talkmagic.co.uk

Hi there,

I'm just wondering if anyone has any problems ( not problems as such, maybe people questioning) doing Effects with Foreign coins eg. Living in Europe using US coins! Just wondering before I splash out on some more coins! Thanks in advance.

I always use american coins and have no problems.

If you are using coins which aren't gimmicked, then you can just let people check them.

If not, learn a good switch.

Also if you have to use gimmicked coins you should always try to structure your routine so that you end clean.

I'm in a similar quandary.
Do I buy British coin shells or American coin shells?
American is good for a set performance. But what about impromptu magic?
Do I just happen to have a pocket full of half dollars at the pub or round a friends house?

do all your impromptu magic with uk coinage and your set pieces with american magic money.

I tend to stick to British coins because I've never really found any advantage in using US ones.

I wouldn't ever do impromptu magic with US coins, just doesn't seem likely to me that you're just going to happen to have those kicking around in your purse. Looks very set up.

magicdiscoman wrote:do all your impromptu magic with uk coinage and your set pieces with american magic money.

Much as I'd love to spend lots of money on various shells, that's not an option for me at the moment.

Like the Lady of Mystery said, I think maybe I'll stick with British shells for the time being. Although I'd get very strange looks if I pulled out a purse in the pubs round here.

Edit: Or maybe I read magicdiscoman wrong, but either way, I still want to use shells for impromptu stuff, and not just sleights.

yes sorry i ment sleights for uk coins and shells for set pieces, its not so bad now but when i first looked you could get an american shell for around £18 and a uk shell for around £30 so i didn't bother, similarly you can get a scotch and soda setr for £25 or a coin unique for £45.
rip off briton all over again, prices are more equal now its just that i find the size of uk coinage just so small.

most of the time iv'e used chineese coin's there strange looking which is a good place to start after all youv'e been asked to do a trick not a betcha, then again i don't go to pubs so probably well off the usual track.
plus my dad being fiter and turner used to make all my shells, boxes and chineese washers up for me so i was spoilt for choice.

i've found that if you start off with some british coins and maybe magicaly change one or two of them into foreign US coinsand introduce a few more from you pocket(the gaffed ones), people tend not to question you as it makes the us coins part of the trick rather than it looking like a fishy start.

Lady of Mystery wrote:I tend to stick to British coins because I've never really found any advantage in using US ones.

I wouldn't ever do impromptu magic with US coins, just doesn't seem likely to me that you're just going to happen to have those kicking around in your purse. Looks very set up.

Not so, as a magician I have lots of unusual things in my purse.....

Anyhoo US coins are just a preference, UK coins are useless. Especially when learning, US coins are easier to learn sleights, and once you master the moves you can use bottle caps, poker chips or anything else close to the right shape and size, depending on the trick of course

Likely the spec wouldn't care, but I too struggle with the same thing....US coins vs. Canadian coins. I have decided that if I am not comfortable using us coins, then that discomfort will come out in my performance, confidence, etc....so for that reason I have moved to effects that only use the local currency.....

I think it's probabaly one of those things that if you're comfortable with and present in a confident way, you'll be able to get away with it, no questions asked. I know of plenty of people who use american coins.

I'm more comfortable with British coins so that's what I use. I matter of preference I guess.

I tend to find non-UK coins instantly suspcious.

I suppose if you have tiny girl hands then UK coins are fine
But seriously unless the emphasis of the trick is impromptu, then it doesn't matter what you use. They're only shiny discs after all.