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The Effect

You have a stack of five nickles and a brass cap with a brass ring. You fit the brass cap over the stack of rings, and when you remove it, the spectators are shocked to find the nickles have all turned into dimes!

Cost

$5.00 American, It's very cheap, and worth the price.

Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

I'd say a 1. The prop does all the work, unless you intend on improvising to use someone else's coins, then it takes some sleight-work.

What They Say

The Effect
You place four nickels on the table. After just a moment of expectation you place a magical brass cap over the stack of nickels. You make eye contact with your spectators, place a finger on the covered stack, do a magical gesture with your hand, and lift the brass cap to reveal four dimes in the place of the nickels. The nickels have disappeared entirely. You retreat from the table as your spectators lung forward and examine the dimes and brass cap. You smile confidently... everything is examinable.

Why we Love it

* The effect is startling.
* It's very small and portable
* We've watched people examine it for 30 minutes before giving up.


What I Say

This was one of the first prop tricks i bought, and I really loved it (still do). The trick is easy to do, and can be done pretty much anywhere (I personally like to do the trick in a spec's hand). Like they say, it's small and portable, which is useful for street magic. They say it's fully examinable, but only AFTER the trick. Pesky spectators might want to examine your props beforehand (if they look closely, they might even figure out the secret), which would ruin it. However, with a decent amount of sleights, the trick can be done with anyone's coins. Being able to do this without giving the secret away is pretty tricky though, and probably boosts the difficulty up to a 2.5 or 3. There are two tricks in the instructions included with the prop, both of which are explained very well. The only other gripe I really have with this trick besides pre-examination is the recovery of the nickles. It's explained as part of the trick in the instructions as "Placing the empty cap into the brass ring, then after tapping on the table, the magician lifts both to reveal the stack of nickles!" Although I can't say much without revealing the secret, what I can say is that if you really want the trick to be examinable, then "tapping" on a table won't be able to reveal the coins, as you'll need more force. Pesky skeptics who see this will quickly spot what went on, unless you're slick with your sleights. You can just make them reappear without worry in private if you want, but it can be a pain if your specs want to see you bring the nickles back. If your specs aren't too pesky before the trick is done, then they really can spend quite a while examining the prop in and out without being able to solve it.

Overall

Even with its faults, I still say it's a good trick. Most people won't suspect the prop, and they're very surprised once it's done (although I've never seen any of my specs "lung forward and examine the dimes and brass cap" with the vigor the description says). Overall, I'd rate it 7.5/10.

It uses the same concept as the dynamic coins. It is a good concept but unfortunately, due to the fact that it has been around for so long, there has been a lot of exposure and so many will find that spectators will say 'hey, i've seen those in a magic shop once, you know, those ones that [reveals secret]'. Otherwise it is a good prop if you can work it into a routine.

Quality: 8/10

Wow factor: 6/10

Worth the money?: 8/10

Invented many years ago by Walter Gibson. I bet he hasn't been credited in the instructions, though.

Barry

I recently bought this trick however it didn't come with instructions, so I have been scowering the internet looking for instructions, this looked like a good place, so, please, tell me how this is done!

zazumage wrote:I recently bought this trick however it didn't come with instructions, so I have been scowering the internet looking for instructions, this looked like a good place, so, please, tell me how this is done!

Oh dear! How many times have we had this one?! .

it contains magnets

It also contains a large mirror.

If you want to know how else it works, get hold of Walter Gibson's book "What's New in Magic" (1957).

Barry

Kobra wrote:it contains magnets

magicofthemind wrote:It also contains a large mirror.

And a highly trained Aardvark.

Mandrake wrote:

Kobra wrote:it contains magnets

magicofthemind wrote:It also contains a large mirror.

And a highly trained Aardvark.

Man, I didn't think anyone would ever figure it out! You guys are good!

I was going through some Genni magazines from the 1940s and seen the ad for Nickles to Dimes made by Carl Brema and no reference to Walter Gibson which is a shame. The ones Brema made were beautifully done and you can not see how it works. Giving credit for the originator of effects is proper and good for those wanting to know the history of magic. When you pick up an ID look and see if you find the name Eddie Fields as originator. No name will be given and some history will be lost because some people don't see the history of their craft as important as the trick.
Al

Nickles to Dime is a gret little effect and I use two (probably in the way Dynamic Coins is set up)

I start with nothing, magically appear, arrdvarks, magnets mirrors and all one set of the coins.

Transpose them, then penetrate the brass caps and finally vanishing them (arrdvary eats them of course)

A very nice routine which fools people and its astonishing to see their reactions. Also gives you a good reason for "dropping them down there and that one over there"

There's a routine in Tarbell 7 which may be worth a look.

Barry