to the top cards of each of the face down piles and comment..." Here they are!!" flip them
both face up and watch their faces.
Whichever one you try, I'm sure you'll have great success with this self-working
sleightless wonder.
The following variation on the above is extremely clever, though does require an initial
set-up and the initial shuffling phase has to be done away with.
You'll need to sort out all the cards from the deck that spell with 12 letters. There are 14
such cards and they are....The 3, 7, 8 and Queen of Clubs, the 4, 5, 8, Jack and King of
Hearts and Spades.
You will also need to sort out all the cards that spell with 11 letters ie....The 4, 5, 9, Jack
and King of Clubs, the Ace, 2, 6 and Ten of Hearts and Spades. (13 cards in all.) Place all
the cards that spell with 12 letters atop the deck in any order and set the cards that spell
with 11 letters, at positions 27, 28 etc down in the deck, with a break held above the 27th
card.
Cut at the break and set the two halves before the spectators. You could if you wish false
shuffle both halves prior to asking the spectators to cut off a number of cards LESS
THAN 12 from their respective half decks.
Once the cut off cards have been pocketed you proceed as before up to the point where
you are ready to reveal the selections.
At this point you ask each of the spectators to remove any one of the cards from their
pockets, look at it and remember it, then replace it back in their pockets. Explain that
you could not know how many cards are in their pockets, or which of those cards they are
now thinking of. (All true!!)
Explain that you will position the cards that they are thinking of IN THEIR HALF
DECKS at a position relevant to the cards they have just looked at from their pockets.
Pick up one half deck and cut one card from the top to the bottom. Pick up the other half
deck and cut two cards from top to bottom. This places their cards at positions 11 and 12

25
in the packets. Hand each spectator his packet and ask him to spell, a card for each letter
the card they have just looked at from their pockets. Give them an example!! When the
last cards dealt are turned face up, they are seen to be the previous selections!! ........TRY
IT!!

26
 Edge Hog
Two or three years ago I read a book titled..."MY HANDS CAN BE YOURS." Trouble is I
can't remember the Author!! (I think it was Steve Freeman or something. His first name
was definitely Steve!)
In the book it detailed a fantastic idea using a regular deck of cards. The only preparation
was to write the name of a card you would later force along one of the long edges of the
deck, as depicted in fig:1 below.
I've never seen anyone perform the effect, nor even comment on it in the thousands of
books I've read since.
What follows are a few of my ideas with the premise........
Before we begin you'd be well advised to write the order of your cards on a piece of paper,
because if you flunk any of the false shuffles you'll never get the writing on the side of the
deck readable again!!
Okay....Introduce the deck as a marked one and perform any completely false shuffles
that you can do. (ZARROW, SHANK, PULL-THROUGH, PUSH-THROUGH ETC....)
Follow this with a myriad false cuts, as you cover all this activity with patter. The card
written on the edge of the deck, which by the way is facing YOU....is atop the deck and
ready to be forced via the slip-cut force, under the spread force, or any other that will
retain the deck in order both during and after the card has been selected. Take the card
and apparently push it into the deck, but really it goes 2nd card down via Marlo's 'TILT'.
Click your finger's and double turnover to reveal the selection back on top. You can
repeat this a few times, then offer to show the markings on the cards.

Spread the deck face down and draw attention to the marks on the edges of the deck,
then slowly square the deck and allow the markings to re-form into the name of the card
selected.

27
All the above is OK if you can perform the false shuffles, which after all are quite difficult
to master. You could of course resort to a complete deck switch prior to the revelation. If
you choose this path why not have the spectator sign his name along the edge of the first
deck, force the card etc, then switch decks and show that the signature has changed into
the name of the selected card. OR...you could use a Tapered (STRIPPER) deck
throughout and really shuffle the deck, as all you need to do is strip the halves apart
again and cut. You can repeat this several times and then head for the revelation. You
could even combine the deck switch and stripper principle, by switching in a shuffled
stripper deck, showing the mixed up markings, stripping out and cutting and then
showing that they have formed into the name of the selection......Have fun, but do try
it!!!!!

28
 Super Card
Clever gaffs are worth a thousand technical effects and the one about to be described will
serve you well.
You'll need a miniature Bicycle card, say 9 of Diamonds and a spare Bicycle Poker sized 4
of Spades. Construct the special card, by glueing the mini-card to the back of the Poker
card and trimming the surplus Poker card away, until you're left with a mini sized card,
as depicted in Fig:1 below. (This depicts both sides of the card.) You could palm this card
into any borrowed deck and immediately perform the following triple revelation.....
Assuming that the fake is in your lap, force the following cards from the regular deck on
three different spectators...Nine of Diamonds, 4 of Spades and the 2 of Spades. Have the
cards returned and lose them as you shuffle. Palm the fake onto the top of the deck and
cut it to the center.
The fake should have been 9 of Diamonds side up when it was atop the face down deck.
Explain that you'll find the 1st card (2 of Spades.) Riffle the deck causing the 1/2 card to
pop-up, as depicted in Fig:2 below. Note how the right hand is holding the deck prior to
the pop-up. (A certain knack will need to be developed in order to cause the 1/2 card to
pop up and remain squared with the rest of the deck.) Well it appears that you have
failed, but the spectator who selected the 4 of Spades will comment that it is his card. Ask
the other spectator which card he selected and when he replies the 2 of Spades, you offer
to visibly change the 4 into the 2. Click your fingers and remove the 1/2 card to reveal
only 2 Spade pips. (This is an old gag, but always gets a laugh!!)

29
Under the misdirection flip the card over in your cupped hand, as you ask the 3rd
spectator what was his card. Finally show the card as the miniature 9 of Diamonds.
NOTES** The above method is a bit difficult to perform, as the 1/2 card will be hard to
control and will tend to twist and fall in the deck.
You may like to try the following self-working method instead....
Have the 1/2 card in your breast pocket, force the 3 cards and withdraw the card part way
from your pocket to reveal what appears to be the 4 of Spades. Remove it to reveal that it
is ALSO the 2 of Spades and again flip it over under the misdirection and show it as the 9
of Diamonds.

30
 mocker
Marked cards have been around since the beginning of time itself and the phrase....."He
must be using marked cards." is almost as famous as.."It's all done by mirrors!" You'd be
amazed how many people believe that the marked principle causes cards to vanish and
appear in your wallet sealed between two stapled plaques etc.
People can be pretty dumb when it comes to solving a magic effects secret, but bear in
mind...If they think they know how it was done, you've had it!! for this trip to the funny
farm you'll need a 'Marked deck' card-case and a regular deck to fit within.
Pick the most obvious marked deck card case you can find. One with Paul Daniels on the
front is ideal for English Magi....
Explain you'd like to demonstrate a great new trick you've just bought. Remove the deck
and place the case to one side. Explain that the cards have secret markings on the backs
and they allow you to know which card has been selected.
Have a card selected, returned and reverse it somewhere about 10/12 cards from the top.
During this selection you strain your eyes to see the back of the selected card and make it
really obvious that's what you are doing!! Shuffle, but keep the reversed selection in
position.
Explain that without looking at the faces of the cards you will find the one selected. Begin
to deal the cards one at a time to the table, but keep stopping and staring at the backs of
the cards as you deal.
Eventually you will reach the reversed card, but just continue dealing, as if you haven't
seen it. (By this time your audience should be laughing their socks off unless you're a
lousy actor??)
Comment that you think you've passed it and begin to replace the dealt cards back on top
of the deck, but pass the reversed card once again as if you can't see it. Ham this up for a
while and eventually pick up the reversed card, stare at it and ask if his card was
the..........(Name the selection.)
Once you receive an affirmative reply, you paddle move the card to apparently show its
face?? (The impression given is that the card must be a double faced card, with the same
card on both sides.) deal the card face up in front of the spectator and watch him grab for
it.
NOTES***
I've performed this effect for magicians and human beings alike and it gets a great
reception. The paddle move is very easy to perform...Simply hold the card in dealing
position, place your thumb under it and begin to lever it over, but before the back of the
card can be seen you turn your hand at the wrist and the face of the card is once again
uppermost.

31
You may prefer to actually use a S/B/S card (Double facer with same card depicted on
both sides.) In this case the S/B/S card is at the face of the deck and it is forced via the
Hindu force and the deck then cut to position the card about 12 cards from the top.
Continue as before, but simply turn the card over to reveal its face???

32
 complex
This next effect is not for those of a nervous disposition and I strongly advise you. to flip
the page, but if you insist on reading and performing the effect to be explained ......So be
it!!
No illustrations will aid the following brief description, as they alone would fill this book.
Instead I will assume a reasonable knowledge of sleights and terminology on your part
and leave you to make head and tail of this........
You'll need two normal red backed cards atop a 'RAINBOW DECK'. (I urge you to use the
Piatnik 1300 64 deck as this has been specially printed with 52 different back designs.
With most Rainbow decks you will find that the dealer has merely bought 52 decks and
sorted them out into complete decks with different back designs. Unfortunately decks
are rarely the same age and some cards are always discoloured, others have a gold tint on
their edges.....I'm sure you all know what I'm getting at??)
Place the deck in a regular REV card-case and you're all set to go......
Introduce the deck face up (Just to be on the safe side.) Flip it face down and slip-cut the
top card to the center as you apparently table the two Red backed halves in readiness for
a riffle shuffle. This shuffle should be a 'CLOSED' one ie...It is performed fast and
allowing none of the back designs, other than those of the top cards of each half to be
seen.
Square up the deck with the two Red backed cards still on top and flip the deck face up.
Explain that you've shuffled the backs, now you'll shuffle the faces??? (This gag will get a
laugh.) Riffle shuffle face up, but retain the Red backed cards in position. Flip the deck
face down again and table it. (Both Red backed cards are still atop.) All this has served to
implant the thought that all the cards are RED backed and that the deck has been well
shuffled, which indeed it has!!
Explain that you will have a card selected and all the spectator has to do is call out 'Stop.'
(Shouldn't tire him out too much.)
Pick up the deck and hold it in the right hand with the faces towards the spectator and
the backs towards you. You now riffle with your thumb down the corner of the deck
allowing the spectator to see the faces of the cards that you pass. When he calls stop, you
stop and slip-cut the top card onto the card below the point stopped at.
Do the old bit about..."We won't use this card, (One above the point stopped at.) as we've
all seen it. We'll use this card, (Slip-cut card which has been forced.)
Thumb off the card face down, but wrist turn the rest of the cards in your hand, so that
the backs are not seen.
During this force you should flash the RED backs atop each half as much as possible!!
Have the spectator look at the card and then re-take it back into its original position,
without flashing the backs of the Rainbow cards.

33
Table the other half with Red backed card on top and concentrate on the half which has
the forced selection on top.
You are about to reverse this card at the center of the half, by using the Braue reversal
technique....Once the selection is reversed at the center of the half, which is now face up.
You pick up the tabled half, flip it face up and put it beneath the half with the selection
reversed at its center.
The situation is....Deck face up with selection (RED BACKED) reversed about a quarter
of the way down in the Rainbow deck and the other Red backed card is at the bottom of
the face up deck.
Flip the deck face down and table it squared!!
Explain that you have a way of finding the selection and pick up the deck, turning it again
face up in the process. Cut off half the cards and table them face up to your right. Turn
the other half face down and place it to your left in readiness for another CLOSED riffle
shuffle......
Perform the closed riffle shuffle, but don't square up the deck. Instead perform an OPEN
'push-through' shuffle which allows the face up half to pass completely through the face
down half and out of the other side.
At the conclusion of this Open push-through...The face up half should be to your left and
the face down half is to your right. (Note that none of the cards have actually been
shuffled, they have merely been meshed and then dragged apart again.)
Explain that one of the face down cards always gets trapped in the face up half and so
saying...Spread the face up half to reveal a single RED backed card at the center.
The other RED backed card is still atop the face down half.
Slide out the face down card, but don't turn it over just yet.
Pick up the face down half, flip it face up and place it on top of the other face up half on
the table. Square the deck and pick it up.
Ask the spectator which card he selected and proudly flip the card face up to reveal
success.
Now for the ending.....Explain that actually it was quite easy to find and spread the deck
face down over the table to reveal all the different backs!!!!
NOTES**
The single RED backed card will not be noticed amongst the other back designs, though
you could have palmed it away prior to the spread if you seek purity. I've no idea whose
the Open push-through shuffle effect, where the selection is found reversed is. I saw
Brian Holland perform this phase many years ago and I thought it would be a nice idea to
combine the 'Colour change deck' with a preceding effect. This preceding effect makes
the final climax much stronger.

34
If you can't or would prefer not to perform the push-through shuffle prior to the
revelation of the reversed card, you could simply explain that the face up half will act like
a vacuum cleaner and suck out the selection which you think is in the face down half.
Place the face up half about 2" above the face down half and make a sucking noise with
your mouth, then spread to reveal the reversed card.
Most of the sleights used to perform the routine can of course be replaced with ones
more familiar to you.....I'll leave this in your capable hands.

35
 Z~A
If you're not interested in yet another method to secretly reverse a selected card, don't
read any further!!
Well......I warned you! I worked out this idea several years ago so credits are not possible
to give. Pity really as someone out there's screaming his head off that I've ripped off his
pet move? Anyway the following is both easy and 100% deceptive, so go get them cards...
With the face down deck held in dealing position in your right hand, riffle down the
upper right corner with your right thumb and ask the spectator to call 'STOP'.

36
Once the word is uttered...stop and with your left hand lift off all the cards above the card
stopped at, as depicted opposite. Move the half deck in your right hand upwards and
towards the spectator so that the face card of this half (Original bottom card of deck.) is
staring him in the face. Push the top card (Selection.) off the packet with your right
thumb and completely over the left long edge of the packet for seven eigths of it's width.
(As depicted above..) This shows the spectator the full face of his selection and he is
requested to remember it. Study the illustration of the right hand above and you will
notice that the right fingertips are protruding beyond the left long edge of the half deck
the hand holds. The fingertips rest on the face of the selection and you are now about to
quite blatantly flip the card over and face up atop the face down half deck.
To do this...simply bend the right fingers at the first joint and lever the selection over
towards you and onto the deck. (Paul Brignall rightly pointed out that at this instance
you are staring the card in the face and of course now know its identity!!) The face of the
right hand's packet is still towards the spectator and he will assume that you have merely
dragged the selection back onto the packet. Re-place the left hand's cards atop the right
hand's and the deed is done!!
As you know the card selected you could via Mentalism reveal it and later by Magic cause
it to reverse in the deck.
Hope you can make good use of it!!

37
 the 53rd Card
This effect is based on no other and makes use of a regular deck and nothing else. Place
on the table three of the four Kings with the center card of odd colour. The three cards
will later be shown to be apparently four, so your opening remark should be something
like..." These 4 cards I'll place to one side, as I'd like to show you something very strange
with their help." Or some other such garbage!!
When the three cards are tabled there is no reason for some smart ass to want to examine
them, though if someone does.....a quick kick to the shin should cool his ardour??
On top of the deck is the fourth King and after a few false shuffles and cuts, you force the
spectator to select it, but in the following manner.........
Cut the card to the center and hold a break above it. Riffle down the deck and have the
spectator call stop at any point. (Time your riffle to be in the vicinity of the break when
stop is called and simply cut at the break and thumb off the King face down to the table.
Your patter should be along the lines that most people are aware of only 52 cards in a
deck excluding Jokers, but there is in fact a 53rd card which no one has ever seen. You
are certain that the selected card is indeed this card and you are about to demonstrate
the powers it possesses.....
Table the deck well away from the close-up mat and pick up the 3 (Assumed 4) card
packet. Elmsley count to display 4?? backs, then flip the cards face up and repeat the
count to apparently display 4 Kings. During this face up count the face King will be seen
twice, but this will not be noticed??? providing the count is performed briskly, Flip the
packet face down again and immediately double turnover to reveal say....the King of
Clubs. (NOTE** This will be the case if your opening set up of the 3 face down cards
was...Clubs, Hearts, Spades Top-down.)
Flip the double face down and table the top card opposite the tabled selection. At this
point you could 'Victor' count the two card you hold as three, as another convincer. This
doesn't alter the order of the 2 cards, so you could leave this out if you prefer.
Drop the 3?? cards atop the selection and explain that the 53rd card will change places
with the King of Clubs. Pick up the packet and Elmsley count, showing that the 4th card
of the count is in fact the King of Clubs. Place the King of Clubs beneath the packet. The
illusion created is perfect that you have dropped the 3? Kings atop the selection and
when the order of the 4?? cards was reversed the selection somehow changed into the
King of Clubs. It follows that the tabled King of Clubs must now be the selection.
Continuing....Repeat the double turnover and put down phase to apparently table the
King of Hearts. Drop the packet atop the supposed selection and repeat the Elmsley
count revelation to show the transposition has taken place once more. This time re-place
the King of Hearts on top of the packet and patter for a few seconds that the 53rd card is
indeed very strange.

38
This patter is a form of 'Time-delay misdirection' and allows the spectator to forget
where the King of Hearts is.
Repeat the double turnover etc and perform the transposition with the King of Spades.
At the finale of the transposition again re-place the King of Spades on top of the packet,
patter and then repeat everything with the final King of Diamonds. Now you're all set for
the grand finale........
Pick up the supposed selection and insert it face down anywhere into the packet and then
Hamman count to apparently show FIVE backs.
Explain that the 53rd card only ever allows its back to be seen and only then in very rare
instances!!
Flip the packet face up and deal the Kings in a face up row as you say..." It never ever
allows people to see its face!!!"
NOTES**
In the above description you effect the transposition FOUR times and every time the
procedure appears the same and this can lead to boredom on the part of the Spectator, so
you must perform the effect at a brisk pace and use entertaining patter. If you wish you
could end with the grand finale after any one of the transpositions, depending on the
staying power of your audience!!
The use of the 'Victor' count is recommended, though not necessary every time!! You
may like to have the 3 card packet tabled at the beginning with RED backs and the
selection taken from a Blue backed deck.
This is very simple, but the effect then trespasses into the field of the Universal card
theme.
Imagine that the 3 tabled Red backed Kings are in the same order as before, but the
forced, tabled King of Diamonds is now Blue backed.
You display the 3 Red backed cards as apparent 4 Red backed Kings and proceed with
the double turnover and put down. 'Victor' count if you wish and then pick up the Blue
backed card and insert it apparently into the packet, but in reality it goes to the bottom.
Elmsley count shows 3 Red backs and one Blue back. Up-jog the Blue back remove it and
place it atop the packet, double turnover shows the transposition has taken place. (You
could even dispense with the E/C and simply set the Blue backer atop the packet and
immediately double turnover to show the transpo.)
Flip the double face down and again table it.... Drop the packet atop the tabled Red
backed card and Elmsley count showing the last card to be the one just represented by
the Blue backed card. (It appears to have been in two places at the same time.) Place the
card to the bottom of the packet and repeat with the King of Hearts. Next time place the
King of Hearts back on top of the packet, patter and then repeat everything again with
the King of Spades.

39
You have not performed the transpo with the King of Diamonds, as the Blue backed card
is the King of Diamonds so.....Immediately pick up the Blue backed card and insert it 3rd
from the top of the packet. Elmsley count shows only 4 RED backed cards and you
explain that the 53rd card never really existed......Flip the packet face up and deal the
four Kings into a face up row as before......END.
In this version the cards can not be examined. If you prefer you could perform this
version as the Universal card...A card which can take on the features of any card it wishes
to etc.
And sadly the book draws to a close. The page slowly dwindles away ahhhhh!! The
typewriter motor purrs its last purr and I bid you fare well??
But wait...What's that I hear?? A bonus section...What a great idea!!
Yes folks most books would end here, but this one goes further than that. (Sorry
Stewart.) This book goes boldly where no book has ever been before. (Cue music!!) I
hope that you consider this book to have been more a religious experience, than just
another time filler.
Yes I anticipate this work of art to become one of Magic's best sellers, standing side by
side with such epic tomes like....The Penguin book of Magic and Uncle Tom's magic book
for beginners, etc. etc.
This book has been impregnated with chemicals and should you lend, sell, give or swop it
to a friend.....IT WILL SELF-DESTRUCT!!
That reminds me of a story........When I was a little younger than I am today I used to
inflict my magic on anything that moved. My favourite sleight was the Elmsley Count,
(Still is!!) ...... Picture the scene. I'm performing a four Ace trick and I Elmsley count the
Aces with their faces staring right at me as I say..."Here I have the four Aces." My patter
was a little weak in those days!!
"Now one's turned face up....Now another's turned face up etc etc."
When I looked up the audience had all left!!
Seriously?? They were all stretching their neck's in order to get a glimpse of what was
happening. I was doing the magic for myself!! Don't you make the same mistake. When
you spread a deck of cards make sure that THEY can see the indices NOT you!! I also
remember performing the double lift and asking.." Is this your card??"
"Was what my card???" came the reply......The trouble was that I'd flipped the card face
up and face down again before I'd even asked if it was his card. I was petrified at being
caught out with the move!!
Just shows how one improves....Now I never perform a double lift!!!??? Don't know what
all this has got to do with this book, or anything else for that matter and now that I come
to think of it....This series of ramblings isn't even listed on the CONTENTS page, so I'd
better get the hell outa here and hope nobody notices??? Byeeeee!!

40
 ** SPECIAL BONUS SECTION **
This final chapter has been added in order to collate all my effects from the 'TALON'
close-up magazine. Only '7' issues were ever published and it is quite likely that you've
never even heard of the publication.
I hope that the following ideas, (NOT ALL WITH CARDS!!) will give you further food for
thought.

The following pages have been taken direct from the original magazine with the kind
permission of the Talon Editor 'David Britland.'

41
 Spoonerism
This is a superb close-up effect that's ideal for any kind of audience. Have you ever
wanted to bend spoons, keys etc. Well with this new principle you can do just that. Credit
for the effect should go to Uri Geller but the method this time is by Stephen Tucker an
associate of this magazine.
The effect to the spectator is that two spoons are shown, one is handed to the spectator
and the other is retained by the performer. After a few seconds concentration, the
spectator's spoon is seen to be unchanged, but the performer's spoon is totally distorted.
As an afterthought the performer picks up the spectator's spoon and rubs it gently. It
suddenly snaps into two pieces and the demonstration of mind over metal is at an end.
If you take a look at diagram 1 everything will be made clearer. This shows the only
requirements for the effect, namely three tea spoons. One is bent as shown in the
opening diagram, one is left in its normal state, and the other is broken into two pieces.
Only the handle of this last spoon will be used in the actual trick.
With the three spoons prepared, you must position them as shown in diagram 2. Now
exhibit the two spoons to the spectator. There are in fact three pieces of spoon in use but
the handle of the bent spoon is concealed beneath the fingers of the right hand. The
broken handle is in line with the bowl of the distorted spoon but above the fingers. The
thumb conceals the gap between the handle and the bend of the distorted spoon.
Now with your left hand remove the genuine spoon and ask the spectator to hold it in his
closed fist. As you say this you close the right hand around the spoon then take it with
your left hand, by the bowl just as the right hand closes. The spoon is withdrawn from the
right hand leaving the handle behind. The handle is fingerpalmed and the left hand
closes around the bent spoon.
Ask the spectator to gently rub the fingers on the spoon he is holding as he concentrates
on it bending. On command he is to open his hand and drop the spoon onto the table.
His spoon will of course remain unchanged (If by any chance his spoon is bent..... then
put your spoon away and ask the spectator if he needs an agent.) Open your hand and
show that the spoon has been twisted completely out of shape.
After the gasps have subsided say, apparently as an afterthought, "Maybe it would have
been better if your spoon had bent also." Pick up the spectator's spoon and gently rub it
between both hands. Under cover of this movement you are moving the broken handle
from the palm position until it actually contacts the neck of the spoon. You now simulate
the noise of the spoon snapping by pressing the two pieces of cutlery together hard then
allowing the pieces to slip off each other with a snapping sound. Separate the hands,
holding the handle in view at the right fingertips end holding apparently the bowl of the
spoon at the left fingertips. In actual fact the handle of the genuine spoon is concealed
from view by the left fingers. Drop the handle into the left hand and put both pieces in
the pocket.

42
If you also had the bowl of the broken spoon in your pocket then it would be a perfect
psychological throw off if in the course of a later effect you had to rummage through your
pocket to find something and in the course of emptying the pocket the spectators were
allowed to see a broken handle and a broken bowl from a spoon. You then ask the
spectator if there is a trash can near by into uhich the broken cutlery could be disposed
of.

43
 Bend!
Whilst on the subject of Geller and psychic phenomena let me introduce you to this
simple metal bending stunt of Stephen Tucker. Briefly you take the key to your close-up
case or any key or object of a similar size, have it examined for defects then proceed to
rub it between your fingers, then snap and the key suddenly bends in the middle.
It’s a very old idea hut worth using in the context of bending objects. Two keys are used,
one finger palmed in the right hand is already bent whilst the straight key is handed for
examination. Take the key back and hold it at the finger tips. Rub the fingers around the
key then snap the second finger and thumb together shooting the key up the sleeve and
out of sight. Open the hand and reveal the bout key. Its Just the old coin vanish but is
most effective when presented in a key bending guise, its also simple and clean.

44
 Concorde
Here is a fine ring on cord effect from Stephen Tucker. It's easy to do and the climax is
ideally suited for anyone with a flare for the dramatic.
A length of cord is threaded through a small pay envelope, the envelope has a hole
punched in at either side. A ring is borrowed and dropped within the envelope and then
the ends of the cord are tied. The apparatus is held up for everyone to see when suddenly
the magician rips the envelope from the cord when it is now seen that the borrowed ring
is threaded onto the cord. The circle of cord can now be handed back to the spectator
who loaned the ring, the ring cannot be removed without untying or cutting the cord.
To accomplish the effect you need a length of cord about three foot long, a small pay
envelope and a ring of your own. If you do not have a ring then any small coin or similar
object will do. The envelope has a hole punched on both sides through which the cord
can be threaded. The holes should be at the middle of the top edge. You may find the
handling easier if you tear off the flap of the envelope.
Hand the envelope and cord to a spectator for examination and at the same time palm
your own ring in the right hand. Have a spectator thread the cord through the holes in
the envelope. Take the envelope in the left hand and hold it so that the mouth of the
envelope is open. The ends of the cord will hang down either side of the envelope and
remain in full view. Borrow a ring from the spectator and take it in the right hand at the
fingertips. You now apparently drop the ring into the envelope but in fact you retain the
spectator's ring and drop your own into the envelope. As the envelope is deep it will not
be seen but the spectators will hear the ring enter the envelope and hit the bottom of the
envelope. In performing this simple switch make absolutely nothing of it....just do it and
the spectators will accept it.
The ends of the cord are now picked up and the envelope allowed to hang in the centre of
the cord. One end of the cord is now held in each hand and it is a simple matter to tie the
ends together and undercover of the hands thread the borrowed ring onto the cord. The
ring remains hidden in the right hand and the tied ends of the cord can be seen above the
right fingers as shown in the diagrams opposite.
Now for the climax. Shake the cord so that the ring can be heard in the envelope then
hand the ends of the cord to the left hand and at the same time the right hand
(containing the borrowed ring) slides quickly down the loop of cord and tears the
envelope from the loop. The spectators ring is threaded on the cord and naturally will
remain there at the spot from which the envelope was torn. The cord can immediately be
handed to the spectators so that they may see that the ring is genuinely linked onto the
cord.
Remember that the envelope which you are holding still contains a ring or coin belonging
to you so crumple the envelope up and put it in you pocket, don't leave it on the table and
forget about it.

45
This routine is unusual as the ends of the cord are tied AFTER the ring was placed in the
envelope and not before as it should be. Never the less this point will be overlooked by
the spectators as the envelope makes them think that the ring is totally isolated and that
there is no way in which the performer could tamper with it.
THE SWITCH. Coin instead of ring is dropped into envelope.

Ends of cord tied but ring is actually threaded onto cord.

Loop of cord is handed from right hand to the left hand. Right hand still contains ring
and moves down length of cord and tears envelope free.
Ring is left at bottom of the loop of cord and the coin remains hidden in the envelope to
be recovered later.

46
 Split
This next effect was devised by Stephen Tucker and is based on Tenkai's two coin trick as
explained in Bobo's Coin Magic and almost certainly known to anyone who does any
kind of coinwork. Stephen and myself (but mainly Stephen) have worked out several
variations of the transposition effect. The moves remain the same but their use has been
slightly altered. In this effect the moves are used not only to produce the 'coin across'
effect but to also hide another coin until the climax of the trick. You will realise that the
coins can be almost anything ie two smaller coins changing to a larger denomination coin,
but the effect has novelty appeal if performed as described.
You require one half of a coin as illustrated below and a coin which has been scored
around its centre with a saw blade. This coin looks like two half coins which have been
welded together. You also require a small ring box. The ring box should have a soft
padded interior in which a slit is made. The whole coin is inserted into the slit so that
only half of the coin can be seen. The half coin is placed next to this and the box appears
to contain only two half coins.

Stephen begins the routine with a story of how lasers have a strange affect on metal. for
instance a coin cut in two by a laser beam will become magnetic. The ring box is then
taken from the performers pocket, opened and the spectators see what looks like two
halves of a coin. Tip the contents of the box into the left hand which closes over the coins
to prevent the whole coin being seen. The box is no longer needed and can be put away
until the end of the routine. Jingle the coins in the left hand then throw the whole coin
over to the right hand. The coins are now brought to the fingertips and the spectators see
what they believe to be one half coin in each hand.
Close each hand and turn them backs upwards. However as the right hand closes the
whole coin is back-clipped between the third and fourth finger as in the original Tenkai
routine. This is easily accomplished by placing the right thumb on top of the coin and
letting is carry the coin around the back of the fingers as the hand is closed. The
diagrams on the opposite page should aid those not accustomed to this move. You now
prove that each hand contains one half of a coin first by opening the left hand. A half coin
is seen. The right hand now extends its forefinger which points at the half coin in the left
hand then pushes it forward to the left fingertips. The right hand comes away and the left

47
hand closes on the coin and turns back over to its former position. The half coin however,
should be gripped between the left fore finger and thumb.
You now apparently perform the same movement in order to display the half coin in the
right hand. However as the right hand turns over and opens, the left thumb and
forefinger extend and carry its half coin over from the left hand to land in the middle of
the now palm up right hand. The whole coin is back-clipped and hidden beneath the
right fingers. The spectators see what they think is another half-coin on the right palm.
The left forefinger pushes this half-coin to the right fingertips. The left hand is removed
and closed and then the right hand also closes and turns over. Two separate halves have
been seen. To prove that the magnetic attraction between the coins is unique, you shake
both hands and at the same time the right thumb pulls the whole coin into the right fist,
causing the coins to clink together. As this sound is heard, the left hand opens and is seen
to be empty. The right hand jingles its coins together but you do not allow the spectators
to get a clear view of them. It should be obvious that the right hand holds the two? half
coins.

If the half coin is now thrown over from the right to the left hand the effect can be
repeated. Alternatively you may prefer to throw the whole coin across and perform the
effect the other way round, with the coin vanishing from the right hand and joining the
other in the left hand.
The climax is reached when you perform the effect a third time. On this occasion you
remark that the magnetic attraction becomes stronger each time the coins are in contact.
This time although the half coin vanishes from one hand, you do not allow the coins to
jingle together in the other. Instead, the half coin is Classic palmed and the whole coin is
allowed to drop from the hand into the spectators hand. Because of the groove around
the coin, he will try and pull the halves apart. This gives you ample misdirection to get rid
of the palmed half-coin.
A more detailed description of the 'Tenkai Pennies' move can of course be found in Bobo.

48
 Tucker's Turnover
This trick is not entirely the work of Stephen Tucker as the title suggests. It was actually
concocted by Stephen and myself (your editor David Britland). The title? Well that's
easily explained, you see it TOOK US so long to work the trick out what else could we call
it but TUCKER'S TURNOVER.
Basically it’s Twisting the Aces in reverse with the Hofzinser ending with an ace changing
to a selected card. The change is simple yet startling and there's nothing difficult in the
whole routine.
Have a card selected and control it to the top of the deck. Take out the four aces and place
them on top of the deck (and the selected card). Glimpse the selection as you do this and
ensure that the ace that matches its suit is third from the top of the deck.
Hold the deck face down in dealing position in the left hand. Flip the aces face up as a
block and spread them so the spectators can see them. Display the aces with the right
hand and at the same time the left little finger nets a break under the top card of the deck
which is the selected card. Drop the aces back onto the deck face up. Pick up the selected
card under the ace packet, the break facilitating this, then place the remainder of the
deck aside.
You now turn the aces face down one at a time as follows. The packet is held in Biddle
grip in the right hand. The left thumb pulls off the top ace and it is flipped face down onto
the left palm by the rest of the packet. The next two aces are pulled off one at a time and
flipped face down on top of the first in the left hand. The right hand holds two cards as
one and these are placed on the face down packet. Diagram 1 shows the action.

Call attention to the face up ace on top of the packet. Take it face up in the right hand and
insert it face up into the face down packet. It is inserted in the second position from the
bottom of the packet. This is accomplished by the left fingers buckling the bottom card
and creating a break for the face up ace to enter. Flick the packet with the right fingers
then Elmsley count to show that all the cards are now face down. Place the last card
counted on the bottom of the packet instead of on the top as is usual. Buckle spread the
packet to show that all four cards are indeed face down.
Turn the top card of the packet face up. It is another ace. Again insert it second from the
bottom of the packet and Elmsley count to show all four cards are still face down. Do not
buckle spread on this occasion.

49
Now turn up the new top card of the packet. Whatever it is state that this is always the
most difficult ace to deal with. Insert it face up second from the bottom of the packet.
Instead of flicking the packet execute the 'through the fist flourish' which actual1y turns
the packet completely over although the spectators are unaware of this. For those who
don't know it, the move is illustrated in Diagram two. Briefly the packet is in dealing
position, the hand turns over and the thumb pushes the packet out of the fist where it is
taken by the right hand.
Now perform a Jordan Count to show that all the cards are now face downwards.
Ask the spectator to name the suit of his selected card. Take the top card of the deck and
ask the spectator to imagine that it is the ace of the same suit as his card. Take the face
down card and place it beneath the packet but in the same manner as the face up aces
were inserted in the packet. The spectator is asked to imagine that you have just taken
the ace and turned it face up in the packet.
Patter that, "Although I have done nothingt something has happened." Elmsley count the
cards to show one ace face up. It is the same suit as the selected card.

Now Buckle spread the cards to show the ace reversed. The selected card is also reversed
but hidden by the face up ace. Take the top two face down aces in the right hand and use
them to flip the face up double card, face down onto the face down card below them in
the left hand. Immediately the cards are face down in the left hand push off the top single
card face down onto the table. Hold the remaining two cards as one in the left. Add them
below the two cards in the right hand. The cards should be in fan formation. Raise them
so that the spectators can see their faces then add them to the rest of the deck. Ask the
spectator to further imagine that the face down ace on the table is in face his selected
card. On turning the card face up it will indeed be his card.

50
The diagrams below should clarify the switch of the ace for the selected card. Its merely a
double lift but done in the routine and from a fan it will provw to be very deceptive
indeed even to other magicians.

51
 Face Card Fantasy
This little miracle was devised by Stephen Tucker and myself. It could be described as a
version of Spectator Cuts the Aces taken to extremes. Its very easy to do but has great
impact being an opening trick of the display variety ie the table ends up covered in
packets of cards all to do with this particular effect. The spectators will long remember
the trick where you made them cut to all the high cards......hmmmm.
It’s an opening trick and uses a large stack of cards. From the top down - Four aces....Two
black kings then one red.....Two red Queens then one black....Two black Jacks then one
red.
False shuffle and cut the deck.
Have the spectator help cut the deck into four piles. Here you show him what to do by
cutting off a pile of cards from the top of the deck. You must cut at least thirteen cards
and then set them face down on the table. The spectator cuts the remainder of the deck
into three piles making four including the one you just cut. Take the top card of each pile
and set them in a row. The top card from your pile will be an ace, set it at the end of the
row on the right.

Gather the piles of cards up ensuring that the stack is once again on top of the deck. Point
out that you have no idea what cards have been cut to and are now on the table.
Now spread the top three cards of the deck, take them and without changing their order
drop them onto the tabled ace. The next three top cards of the deck are dropped onto the
third card in the tabled row. The next three onto the second card and a final set of three
onto the first card in the row. Set the deck aside.
Explain that you don't know which trick to do so you thought you'd let the spectator
decide. Pick up the first pile at the left end of the row. Elmsley Count (EC) the four cards
face down, then turn them face up and EC again placing the last card at the rear of the
packet. Four Jacks will be seen and as these are shown you say "Perhaps I'll do the four
jacks trick." Place the pile face up on the table.
Repeat this with the second and third piles of cards showing Queens and Kings
respectively and mentioning the world famous Four Queen trick and the even more
astounding Four King trick.
Finally pick up the last packet of cards and tell them that the best trick of all is the one
using the highest cards...the Four Ace Trick. This pile really does contain four aces so you

52
can spread the cards and actually follow up with a trick using those cards. The trick
should 'knock their eyes out' as the saying goes.

53
 Bessie
There's a story behind every trick and this next effect devised by Stephen Tucker is no
exception. Steve purchased one of the modern slimline calculators which emit a musical
note as each key is pressed. After the novelty had wore off he decided to make the
investment more valuable in the only way he knows, by performing a trick with it.
The effect is quite simple. A card is selected and placed face down on the table. With the
aid of the very latest electronic calculator the magician attempts to discover the name of
the selected card. A feu questions are asked and the answers punched into the computer.
The readout gives the name of the selected card. It's BESSIE. The spectator says he chose
the Queen of Diamonds but when the card is turned over it's found that it has 'Hi I'm
Bessie' written across the face.
The following is Steve's handling but obviously once the method is understood many
alternative handlings will come to mind. Obtain a duplicate of one card in the deck, say
the Queen of Diamonds. Stick a white adhesive label on the face of the duplicate and
write 'Hi I'm Bessie' across it.
Place the duplicate 'Bessie' card second from the face of the deck. The ordinary Queen
goes on the face of the deck below the duplicate. False shuffle the deck and then force the
Queen using the Hindu Shuffle. That is, Hindu Shuffle the deck until the spectator calls
stop. Place the original top cards on the table and raise the lower half of the packet so
that the bottom card can be noted by the spectator. Lower the deck and apparently
remove the chosen card from the face of the packet and place it on the table. In fact you
perform the glide and remove the duplicate Bessie card. Discard the rest of the deck.
Introduce the calculator and give some patter about the great strides in micro chip
technology and how this has been applied to card tricks. With a few simple questions the
computer can actually reveal the NAME of the selected card. Emphasise the word NAME
throughout your patter.
Now this is where your own comedy talent can come into play. Ask the spectator several
funny but totally irrelevant questions punching numbers into the calculator as you
receive the answers.
For example, 'Are you awake?'. 'If so what are you doing here?' 'How many s's in
Mississippi?'. 'Who is the world's greatest magician?' etc.
Having got as much fun as possible from the question time you finally clear the machine
and enter the numbers 315538 under pretense of totalling the answers. Hold the
calculator upside down in front of the spectator and ask him to read out what it says. He
will say 'BESSIE'. After some by play with you saying that Bessie is the name of that
particular card, Fred is the name of this one, Joe the name of this etc, you finally get the
spectator to turn over the card. It bears the label 'HI I'M BESSIE'.
If you don't like switching the card or using the duplicate then merely use the Hindu
Force and have the label on the back of the card. The card is not removed from the deck

54
at all. If you wish you could reverse it in the deck to make it more magical. This way first
the Queen would appear face up in the deck and then it would be turned over to reveal
the label.

55
 Tucker Trip
In 1979 Scotty York came over to Britain to give a series of lectures entitled 'Decennial
Prelection'. After the lecture was given in Liverpool we all went over to a local bistro and
after the spaghetti we were treated to more of Scotty's excellent magic. Like 5cotty, Steve
Tucker is an excellent performer of the 'back clip' with coins and has many effects using
the sleight. He demonstrated this effect to Scotty York who in turn showed his version of
the same routine. Both variations have basic differences but as far as I know Scott York
hasn't yet published his version. However here is Steven Tucker's handling of the 'coins
across' effect using the back clip. If your interested in this type of work I suggest that you
consult Bobo's COIN MAGIC and look up the Tenkai Pennies routine. Also see SPLIT in
Talon number four, another of Steve's routines, and SCOTT YORK ON COINS for his
handling of the sleight.
You require four coins. Copper ones are better than silver as they don't 'flash' so much if
you accidentally foul up on the back clip at any time. Display the four coins as shown in
fig 1, the lower coin being in fingerpalm position. Apparently throw the four coins into
the left hand which closes about them. In actual fact you retain the lowermost coin in the
right hand fingerpalm and the left hand only receives three coins.

The left and right hands turn over and close into fists. The right hand takes this
opportunity to back clip the coin that it secretly holds. The coin lies on the fingers, the
right thumb presses down on top of it. As the hand turns back uppermost the thumb
pushes the coin to the fingertips. At the same time the fingers close inwards forming a
fist, the coin riding over them as they close and ending up outside of the fist held only by
the right thumb. Fig 2 shows the final position. The thumb now pushes the coin between
the third and fourth fingers where it is firmly gripped just above the first joint.
Hake a magical gesture and open the left hand to show that there are now only three
coins in it. The right hand spreads the coins with the forefinger as shown in fig 3 pushing
one coin to the tip of the left forefinger. This is apparently so that the coins can be clearly
seen by the spectators but it actually sets up the next move. If the left hand is now
reclosed into a fist as before you will find that the forefinger traps the coin at the base of
the thumb. The left hand is palm down and the coin cannot be seen, fig 4 shows a worm's
eye view of the position.

56
At this point the vital move takes place. I'll divide it into two separate actions merely for
simplicity of explanation. First the right hand has one coin in back clip position. You will
find that you can open the fist and turn it palm upwards without the coin shifting from
the back clip. The hand appears empty. You must be able to open the hand and reach the
palm up position without the back clipped coin being seen by the spectators so mirror
practise is vital. The second action takes place when the left forefinger extends from its
curled position and points to the palm of the right hand, just as the right hand forefinger
extended before and was used to separate the coins.
However the left forefinger is supporting a coin against the base of the left thumb. As the
forefinger extends it drags the coin to the tip of the left thumb and then both thumb and
forefinger actuall place the coin on the right hand. Yes the finger and thumb actually
place the coin on the palm of the right hand and once there the forefinger pushes the coin
to the right fingertips as shown in fig 5. The impression of the spectators is that there has
been a coin in the right hand and the left forefinger merely moved it onto the fingers.

Don't worry about the spectators seeing the coin actually being put in the right hand,
they won't provided the move is performed without fumbling. This move is the crux of
the Tenkai pennies routine.
The rest of the routine is easy. Merely close the right hand with its apparently having one
coin(one is also back clipped though). Again make a magical gesture and then open the
left hand to show that only two coins remain. The right forefinger pushes one coin onto
the left fingertips as before. This coin is transferred to the right hand as shown in fig 5.
The left hand is closed at this stage whilst the right hand is seen to hold two coins.
Both hands are closed as another magical gesture is made and the left opens to show one
coin only. This is transferred to the right hand as before. The right hand is palm up and
contains apparently only three coins but the fourth coin has, unknown to the spectators,
already vanished from the left hand for the right hand has another coin back clipped. For
the final sequence close the right hand, drag the coin that's back clipped into the fist with
the right thumb. Make the magical gesture and open the left hand to show that the fourth
coin has vanished and then pour all four from the right hand.
If you break the routine down you will find that it is a simple application of the one ahead
principle with one coin being back clipped right from the beginning of the routine and

57
staying in that position until the finale. The whole routine takes less than thirty seconds
to perform once the correct timing is achieved.

58
 Seer
Subtle mental effects using cards are a favourite of mine because they are simple to do
and from the layman point of view the methods are unfathomable, mainly because the
actual work is all done inside your head and not with sleights. This mentalistic version of
cutting the aces was devised by Stephen Tucker. He tells me that his inspiration for the
effect was Ken Krenzel's 'Magnetic Reversals' which can be found in Harry Lorayne's
Close Up Card Magic.
If you're used to performing spelling tricks you'll follow the method easily if not you'll
find it more difficult. There are several alternative handlings which may crop up whilst
performing the effect. I don't intend to describe every handling as you'll find that its only
a matter of commonsense once you try it out.
Take the four aces from the deck and place them at positions four and five from the top of
the deck and positions four and five at the bottom/face of the deck. During actual
performance it would be a matter of culling the aces, two to the top and two to the face of
the deck and then using a riffle shuffle to set the positions. Each pair of aces should
consist of one red and one black card.
To perform...spread the deck and have two spectators each select one card. Let them
have a free choice so long as it doesn't interfere with your set up. Now each spectator
looks at his card and you turn the deck face up and hold it in the left hand dealing
position. Deal five or six cards from the face of the deck into a face up pile on the table.
Having done this continue dealing but ask the first spectator to call stop any time during
the next dozen or so cards. Stop the deal when the spectator says and have him place his
selection face down on top of the face up tabled pile of cards. Drop the face up deck onto
the tabled cards and then pick them up again in the left hand.
Start dealing cards once more from the face of the deck into a face up pile on the table
and ask the second spectator to call stop at any time. Stop when requested and have him
place his selected card face down on top of the face up tabled pile. Drop the deck onto the
tabled pile, pick the completed pack up and turn it face down.
You now have the two selected cards reversed in the deck, inserted at freely chosen
positions by the two spectators. Spread the deck between the hands until you come to the
first face up card. Take all the face down cards above it and place them face down onto
the table.
This is the point in the description which will no doubt lose some of the readers. The face
up selected card could be anything, however its name will spell with three, four or five
letters ie TEN, NINE, QUEEN. At positions four and five beneath the selection are two
aces.
Let us assume that the face up card is a TWO spot. Deal it face down onto the packet on
the table and then spell T...W...0., Dealing one card per letter from the top of the deck
face down onto the tabled pile. Deal the next card face down in front of the tabled pile,
this card is an ace. The card now on top of the pack is also an ace.

59
Spread the pack once again until you arrive at the next face up card. Place all the cards
above it onto the tabled packet face down. Let's assume that the face up card is a QUEEN.
Spell Q..U..E..E..N dealing one card per letter onto the queen itself which has been
turned face down and is used to start a SECOND PILE. The last card dealt is placed in
front of the second tabled pile.
The second packet of cards is now picked up and dropped onto the remaining cards in
your hand and this entire packet is now tabled face down next to the first pile of cards.
So let's recap on the situation. Two cards were freely selected and then reversed freely
anywhere in the deck. The positions of the selection and the value of the selection itself
have been used to divide the deck into two piles and extract two cards which are now face
down one in front of each pile. The events seem random and there would appear to be no
way of controlling them.
ret if you now turn over the two face down cards you will find that they are both aces and
for the kicker you now turn over the top two cards, one from each face down pile and
they are also aces. Somehow the spectators have managed to find all four aces. Believe
me that the impact of this effect is quite incredible.
I'll give one more example using two different cards so that you can get an idea as to what
must be done to bring about the effect of the two face down cards and the top card of
each pile all matching. I'll take the story up from where you turn the deck face down and
spread through it to locate the selections which are reversed.
Take all the cards above the face up card and place them in a face down pile on the table.
The face up card is a NINE so deal it face down onto the tabled pile and then spell
N..I..N..E dealing one card for each letter face down onto the tabled packet of cards. Take
the next card on top of the deck and deal it face down in front of the tabled pile.
Spread through the deck until you come to the next face up card. Place all the face down
cards above it on the table forming a second face down pile of cards next to the first. Let's
assume that the face up card is a SIX spot. Turn the card face down and place it on top of
the second tabled pile. Spell S..I..X dealing one card for each letter, each card going face
down onto the second pile of cards. Deal the next card in front of the second pile. Drop
the remainder of the deck on top of the second pile.
You have now reached the finale and the two single cards can be turned over and shown
to be aces and then the top card of each pile is also an ace.
There are no awkward situations to cover for, the finale always works out nicely you just
have to be aware of how to bring it about. Many times you will find that you have two
alternative ways to bring about the desired results and it makes no difference which way
you do it.

60
61
 ELDORADO
27 Futuristic Coin Routines

62
 Fall-Out
This crazy idea was first demonstrated at a lecture I gave in Birmingham this year.
It was the opening coin effect and received a standing ovation......Well, nearly!!
You'll need a 'SNAP-SHUT' purse. These are opened by squeezing the mouth and shut
automatically with an animal-trap type action.
This purse should be sewn, stapled etc. inside your sleeve so that it rests under your
arm-pit. The mouth of the purse is downwards in the sleeve and that's all the preparation
necessary.
The contents of the purse is up to you. I simply filled it with all the coins I needed for the
lecture.
Assuming that you have secured the purse in your left Jacket sleeve, though you could
have it in your shirt sleeve if you prefer, remove a coin from your right jacket pocket and
explain that you will show them how a coin apparently vanishes from your left hand and
then appears in your right hand.
Appear to toss the coin into your left hand, but really retain it classic palmed in the right.
Explain that you simply 'FLICK' the coin up your left sleeve, (Mime the action.)...It
passes across your shoulders, falls down your right sleeve and into your right hand.
(Show coin.)
Suitable 'Shrugging' of the shoulders and shaking of the right arm should help the
illusion. Repeat this once more and then offer to perform it the other way around. With
the coin held at the tips of the left hand's fingers you take it into the right hand, but in
reality you push the coin directly into the right hand classic palm, you now mime the
action of flicking the coin up your right sleeve, across your shoulders and down your left
sleeve into your left hand.

63
What actually occurs is....The right hand retains the coin classic palmed, but with the
fingers spread and the back of the hand towards the spectator. You mime the apparent
passage of the coin, but when they expect the coin to have arrived in your left hand.....it
doesn't!!
Act as if something has gone wrong and explain that there seems to be a blockage. With
your right hand, which still contains the palmed coin, you feel under, your left arm-pit
and explain that you've found the problem.
It only remains for you to squeeze the purse open. All the coins within cascade down your
left sleeve and to your table. Allow the purse to close and add the palmed coin to the
others as you pick them all up and perform your next effect.
NOTES**
Obviously the purse can contain anything that you need for your next effect. If you are
performing a COPPER/SILVER effect as an opener, then you could pass the Copper coin
apparently up your sleeve where it gets stuck etc. But when you squeeze open the purse
you are in fact releasing a small plastic Police man (COPPER Get it???) These are readily
available in the London Tourist traps. It could contain Glitter-dust, a bent coin, etc. etc.
(The possibilities are endless.) The illustrations below should help??

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 skewer
This insane effect is based on a Richard Kaufman contribution to his excellent book
'C0INMAGIC'. The method about to be described is completely different from the
original** and I'm sure it will be accomplishable by anyone. The effect on the viewer is
quite staggering!!
You'll need to prepare a normal coin by drilling a hole through its center. The hole should
be large enough for your right forefinger to be pushed through and the coin should fit
snugly around your first joint, as depicted, in Fig 1 below. Fig: l also depicts a regular
coin resting on the palm of your otherwise empty left hand. Note the position of your
right hand, the forefinger with coin squewered is bent FIST like, as are all your fingers
except the extended 2nd finger.
Tap the coin on your left hand with the tip of this extended finger several times and as
you go to make the final tap you switch fingers (YES!! You read that right folks.) Instead
of tapping the coin with your right 2nd finger....You extend the ringed forefinger and curl
your 2nd finger back into the fist. At the same instant you toss the coin from your left
hand into your right hand where it is caught in the curled fingers.
Your right forefinger continues, as if to tap the now none existent coin and instead taps
the left palm.

65
The illusion is perfect that your forefinger has gone straight through the coin and the
sight of the coin half up your finger should raise a few eye-brows!!
The above method is based on the very first thimble vanish that I learnt. The thimble was
displayed on the right 2nd finger and apparently placed into the left hand, but in fact the
finger switch took place and the forefinger was thrust into the left hand, whilst the 2nd
finger (With thimble still atop.) was curled back into the right fist. The forefinger was
withdrawn from the left hand and even I thought the thimble was now in my left fist.
**I say the original, but I did come across the exact same effect (Different method.) in
Davenport's crypt, so the original called 'finger through Penny.' must be literally decades
old!!

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 .....& seek
The effect of passing a coin or other object through a table, hand etc dates back to the
dark ages. I can not credit Fred Blogs or Harry Oogits with the inspiration for the
following mind blower......So here goes.
Imagine that via various sleight of hand methods you have caused a coin to pass through
a table-top, then through your hand and any other objects that you have handy....You
now cause the coin to pass through the material of your jacket using only one hand!!
Before we proceed further you'll need to construct a holder for one or two coins. This
holder should be attached to the inside of your belt at your hip. Load a couple of coins
into the holder and you're ready.
Take the coin in your left hand and openly place it into your left jacket pocket.
Immediately drop the coin and grab one of the coins from the holder through the
material of your jacket. Draw the coin into the material, so that when you open the jacket
the coin will not be seen. The illustrations below depict the removal of the coin from the
holder, the drawing in of the coin into the material and the position seen by the spectator
when the jacket is swung open.

It only remains for you to squeeze the coin out of the material and it appears to have
passed completely through and you can now allow it to fall to the table or floor. Note that
you have effectively SWITCHED the original coin for the one you now have. This may be
handy if you had previously been using a fake coin. The illustration below depicts the
penetration appearance to the spectator.
You may find that you can simply tuck the coin down inside your belt and do without the
holder. I originally used a small magnet sewn under the belt at the hip and a coin of
magnetisable nature. I simply reached through the material and grabbed the coin off the
belt. I hope that you'll at least give it a try, but please remember NOT to use your right
hand for ANY part of the penetration!!! The fact that only one hand has been used makes
the effect seem more magical.

67
68
 altar!
This next coin-change will not be within the reach of most of you, as it makes full use of
the none too easy 'BACK CLIP.' OR 'Goshman Pinch.'
This move is not difficult, but it takes constant practise to get the fingers strong enough
and familiar with the unusual movement.
I have been performing this change for years and everyone who sees it comments that it
looks like REAL magic. I hope that you can perform the required move, but 1 strongly
urge you to learn it if you can't.
The illustrations on the following pages are very detailed and should give you all the
information you'll need.
Fig: 1 shows the opening position. (All illustrations depict YOUR view of the effect.) The
visible coin shown in Black rests on your right 1st and 2nd fingertips and the other coin
(Dotted lines) is back clipped between the upper joint of your little finger and the middle
joint of your 3rd finger. The left hand is empty and awaits a coin to be tossed within.
Toss the Black coin onto the left fingertips, then back again. This is to set the mood for
what will follow.
Appear to toss the Black coin into the left hand again, but instead....Place your thumb
onto the coin and allow the back-clipped coin to be released and this coin will travel into
your awaiting left hand. (Fig:2)
What follows takes place in a second...Your thumb pushes the Black coin onto the backs
of your right fingertips just below the knuckles. (Nearer to the tips than the wrist!!) The
White coin has almost landed in the left hand. (Fig:3)
The right thumb continues to push the Black coin towards the little finger, which opens
ready to pin the coin in place. The white coin has now landed in the left hand and the
spectator's are aware that a change has taken place. Fig:4.
The little finger closes and traps the Black coin just between it and the middle finger. The
thumb releases its hold on the coin. The left hand starts to throw the White coin back
into the right hand. (Fig:5.)
With the Black coin clipped in place ....the right fingers open into the position originally
occupied in Fig:1, but this time it is the Black coin that is back-clipped and not the White.
The left hand has tossed the White coin back into the right where it is seen to have
definitely changed!!
NOTE**
Let's analyse the spectator's view of what happened.....Fig:1 He sees the Black coin and
the hands otherwise empty. Fig:2 He sees you toss the coin into your left hand, but when
it arrives (Fig:4.) it has changed to White!!

69
70
He now sees you toss the coin back into your right hand, (Where he assumes the Black
coin must somehow still be.) But when it arrives (Fig:6.) only the White coin is there and
when he looks back to your left hand....That too is empty!!

The actual back-clipping of the coin goes unseen by the spectator due to the fact that
your right hand is back towards him during the clipping and he is more interested in the
left hand...where the coin is travelling.
The whole change is over in 2 or 3 seconds and it can be repeated immediately in order to
change the coin back again.
If you had two different double faced coins ie English Penny/ American Half Dollar and
English Ten pence/ Chinese coin...You could change the coin three times!!!

71
 The Twilight Cheat
Before we go any further, you'll need a couple, of double sided mirrors about the same
size as playing cards. You'll also need 7 like coins and the ability to doctor one of the
mirrors, as depicted in Fig:1 below. This contraption allows you to push a coin out of the
holder and allow it to fall to the close-up-mat. All 3 coins will be loaded in this manner
during the course of the routine.
Fig:2 above depicts the opening array. The gimmicked mirror is the lower one. Pick up
the mirrors, one in each hand (Gimmicked one in the left hand.)

Fig:3 opposite shows the spectator's view of the first coin across. The gimmicked mirror
is placed behind the coin at your upper left and due to the reflection....there appear to be
two coins at this corner of the mat. The normal mirror is placed in front of the coin at
your lower right and it appears to vanish. Two things happen at the same time now....The
coin behind the normal mirror is slid off the table into your lap and one of the coins in
the gimmicked mirror is slid out and onto the mat behind it. Fig:4 below depicts the
sliding of the coin into Lapland by the thumb.

By lifting both mirrors....Reflection becomes reality and the coin from your lower right
appears to have passed across to the one at your upper left. That takes care of the 1st coin.
Repeat this procedure for the coin at your lower left but allow 3 coins to be seen in the
reflection by placing the mirror half way across the coin nearest you at the upper left
position. When the mirror is lifted....The 2nd coin has arrived.

72
Place the coins at the upper left position so that there are two in front of the 3rd single
coin. When the gimmicked mirror is positioned between...4 coins are apparently seen.

Load the final coin behind the mirror and place the normal mirror in front of the
remaining coin. Pin this last coin to the back of the mirror and lap it once both mirrors
have been lifted to reveal the final coin's arrival. Credit to Paul Harris's excellent
effect...'Twilight' Note** Be careful that the lapped coins don't TALK!!

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 Cannibal Coins
This effect is quite unusual (Aren't they all!!?) You'll need a couple of the magnetic
locking coin sets. In England we use Ten pence/Two pence coins, but you can use
whatever you have available....
Separate both coins and set them on your close up mat with the Ten pences nearest you
and the Two pences in front of these.
Explain that you would like to show the spectators the amazing Cannibal coins.
(In addition to the above you might like to cut another Two pence piece, so that it
appears to have been partially eaten. This is only necessary for a gag ending.)
Assuming that you have the extra coin.....Place it beneath one of the Shell Ten Pence
pieces prior to performance.
Pick up the apparent Ten pence pieces but keep the extra 1/2 coin in the lower shell once
the two shells have been placed one atop the other in a slight spread. Pick up one of the
Two pence pieces and insert it between the two Ten pence coins. Don't allow the coin to
enter the upper shell immediately, first display the situation. Fig:1 below depicts this and
the lower illustration depicts an underside view showing the position of the 1/2 coin.

Make an eating sound with your mouth as you rub the 3?? coins together. Allow the Two
Pence to enter the upper shell where it will lock in place due to the magnetic nature of the
gimmicked coin.
"Well they seem to have eaten the first coin, how about the other??"
Pick up the other Two pence coin and place it between the two Ten pence coins.

74
(Unknown to the spectator you have moved the lower shell with 1/2 coin within on top of
the now complete coin and as you insert the Two pence between the coins...It in fact
enters the upper shell and goes under the 1/2 coin.) Pause for a second to allow the
spectator to see the sandwich, then repeat the eating sound and rubbing of the coins.
This time the Two pence enters the upper shell, but pushes out the 1/2 coin, which you
allow to be seen as you comment...."We'll save that bit for later ehh?"
You can now display both Ten pences on both sides and the 1/2 coin can of course be
examined.
You may like to use the normal locking coins which need a BANG ring to separate them,
as these coins can be freely examined without detection.....They even sound like real
coins. To my knowledge they are only available in American currency, not in British?

LAPPING A HOT CUP OF TEA REQUIRES COMPLETE CONTROL

OVER THE FACIAL MUSCLES.

75
 Shell Shock!

To perform the following fantastic coin productions you'll need TWO expanded shells
and like coins to match. (The dealers love me!!!)
At the start of the effect you have what appears to be a single coin at the lower left corner
of your close up mat (This is in fact an expanded shell atop a normal coin.) Also two
regular playing cards are to the right of the coin. On your right knee rests another
expanded shell atop a normal coin and you're all set to go......
Explain that you will demonstrate how a magician makes his money. Pick up the coin
and then replace it. Pick up the two cards and display them; all the time proving that
your hands are completely empty and that the cards hide nothing. Brush the cards
together. Then, with the cards held as depicted in Fig:2, place them over the coin but
maintain a grip on the cards.

Once the coin is covered...lift off the shell by gripping it between the middle fingertips of
both hands and then pinning it to the bottom of the cards.
Separate the cards to reveal the coin still there but continue to pin the shell to the
underside of the right hand's card. Place the cards back together again and place them on
the mat above the visible coin, release the shell to the mat and separate the cards again.
The 2nd?? coin has arrived from thin air!! Drop the cards atop each other on the table
and under the misdirection of the coin's appearance....rest your right hand on your knee.

76
Palm the shell and coin, then return the hand to rest naturally at the table's edge. Once
the effect has been realised ...Pick up the cards again and load the shelled coin beneath
them, using the method just described. Now cause a 3rd coin to materialise at the upper
right of the mat, then drop the cards as before. Allow the effect to register again and
you're set to produce the 4th coin.. ....This time make sure that EVERYONE is 100%
convinced that both your hands are totally empty and that nothing whatsoever lies
beneath the cards.
Remove the shell from the card (As previously detailed.....Fig:3 below shows an exposed
view.) and deposit it at the lower right of the mat and you're home and dry!!

NOTES**
The strong point of the routine is that the spectators will later swear that you produced
'4' coins from thin air. They will forget that the 1st coin was already present.
Now that you have 4 apparently solid coins at the corners of your mat.....Why not use
them!! You will find it an easy task to perform any one of the thousands of coin
assemblies available to you. Don't worry about the shells being noticed...They won't!! If
you're really bold you could, after performing a coin assembly, ...cause the coins to
vanish again by reversing the above moves and depositing two of the coins back into the
shells but watch out for the 'Tinny' sound that shells make!!! Finally vanish (Lap, sleeve,
Topit etc.) the two shelled coins and continue with your next miracle. Please buy the
shells and use the routine......it's very strong!!

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 Vampire
I have always loved the effect known as 'SILVER EXTRACTION.' Briefly you are able to
extract the metal from a coin leaving just a clear plastic coin remaining.
Most leading dealers supply this miracle though don't be fooled into thinking it's a
self-worker, because nothing could be further from the truth!!
What follows is my routine for effecting the switch so........here goes!!
Assuming that you have the required bits and pieces ie...One normal coin, one blob of
solder with the impression of the coin on it and one clear coin made from plastic... .....We
can begin;
Hand the spectator the normal coin and have him hold it on his outstretched right hand
as depicted in Fig:A below.
You, in fact, position the coin for him with your empty left hand and your right thumb
and first and second fingers. Your third and little fingers are otherwise occupied. If you
take a look at Fig:B you will see an under-side view of your right hand. Your third and
fourth finger-tips pin the clear coin to your palm and the solder blob is inside your curled
fingers depicted by the dotted lines.

Once the normal coin has been positioned on the spectator's out-stretched palm you
immediately close your right hand into a tight fist and explain that you will attempt to
snatch the coin from the spectator's hand but he must not close his hand until he feels
you touch him. (This point is very important, so make sure he understands.) What you
are about to do will sound impossible, but I can assure you that it will work almost
automatically!!
Move your right fist towards the spectator's outstretched hand and touch the clear coin
which is already out of your fist for most of its length onto the spectator's hand just
beyond his fingertips. Immediately open your fist and grab the normal coin and with the
coin secured ...move your closed fist away from the spectator. If all has gone well...You

78
should still have the blob of solder in a finger-palm behind your third and fourth fingers
and you should have the normal coin concealed behind your other fingers. The spectator
should have closed his hand around the clear coin and should believe that you have failed
as the clear coin has the same shape as the normal coin and he should think that he was
faster than you and in fact you failed to grab the coin he was holding. I told you it would
sound impossible!!!
Now then, let's take a look at some of the stumbling blocks.......
1) Perhaps you did manage to grab the normal coin and leave behind the clear coin, but
you dropped the blob of solder!!!
In this instance you have nothing to worry about...Simply classic palm the normal coin
and pick up the blob as you explain you seem to have only grabbed the metal from the
coin. When the spectator examines what he believed to be the coin he finds the clear coin
instead.....ONE MIRACLE!!!
2) Perhaps you grabbed but now have all three pieces in your hand leaving the spectator
with nothing. GREAT!! The spectator thinks you succeeded in grabbing the coin. Mind
you...What about all the noise? (Bits talking) Apologise and explain that you appear to
have broken?? the coin. Simply classic palm the normal coin and allow the other two to
fall from your hand to the table.....ONE MIRACLE!!
3) Of course the worst could happen and you may fail to grab the spectator's coin. If no
sound is heard from your hand and the two pieces are still in place you could simply try
again.
If the pieces in your hand talk.....You're in trouble!!
a) You could classic palm the blob and show the clear coin; explaining that you seem to
have grabbed only the image, Ghost, soul etc of the spectator's coin...WEAK, BUT
SHOULD PASS AS A JOKE???
b) Let's stop here and assume that you will be able to end the effect in the event of an
error. Think about a Musician....If he drops his instrument and it falls into the
audience....There ain't many outs!!!
What I'm trying to say is...You should never fail!!!
A few tips may help you....Don't concentrate on dropping your coin onto the spectator's
hand. Concentrate totally on grabbing the coin from his palm. Simply forget the coin
which you will deposit and grab his coin. You will find that the coin to be deposited falls
automatically onto the spectator's hand, as you grab his coin. Try to grab with the thumb,
first and second fingers only of your right hand and the blob of solder will remain
secured behind your curled third and fourth fingers.
Once you have his coin and the blob of solder...You could lap the coin (If seated.) and end
clean!!

79
The mechanics of this routine are exactly the same as an age old stunt where the coin was
grabbed from the spectator's hand, but you simply left another coin in its place. The
spectator laughed because he thought you hadn't got his coin, but you laughed when he
saw that the coin in his hand was completely different!! Haven't the slightest idea who
originated the move, so creds are impossible....THANKS ANYWAY!!! PATTER should
revolve around the Kung-Fu T.V. series where the student was only ready to leave the
temple when he could take the pebble from the master's hand.

80
 Nesty
Many years ago I saw Albert Goshman perform a Sponge-Ball routine on T.V. and he
used a purse frame. (THIS IS SIMPLY A PURSE WHICH HAS HAD THE FABRIC
REMOVED AND IS OPENED AND CLOSED MANUALLY. UNLIKE THE SNAP-SHUT
PURSE DESCRIBED EARLIER, THIS PURSE WILL REMAIN OPEN IF YOU PLACE IT
DOWN. SEE FIG:A BELOW.)
Since then, I have seen many performers produce and vanish items into or out of the
purse frame. Pat Page and Ger Copper immediately spring to mind.
For the following crazed routine...you'll need say....4 purse frames, but of decreasing
sizes. Two frames are on your lap and the other two are in your pocket. In the illustration
below I have labeled the frames A, B, C and D and I'll refer to them as such throughout
the following explanation.

Place Frame A in your left jacket pocket, frame B in your right jacket pocket, frame C on
your left thigh and frame D on your right thigh. You'll also need a coin which should be in
your right jacket pocket.
Okay, now for the performance......Explain that you have a magic coin and instead of
depositing it in a Bank, you have it in a magic purse. Reach into your right and left jacket
pockets and remove the frame in your left pocket, as you remove your right hand
apparently empty, but in fact it has the frame B finger palmed. With the aid of your right
hand open the frame A in your left hand, then place it between the forefinger and thumb
of your right hand, as depicted in Fig:b overleaf. Further explain that to protect the coin
you also have another purse within and so saying, you reach into the open frame and pull
out the finger palmed smaller frame B. Immediately close the larger frame A and drop it
into your right jacket pocket. Bring your hand out EMPTY and rest it on your right thigh
as you display the frame B in your left hand. Take this opportunity to finger palm the
frame D from your right thigh and once it is secured .... rest your cupped right hand on
the edge of the table. Now open frame B and place it into your right hand as before and
remove frame D. The spectator's can see that the frames are becoming smaller and the
laughter and amazement should not subside throughout the whole effect.
Place frame B into your right jacket pocket and remove your empty hand again. This time
open frame D with both EMPTY hands and place it into position in the right hand as
before but this time the right hand doesn't conceal another purse-frame. Ask the

81
spectators if they would like to see the coin and under this relaxation...Rest your left
hand on your left thigh, finger palm the frame C and apparently remove it from the frame
D in your right hand.
Place frame D into your right jacket pocket and at the same time classic palm the coin
from the pocket.
Remove your right hand from the pocket and open the final frame C and place it, once
again, into position in your right hand. This time you simply throw the palmed coin up
through the opening of the frame and catch it in your left hand. Pocket the frame and
continue with your first (OR NEXT??) coin effect......

NOTES** You may prefer to use say...Three purse frames instead of Four, but that's
entirely up to you. Obviously any small object can be produced at the end. The routine
was devised with Magicians in mind as a COD version of the 'NEST OF PURSES'
Surprisingly it plays extremely well to lay audiences and does make Magicians smile...
NO MEAN FEAT!!! You will be able to obtain the various sized purses easily. Simply
remove the fabric and you've got all you need.

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 Throughout: 1
This is more of an idea than an actual effect, but you may be able to rig it up?? Before you
begin your performance secretly place a coin under each of the four legs of of your table.
(Assuming you have access to the room before the crowds?? arrive this should be no
problem.)
Now perform a few card effects, then a coins through table routine.
Assuming that you've passed the coins one at a time through the table, you now offer to
pass all four coins through at once.
Perform a clink pass apparently tossing the coins into your left hand, but really retaining
them finger palmed in your right hand. Place your empty?? right hand beneath the table
and ditch the coins either down your sock, in your shoe or even stick them to the
underside of the table with a blob of Blue-Tac (Or similar.) Slap your empty!! left hand
on the table top, but no coin-sound is heard. Bring your right hand up empty and act as if
you've no idea what happened, then suddenly explain that the coins must have got stuck
inside the table. Give it a resounding thump and then ask the spectators assisting you to
look under the table's legs.
You lift the table for them and they discover the coins......CUTE EHHH????
11
If you happen to have one of the mechanical coin-droppers. (Devices that will release a
coin say every ten seconds.) you could secretly attach, the device to the underside of the
table and simply remove a coin from your right pocket, apparently toss it into your left
hand (Really retaining it classic palmed in your right.) Slap the coin on the table and the
coin dropper releases a coin which of course falls to the floor. (Or into a glass etc placed
below.)
Repeat this three more times with the same coin which you simply pretend to remove
from your right pocket prior to the vanish and subsequent penetrations.
These devices are not often seen nowadays, though Paul-Stone of The Ace Place used to
sell one that could fit into a cigarette packet.....Worth an enquiry??
They are not too difficult to make, as they simply need a holder for the coins and some
means of retaining the coins in place until you require them to drop. I used to have one
that worked on oil-pressure. It was made from a timing device used in the model railway
industry. Photographic timers can also be adapted. The main thing to bear in mind is
that the device must be as small as possible and attachable to the underside of your table.
111
If you have a beaker which is filled with Plasticene or putty (Or similar) you can try the
following......With the beaker mouth down on the table introduce a coin and explain that
you will pass it through the table. Spin it and set the beaker over it. This of course traps

83
the coin in the Plasticene etc. and when you lift the beaker the coin will be seen??? to
have vanished (If you see what I mean?)
You explain that at this very second it is DRILLING itself through the table.
Place the beaker aside and reach under the table and after a bit of a struggle surface with
the coin and also......A handful of sawdust!!!
Should get a laugh????

84
 Cuppa-Silver
I'm sure that at one time or another you'll have encountered an item known as ... ...' THE
COIN-CUPS.' (At least that's the name I know it by!!) I first bought mine from Paul
Clives in Blackpool about 15 years ago and I was delighted by the ingenious principle
used.
Fig:A depicts the apparatus. You'll also need a couple of silver coins, a couple of copper
coins and some glitter dust.

The apparatus was intended for a vanish of coins or any small object placed within. I will
now explain some amazing changes that can also be performed with the apparatus.
First let me explain the basic principle.
Once the inner cup with hook attached is in place, the whole looks quite normal if you
cover the hook with the ball of your right thumb. In fact the cup can be shaken, tipped
over etc without anything being suspected. If you now drop a couple of coins into the cup,
they of course drop directly into the inner cup. Should you now hook the hook on your
left jacket sleeve and move the cup downwards....The inner cup remains hooked on the
sleeve, whilst the empty outer cup moves away. It only remains for you to toss the empty
cup into the air and the vanish of the coins is complete. The inner cup can be detached
and pocketed with a handkerchief which you use prior to your next effect. Alternately you
could hook the inner cup onto a handkerchief which is draped over your left sleeve
during the effect. Patter could be on the lines of a waiter in a restaurant and how he got
his tips. Hook the hook onto the fabric of the handkerchief, effect the vanish and pocket
the inner cup with coins inside, as you pocket the handkerchief.
Now then for the variations........Before you commence the effect place two copper coins
in the outer cup, then drop the inner cup atop them and you're ready to perform. Drop
two silver coins into the cup. Dispose of the inner cup either on your sleeve or
handkerchief and finally show that the silver coins have become copper.
Depending on your presentation, you could of course change copper coins into silver
instead.

85
I particularly tike the use of Glitter dust, as you can toss it skywards and the impression
is that the coins have become dust.....Looks good too!!
The action of hooking the inner cup on your sleeve need a little misdirection. I
sometimes say that this effect should only take a few seconds and rotate my left wrist to
take a glance at my watch, as the wrist rotates back again the hook engages and the inner
cup is dragged out.
You may prefer to move the hand with the hook engaged on its sleeve upwards, as
opposed to the other hand downwards. Mirror practise will tell you which suits you best.
The illustrations below show some of the movements with the apparatus.

86
 Boinnng!
One of the first-ever coin vanishes I learned was the old elastic up the sleeve gimmick.
We think we progress as we battle through all the excruciating sleights and master them,
but I still get fooled by little kids armed with this weapon. I distinctly remember handing
over my three bob and receiving a little package with 'MAGIC COIN' printed on it. I
eagerly tore it open only to find a safety pin, a coin with a hole drilled in it and a two foot
length of elastic. I was really disillusioned and to make matters worse....The Bus
conductor wouldn't accept the coin as it had a hole drilled through it!!
Anyway after walking home I tied the elastic to the coin, pinned the safety pin to my
sleeve and tried it out on my mum. I must have performed the effect with the grace and
elegance of an Elephant with tooth ache, but it fooled her!!
Many years have passed since then and now I am explaining here an effect with almost
the same gimmick. The gimmick you'll need to make is depicted below.

Please don't turn the page as I can assure you that this vanish will completely fool anyone
including fellow magicians.
Once the apparatus has been pinned to your inner sleeve you're ready to perform.
Borrow a CLEAN gent's handkerchief. (ALWAYS CARRY ONE YOURSELF JUST IN
CASE!!) Show the coin which is at your right fingertips between thumb and fingertips. A
good way to begin the effect is to have the coin classic palmed, reach into your right
jacket pocket and manipulate the coin to the required fingertips position. Be careful that
the coin doesn't shoot up your sleeve by accident. (ALWAYS HAVE ANOTHER COIN IN
THE POCKET AND ANOTHER EFFECT IN MIND JUST IN CASE!!) Assuming you're
displaying the coin, ask for the handkerchief and drape it over the coin. Ask the spectator
if he can feel the coin through the material, he will say "YES."
Now take hold of the coin with your left hand through the material and move your right
hand down and grip one of the corners of the handkerchief. What occurs during this
movement is.....The length of nylon gut is dragged out of your right sleeve and if you grip
the nylon against the corner of the handkerchief you will find that there is no 'PULL' on
the coin.
Ask the spectator to hold the coin through the material and once he has it secured, you
move your left hand away. Explain that you will perform the effect with one hand only
and so saying place your left hand in your pocket.
Explain that when you count to '3' you'd like the spectator to drop the coin. Count to '3'
and the instant the spectator drops the coin you release your grip on the nylon gut ONLY.
Maintain your grip on the corner of the handkerchief. What happens is that the elastic

87
drags the nylon and coin inside your sleeve and you're left with the borrowed
handkerchief. An amazing vanish!!!

NOTES** ......You may prefer to drop the handkerchief as well, but I find that holding the
corner gives the required cover for the coin to vanish sleevewards. You may also find that
waving the handkerchief frantically like a matador helps. A final Tag-line could be that
you said you would perform the effect with a single hand, but you didn't say which one
and so saying you remove your left hand from the pocket with the?? coin displayed.
(THIS LINE HAS BEEN STOLEN FROM MAX MAVEN (PHIL G0LDSTEIN) HOPE HE
FORGIVES ME!!!

88
 Janus
Effects with the Copper/Silver coin abound, but as it is one of the cheapest and most
useful of all the fake coins available I think you'll forgive me for detailing the following
routine.....??
In addition to the C/S coin you'll also need a Silver coin to match the Silver side of your
fake coin.....Ohhh and a willing spectator!!
Begin with the C/S coin Copper side up and the real Silver coin on top of it. Both coins
are in a spread on your outstretched left hand.
Close your left hand into a fist and turn it over, reach inside and remove the C/S coin
Silver side uppermost and ask the spectator to hold out a hand palm up. You now place
the coin from your left hand onto the spectator's outstretched hand. He assumes that this
coin is the Copper coin, as you have the Silver coin displayed in your right hand.
Close his hand around the assumed Copper coin (Really Silver.) Make sure that he
doesn't get a premature glimpse of the coin he holds.
Assuming that the spectator's closed fist now contains the Silver coin and you are
displaying the C/S coin Silver side towards the spectator.....You can continue.
Explain that you'll attempt to make the coins change places and so saying, you appear to
toss the Silver coin from your right hand into your left, but in reality the coin is retained
in the right hand finger palm.
Explain that you've decided to do it the hard way and caution the spectator NOT to open
his hand until you tell him to!!! (Make sure he understands this.) First you'll get the
Copper coin out of the spectator's hand....Reach towards the back of his fist with your
right hand and appear to pluck the Copper coin from the back of his hand. (This is in fact
the C/S coin Copper side towards the spectator.) That's the first part....Pocket this coin
and continue....Now all I have to do is pass my Silver coin into your hand. Tap your
closed left hand on the spectator's and open it to reveal that your Silver coin has
vanished.
It only remains for him to open his hand and find the Silver coin within....END.
NOTES**
I particularly like this routine if only for its cheek!!! You should only perform the routine
when a group of people are present. This is because you are relying on their imagination
ie.....When you have apparently plucked the Copper coin from the back of the spectator's
hand HE knows that there is still a coin within, but THEY don't!!
They know that the Silver coin is in your closed left hand because they saw you put it
there AFTER the Copper?? coin was apparently put into the spectator's hand!! This
makes the final revelation astounding to them and amazing to him!!

89
 Strike the Hour
At first this effect may not seem like a coin effect, but it does end up as one!! You'll need a
handkerchief (Preferably borrowed.) You'll also need 3 coins and a spectator's wrist
watch.
Start with the coins classic palmed in your right hand, as you ask for the loan of a
handkerchief. Take the handkerchief and wipe your table or chair with it, then explain
that you'd like to perform for them the fastest magic effect in the world. (Gags
immediately spring to mind ehh??) Ask for a watch with which to time yourself??
Once you have the watch explain that you were only joking and in fact you'd like to
demonstrate an effect rarely attempted these days..." THE AMAZING SMASHED AND
SOMETIMES RESTORED WATCH."
Take the watch at your right hand fingertips and drape the handkerchief over it.
Immediately reach through the material and grab the coins from the classic palm. Pull
the coins and material upwards, this leaves the watch still in your right hand at the end of
the handkerchief where the four corners have grouped. The series of illustrations below
depict this procedure......

Allow the coins to hang down in the handkerchief bag as you explain that in the old days
the performer would bang the watch with a huge hammer, but you wouldn't do a thing
like that to his watch and so saying you twirl the apparent watch around and around in
the air finally crashing to a halt on your table, chair or even floor. The coins jingle and it
sounds as if the watch has really smashed. Shake the contents up and down allowing the

90
coin to jingle together. You can slap the contents on your table a few more times if you
wish and then hold them to your ear and comment that you can almost hear it ticking.
Finally open the handkerchief and tip out the coins, remove the watch from your wallet
or nest of boxes etc. The use of the wallet is logical, as a transposition has apparently
taken place between your money and his watch. It could of course appear on your
wrist???

91
 Ideas!
If you perform 'Coins Across' from hand to hand.......you may like these ideas....
Assuming that you can perform the flourish known as 'THE ROLL DOWN FLOURISH.'
(SEE PAGES:204 and 205 of BOBO...Revised edition.) you can utilise these two ideas...
You'll need 5 coins. Half Dollars are ideal. For the first idea you'll only need four of the
coins and you open by displaying the coins using the above flourish. At the conclusion of
the flourish you will find the coins as shown in fig:A below. Notice the coin between your
thumb and forefinger. If the other three coins have been taken into your left hand one at
a time and only the coin between your thumb and forefinger remained, you would find
the position extremely similar to that used with the 'FRENCH-DROP' vanish. This is
sometimes referred to as the 'TOURNIQUET VANISH.' (Pages:37/38 BOBO.)

So the situation is......Your left hand contains three coins just removed from between the
right fingers. It moves to take the final coin, but you perform the French-drop and allow
the other three coins to talk as if the fourth coin had actually entered the left hand. This
sets you one ahead for your coins across performance.
The second variation uses all five coins and a great deal of cheek. Spread the five coins
into the Roll-down display and you'll find two coins perfectly squared between your
thumb and forefinger and single coins between the other fingers.
You could now take the single coins into your left hand as you did before and finally drop
one of the two coins from between your thumb and forefinger into the left hand. This
leaves one coin between the thumb and forefinger which is easily recovered as both
hands form into fists prior to the coins across phase.

92
An even easier method would be to openly remove the three single coins and explain that
they will pass invisibly into the right hand thus joining the fourth coin. As you already
have two coins in the right hand the first coin is already done!! The actual display is
extremely skilfull looking and seems to obviate the concealment of extra coins. In the
first handling it is especially useful in order to give logic to the, otherwise unusual, hand
positions necessary for the French-drop. If your routine uses only four coins, use the first
approach. On the other hand, if your pet routine needs an extra coin, use the second
approach. The ideas also apply to other coin effects such as coins through table etc.

93
 Note-Pad
This routine doesn't use, a single coin, though it does use a bank note. Consider it a
BONUS EFFECT if you like.
You'll need a genuine Bank-note (I use a £1.00 note.)
Also a Photo-copy (Double-sided.) of the note on a light card. Cover this with the clear
adhesive fablon and you're almost ready....
Make or buy (If you can??) a small note-book exactly the same size as the note. By the
way I have heard of people actually photo-copying a note on one of the machines found
in the Post-Offices or Railway stations, but this is of course completely illegal and I
strongly urge you not to do this.
I adapted one of the marketed versions of this effect available from most dealers.
Anyway, assuming that you've made the required apparatus......Place the real note under
the flap of the note-book and slide a small slide-binder along the spine of the book. It
should look like the one depicted in Fig:A below. Place the Photo-copied note, which
from this point on will be referred to as the PLATE in your pocket with the note-book.
Performance...AT LAST!!

Reach into your pocket and remove the Plate. Hand it to your spectator for examination
as you explain that it is a new device invented in order to replace the credit cards that
most of us use. Now remove the note-book and flick through it without disclosing the
note which should be at the back of the pad. (It will take a little practise in order to be
able to flick through the pad with confidence and keep the note concealed.) Assuming
that the note has not been seen.. ...Place it down with the note still at the back and take
the Plate from the spectator. Insert it onto the upper sheet of the pad, close the cover and

94
pick up the lot. Explain that in order to print a note all you have to do is apply a little
pressure on the BACK of the pad and then again on the front of the pad.
What actually happens is....You PADDLE MOVE the pad apparently face down, but in
fact the pad does not turn over. As you say, "And then on the front again." You really DO
turn the pad over and rub the other side of the pad. Withdraw the Plate and toss it to one
side, open the cover of the pad and the brand new £1.00 note will be seen. You appear to
TEAR the note from the pad, but you merely pull it free from the slide-binder and the
sound created is a perfect illusion of the note being torn free. At this point
EVERYTHING can be examined, to make the most of it!! NOTES** Both sides of the pad
should be identical and you must use a new note.

95
 Coin-Warp
This strange concept is restricted only by the limits of your imagination!! You'll need a
circle of silver foil, (The type used in baking) a normal coin of the same size, a bent coin
and two halves of a coin.
Let me just give you the basic idea and you can work out a routine for yourself. Explain
that every now and again objects vanish and are never seen again. This applies to people,
Ships, aeroplanes etc.
The Bermuda or Devil's triangle has remained a mystery for centuries. Tonight you are
going to explain the secret behind this and many other mysteries. Explain that they may
be aware of three dimensions, but countless dimensions exist and from time to time
objects, people etc pass from dimension to dimension and appear to vanish. (If you see
what I mean??)
Now offer to demonstrate the peculiar powers of the 2nd dimension. Remove the foil
circle from your pocket and explain that the object is a two dimensional coin and if you
turn it edge on it vanishes completely, but if you turn the face back towards the spectator
it re-appears.
You have simply vanished and regained the foil circle. (Use your favourite method.)
Hand the circle to the spectator and tell him not to harm it.
Now remove the normal coin and explain that this is our three dimensional coin and
you'd like to show how both objects are connected in a very strange way.....
Appear to pass the coin into your other hand, but in fact you retain the coin.
The spectator thinks your other hand contains the normal coin, but due to the fact that it
already contained the BENT coin, you are one ahead of them.
Lap the normal coin and ask the spectator to bend the two dimensional coin in half.
Once he has done this, you open your hand to reveal that your coin has also bent in half.
This you explain is the secret behind Metal bending. The bender simply bends a two
dimensional object with his hands and this causes a chain reaction with a three
dimensional object visible to the bender. (Load of garbage, but entertaining.) Toss the
coin into your right hand and then apparently back again, really retaining it. Dip your
right hand into your pocket and pick up the two halves of a coin and a small pair of
scissors.
Hand the scissors to the spectator and request that he cut the foil circle in half.
Immediately after handing him the scissors you pretend to place the coin from your left
hand into your right and now the spectators assume that the bent coin is within your
right hand. In actual fact the two halves of a coin are within. Once the foil circle has been
cut you open your right hand to reveal that the normal coin has also split in
two............END.

96
NOTES**
As you can see I've only given you the seed of the idea, it's up to you to plant and nurture
it. Other phases should suggest themselves to you and if you are adept at a certain switch,
move etc. incorporate it into your routine.

97
 Midas-Kard
This coin change is based on an idea of Gary Osbornes. Gary showed me his idea during
one of our heated sessions in London. You'll need a card and a couple of different coins.
Assuming that you have the card covering one of the coins on your close-up mat and the
other coin finger palmed in your right hand....you're ready to perform!! You are about to
slide the card from the coin and it will be seen to have changed. (The coin not the card!!)
The modus operandi is extremely simple....The card should be positioned over the coin
so that the coin is level with the long edge nearest you. (FIG:A.)

This means that you can take hold of the card at the center of this long edge between the
thumb and fingertips of your right hand and grip the coin beneath against the lower
surface of the card. If you wished you could pick the card up and show that there was no
coin beneath it. You are about to do exactly that, but in addition you will allow the finger
palmed coin to rest on the upper surface of the card and when the card is slid away....The
coin on the upper surface remains on the close-up mat and the illusion is perfect that you
have simply slid the card off the coin and the coin has somehow changed. The following
illustrations depict the entire move.

You can use the move to conclude a transposition between a copper coin beneath the
card and a silver coin in the spectator's hand. OR you could use it during a Matrix routine

98
as an unexpected climax. You could even cause the card to change as well, double lift, top
change etc prior to the coin change. Instead of a playing card you could use a credit-card
or pound note etc.
Garry used the move with identical coins in order to load a coin beneath the card during
a Matrix routine.

99
 Imagine: II
This routine was greatly inspired by one of Subir Kuma Dhar's from a bygone issue of
Magigram.
The method I'm about to describe is completely different from Subir's routine, though if
you are familiar with the original I think you'll find this a definite improvement??
You'll need nothing more than a Copper/Silver coin for this Mentalist's dream. Place the
coin in your closed right fist in such a way that you know which side will be uppermost
when you open your hand. Let's assume that if you simply open your hand the coin will
be Silver uppermost. You can obviously turn the coin over prior to opening your hand
and in this case the Copper side will later be uppermost. Performance...
With the coin in your right fist explain that you would like to attempt an experiment in
mind-control, telepathy...call it what you will. Explain that you would like the spectator
to imagine that in your right fist you have three coins. An American Half Dollar, a
Chinese coin and an old English Penny. You would further like him to imagine that the
hand containing the three coins is open and that he can actually see the coins in a row on
the palm of your hand. Point out that the hand does NOT contain the three coins
mentioned, neither is the hand open, but you would like him to imagine these things.
Once the spectator is concentrating and says that he imagines the three coins mentioned,
to be present and the hand to be open......You ask him to imagine that he is reaching
across and taking one of the coins, caution him not to think of the value of the coin, for
he can take any one of the three. Ask him which of the three coins he has taken.
He will reply with one of the following answers and you should proceed with the
presentation as follows.....1) I have taken the English penny. Ask him to take one of the
other remaining coins also. I have also taken the Chinese coin. Comment that if he has
the Penny and the Chinese coin, then you must have the Silver Half-dollar and so saying,
open your right hand to reveal the Silver coin.
2) He may say that he has taken the Silver Dollar. Again ask him to take another coin and
if he says that he has taken the Chinese coin, you open your hand to reveal the Copper
Penny.
3) Finally, he may say that he has taken the Chinese coin first. In which case regardless of
the coin he imagines taken next you can show the third coin remaining.
In all the above three possibilities you explain that he may keep the imaginary coins as a
reward for assisting you. Kind ehhhh??
Of course there are two other possible combinations of choices open to him and they
are...4) He takes either the Copper or the Silver coin and for his second choice he names
the coin on the other side of the C/S coin ie...1st he takes the Copper, then the Silver or
vice versa.

100
In either of these cases you comment that he obviously doesn't want the Chinese coin. So
it no longer exists and with this statement you mime the plucking of the coin from the
back of the right fist and tossing the imaginary Chinese coin into nothingness. Now
continue by explaining that he has chosen the Copper and the Silver coin, but which
would he like to discard.
Once he names his discard, you open your right hand to reveal the other coin remaining.
NOTES**
The ideal first choice for you is that he names the Chinese coin, as this always leads to the
required conclusion.
Failing that you would like him to choose the Chinese coin as his second choice, as this
also leads to the required conclusion.
Only when he names the Copper and the Silver coins as his two choices must you resort
to the lesser effect detailed above, but even this is good, as the spectator is unaware of
what will happen anyway.
An idea has just tapped on my bonce that adds greatly to the effect. You'll need a coin
purse containing a Chinese coin and a second C/S coin.
At the conclusion of any of the aforementioned you show that the right hand holds either
a Copper coin or the Silver coin.
You explain that you were so certain that the spectator would leave you with the final
coin as you place it on your mat and remove the other two coins from the purse. IE....If
your right hand is shown to contain the Silver coin, then you place it on your mat and
take the Chinese coin from the purse, followed by the C/S coin with the Copper side
uppermost. Other way round if the hand was shown to contain the Copper coin... .....You
know what I mean!!?
You will find that you will not need to memorise the various ploys, in fact, as logic
suggests them to you as you perform the routine. Try it on the wife and see what I mean.
If you put the outs under a microscope you'll find there are only two, so there's nothing to
worry about!!!!?

101
 Armed
Sleeving a coin must be one of the highest hurdles any coin-man can clear. The basic
sleeve is easy to perform, but the illusion of a coin vanishing into thin air is extremely
difficult to create. It's a combination of technique and belief in what you have apparently
done. The technique about to be described has been shown to many magicians over the
past few years, though I have never seen anyone attempt it. It is not difficult, though it
will take considerable practise!!
The starting position is with the coin in a relaxed classic palm position in your right hand.
We'll assume that you are wearing a jacket and that your shirt sleeves are short or rolled
up. Your right hand with coin is palm up and you are about to turn the hand palm down,
but at the same time your fingers close into a loose fist and tap the coin up your sleeve.
Sounds tike a pipe dream but it works.
The whole action takes a split second....Begin to turn your hand at the wrist and the coin
starts to slide off, your fingers move swiftly into a loose fist and as the coin falls from
your palm the fingers strike it and shoot it straight up your sleeve. Immediately you turn
your hand palm upwards again, open the fingers and the coin has completely vanished. It
looks completely impossible due to the fact that the coin was in your PALM not at your
fingertips as with most sleeving techniques. I have on occasion used these mechanics to
change the coin, by starting with a different coin back-clipped. Take a look at these
illustrations and......PRACTISE!!

ABOVE IS THE OPENING DISPLAY. ON THE RIGHT ARE THE SERIES OF EVENTS
NECESSARY TO PROPEL THE COIN INTO THE SLEEVE. FIRST THE HAND TURNS
PALM DOWN AND THE COIN STARTS TO FALL. THEN THE FINGERS TAP THE
COIN TOWARDS THE SLEEVE. FINALLY THE COIN IS IN THE SLEEVE AND THE
HAND ROTATES PALM UP AGAIN..............EMPTY!!!

102
 Foiled again?
Way back in Spell-Binder:4 P:57 I detailed an unusual coin change 'Foiled.' Since then I
have improved the routine??? and here are the differences.....
You'll need a Copper/Silver coin and a couple of sheets of metalic foil about 2" square.
You'll need one Silver sheet and one Copper. (I use the wrappers from chocolate bars for
the Copper and Baking foil for the Silver.
Wrap the Silver foil around the C/S coin, but make the smooth side of the wrapped coin
Silver and the rough side the Copper. (That last sentence was a little confusing, but if you
wrap the silver foil around your C/S coin you'll find that one side will be very smooth
whilst the other is quite rough. Just make sure that the Silver side of the C/S coin is
covered by the smooth surface of foil.) Place the copper foil in your right jacket pocket
and you're all set to perform. Assuming that you have the foiled coin palmed in your right
hand, ask for the loan of a coin...A COPPER coin.
Once the coin has been given to you, use the Spell-bound switch to apparently change it
into a Silver coin. (Really this is the C/S coin wrapped in the foil with the smooth
(SILVER) side towards the audience.)
After a few seconds explain that you have merely caused silver paper to appear around
the coin and that the copper coin is in fact inside. Tear off the paper and be amazed to
find a real Silver half Dollar inside. Pocket the paper and the borrowed Copper coin at
the same time.
Remove the sheet of Copper paper and openly wrap the C/S coin inside, as you explain
that in order to change the coin back to copper you must wrap it in the Copper foil. Turn
the C/S coin around during this procedure and you're all set for the finale... ...Snap your
fingers over the copper parcel and un-wrap it....The Copper side of the coin will be seen
and the miracle is complete.
To clean up say..." Is this the coin you gave me??" When he replies "YES!"...you pocket
the coin and copper foil and say, "Thank you!!"
This gets a laugh and you can later apologise, reach into your pocket and remove his
original Copper coin and return it to him.......END.
As an alternative presentation you could have the Copper side of the C/S coin against the
smooth side of the original Silver foil parcel and proceed as follows.......
....Borrow a Silver coin, switch it via the Spell-bound switch and keep the Silver parcel
moving slightly. (Nothing appears to have happened.) Now slowly un-wrap the parcel
and the Copper coin is found within. Pocket the Silver foil and palmed Silver coin and at
the same time palm out the folded Copper foil. Explain that in order to change the coin
back to Silver you need to remove the second coat of foil. Bring both hands together, turn
the coin over and pretend to tear the Copper foil from the coin. Allow the Silver side of
the C/S coin to be seen again and drop the Copper foil to the table. Use the same gag to
pocket the C/S coin and later return his original coin back to him. In this presentation

103
you will find it much easier to borrow a Half Dollar than in the version before it when you
needed to borrow an old English Penny. If you are using an English Ten Pence/Chinese
coin type coin, then you would borrow a Ten pence piece....Unless you're performing in
China???
Taking it all one stage further..... You could have had the original coin marked for later
identification and once you pocket it together with the Silver foil you simply wrap his
coin in the Copper foil in your pocket. (It's not too difficult, though it will take a little
practise and patter to cover the delay.) Instead of simply removing the copper foil sheet
and pretending to un-wrap the Silver coin you repeat the Spell-bound switch and then
actually tear the Copper foil from his coin. Pocket the foil and the C/S coin as you did
before and you're clean with his actual coin in your hand.
NOTES**
If you take the time to look up the original effect you will find that it made use of normal
coins, but the above versions all use a C/S coin which gives you an extra string to your
bow. The Copper foil will not be an exact match to the Copper coin, but it's more of a
tongue in cheek effect anyway....No one really believes you can un-wrap layers from
coins.........DO THEY???

104
 Leaper
This weird coins across routine is a mixture of my 'TUCKER-TRIP' (Talon:7 P:93.) and
my variation on Dave Austin's coins through table routine in Spell-Binder:20 P:378.
'UNSTABLE.'
In my Tucker-Trip routine the back-clip or Goshman-pinch was greatly used and this
may have put many people off even attempting it. The version to follow makes use of the
Tenkai load-in move from his routine.........'THE TENKAI PENNIES.' (BOBO.) and the
two-ahead principle used in the Spell-Binder routine.
This routine has been designed with the standing performer in mind. You'll require four
identical coins....Half Dollars are ideal!!
To begin, the coins are in your right hand which is palm upwards. With your left fingers
push two of the coins directly into your right classic palm and the other two towards your
fingers slightly. Explain that you have four coins and so saying, appear to toss them into
your left hand. In reality only the two which were pushed towards your fingers are tossed
across. The other two are retained in the right classic palm. Reach into your right jacket
or trouser pocket and drop one of the two palmed coins. You can if you wish have a pencil
in this pocket and remove it and hand it to the spectator.
The situation is....There are 2 coins in your closed left hand, one classic palmed in your
right hand and the fourth is in your right pocket.
The spectator thinks that the situation is....All four coins in your closed left hand and
your right hand is empty.
Close your right hand into a fist and ask the spectator to tap the back of your left hand
and then your right.
Once this has been done, you open your right hand to reveal the coin within.
Apparently the taps (One hot, one cold....IF YOU LIKE??) have caused the first coin to
travel across. Don't open your left hand!!
Close your right hand again and ask the spectator to repeat the taps. This time shake
both hands allowing the two coins in the left to talk and the illusion is that the noise
apparently came from your right hand.
Open your left hand to reveal only two coins within, so the spectator MUST believe that a
second coin has passed across.

105
You now perform the Tenkai load move as follows.....Move one of the coins in the left
hand to a position so that it is resting on the tip of your forefinger. Place your thumb onto
the coin and close your hand into a fist with the knuckles pointing upwards. The coin will
automatically end up clipped between the thumb and forefinger, as depicted in Fig:A
below...

As you can see, the coin is effectively outside your fist. You are now about to show that
there are in fact two coins in the right hand also.... Open your right hand so that the coin
within is at your fingertips. Immediately the hand begins to open your left hand moves
towards it and the clipped coin is placed onto the palm of your now open right hand, by
extending the left forefinger and thumb and simply placing the coin on the right palm.
Figs:B+C depict this. Don't hesitate...Push the coin towards the other coin at your
fingertips. The illusion is perfect that the right hand really did contain two coins. (LOOK
UP THE ORIGINAL ROUTINE ON PAGE:363 OF THE REVISED EDITION OF THE
BOBO COIN BOOK.)

Close both hands again and you're ready for the third coin to pass across. At the moment
you have two coins in your right hand and one in your left, but they think that you have
two coins in each hand.
Ask the spectator to tap both hands again and repeat the shaking, but this time with the
right hand only, as you wish him to believe that the sound signifies the arrival of the next
coin. Open your left hand to reveal a single coin and then repeat the Tenkai load in with
this coin, thus displaying three coins in your right hand.

106
At this point you're still well ahead, as the spectator thinks there is a final coin in your left
hand, but we know that the final coin was ditched in your pocket long ago!!
At this stage you must manoeuvre the fourth coin into your right hand in order to
complete the routine with the flight of the final coin. Not so easy ehhhhh???
Well, there are many avenues open to you here....
1) If the fourth coin is in your Jacket pocket, which is otherwise empty, you could simply
drop all three coins from your right hand into the pocket and mime the action of passing
the final coin?? through the fabric of your jacket and into the pocket. Simply have the
spectator reach in and remove all four coins. (DON'T USE THIS IF THE COIN IS IN
YOUR TROUSER POCKET, OR YOU'LL PROBABLY BOTH GET ARRESTED....OR
MARRIED???)
2) You could use a fifth coin which has been secreted elsewhere before you began.
Example...You could have loaded it into a spectator's previously-empty pocket, dropped
the three coins into his pocket and passed the fourth? coin through the material of his
pocket.
OR....You could have placed the coin on the chair that the spectator is now sitting on and
pass the fourth?? coin down through his body beneath him.
You could even use a hook coin and get it from your clothing into your right hand and
simply pass the fourth?? coin across as you did the others.
The variations are limited only by your imagination!!!

107
 Bye...
Well, I hope you enjoyed the book and have encountered at least one routine that you can
use. All the routines are practical and have been thoroughly tried and tested before the
REAL people!!
If you have any problems with any of the effects just drop me a line and I'11 try and shed
a little more light on the matter. (Explain it!!) The majority of the fake decks, coins etc
needed for some of the routines can be obtained from Martin Breese or any of the other
leading dealers.

108
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copies available and each copy costs £3.00 and comes complete with a £1.00 Voucher
that can be used against future purchases. Further afield: £4.50 to Europe/$8.50 air to
the USA or $5.00 surface/Rest of the world: $10.00 air or $5.50 surface. We are bound
to sell out and will have to reprint so get in early with your order for our Catalogue.

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