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This is a fifth tape in Steven’s Magic Emporium’s “Greater Magic Video Library Teach-In Sessions”. This tape is devoted to coin magic and contains coin routines from thirteen of the worlds greatest coin artists.



The taping of the various routines are from varied eras in the past, all of the material has very good filming and sound quality. I enjoyed this tape very much; it has a bit of something for anyone who enjoys coin magic.

Leading off the tape is David Regal performing and explaining a routine called “Clearly Impossible”. David shows his coins through the table routine that utilizes a clear glass, four coins, and a hole that can bend the fabric of space and time! The hole is a metal ring that is placed on a close up mat on the table. The four coins are placed into the glass, tipped over into the ring on the table. A coin falls through the ring, through the table, and into David’s hand under the table. He repeats this until only one coin is left. This time he places the glass under the table, and drops the coin into the ring and rubs it right through the table and the coin is heard to clink into the glass below. The glass is brought out from under to table to show the coin inside. The explanation follows the performance.

Daryl performs and explains the classic “Sympathetic Coins” (Matrix). This is the standard Matrix effect where four coins are placed in a square on a close up mat, and is covered by cards. One bye one the coins all assemble under one card. Daryl also explains the basic moves necessary to learn in order to perform the Matrix, as well as some extra displays to show the routine even more convincingly clean.

John Carney performs and explains, “Coin in Glass”. This is a very neat coin through the glass routine where he holds a glass in his hand and drops a coin through it, then he turns the glass upside-down on the table and the coin falls right through the bottom of the glass and is trapped inside the glass resting on the table. John then turns the glass up again and he pushes the glass onto a coin that is held on edge. The coin jumps up through the bottom of the glass and winds up inside. Lastly, John covers the glass with a paper napkin. He once again drops a coin through the napkin-covered glass and onto the table. For the finale he pushes the glass itself through the table!

Michael Ammar (the young Mike with hair) performs and explains his routines: Sonic Squeeze and Incredible Coins Across. Sonic Squeeze is a coin production where Michael makes a coin appear in his left hand, he picks up the coin in his left and closes his left hand again, and another coin appears. He repeats for a total of three coins that appear. (You can use this method to produce more than 3 coins he actually produces 4 but keeps one concealed). Incredible Coins Across is a very well devised coins across from Michael’s hand into a spectator’s hand. Mike places 3 coins in his left hand and hovers his right hand over a the spectator’s. One by one coins disappear from his left hand and appear in the spectators outstretched hands. The final third coin appears out of nowhere falling from apparently the sky into the spectator’s hand.

The legendary J.B. Bobo performs and explains four coin vanishes out of his famous “Modern Coin Magic” Book. This was really a treat to see the master at work. The first effect performed is “Complete Coin Vanishes – With a Handkerchief, Number Three” by Milton Kort (page 56 in Bobo’s Book). A coin is placed under a handkerchief a quick gesture is made and the handkerchief is dropped to reveal the coin has completely vanished. Next up is “The Bobo Complete Coin Vanish” (page 49 in Bobo’s). This is a continuation of a coin vanish that utilizes the “Bobo Coin Vanish” (page 27 in Bobo’s). The Coin is placed directly into his left hand. Bobo rotates his right hand around his left. When he opens his hands the coin is gone. The third vanish is the “Sucker Vanish” (page 50 in Bobo’s). Bobo wraps his left hand around a coin but his right hand pulls the coin out and puts it in his right pocket in plain view of the audience. When called on it, he shows that the coin is still in his left hand! He closes his left hand again. Bobo explains just because he put his hand in his pocket doesn’t mean he stole the coin to put it there. He opens his left hand again to show the coin is really gone this time. The last vanish Bobo demonstrates is “A Novel Vanish and Reproduction” (page 121 in Bobo’s). Bobo places a coin in his left hand, reaches into his inner coat pocket for a magic pencil with which he taps his left hand. He opens his left hand to show the coin is completely gone. He closes his left hand and taps it with the pencil again and the coin instantly reappears! Before he ends, Bobo does another quick routine where he slaps a coin onto his left leg, and produces it from his right, does it again, and the coin is gone. I could not find the Bobo Book reference for that quick routine.

David Acer performs and explains Money Flies. David starts by holding a piece of rope in his hand and an empty clear glass on the table. He slides his hand down the rope, a coin pops out and falls into the glass. He next blows onto the top of the rope and another coin drops into the glass. He repeats the last two productions for a total of four coins to the glass. He dumps the coins out of the glass into his hand. He puts the coins in his right hand and holds the glass from the top with his left hand. He gestures and a coin magically disappears from his right hand and clinks into the glass. He repeats and another coin clinks into the glass. He places everything onto the table, and then picks up the two coins into his right hand again and the glass in his left. Once again a coin magically clinks into the glass. Everything is once again placed onto the table. He picks up the glass with the three coins and places it into his right jacket pocket. He rubs the remaining coin onto his left elbow, tosses the coin into the air where it magically disappears and is heard to clink inside the glass sitting in his right jacket pocket. He dumps the coins out of the glass into his left hand, grabs the coins with his right and places them into his pocket. He picks up the glass in his left hand and points to his shoulder (a coin clinks); his knee (a coin clinks), his nose (a coin clinks), and his bellybutton (the last coin clinks) all coins are now magically back in the glass. David takes the coins and pockets them except for one. He holds his left hand over the glass and pushes a coin through the back of his hand, thru his hand, and into the glass. He dumps out the coin and pockets it right as another coin magically appears inside the glass. He removes that coin, puts it in his other hand and smacks the bottom of the glass – the coin penetrates the bottom of the glass and winds up inside again. David dumps out the coin, pockets it, and once again another coin falls into the glass!!! He dumps out the coin, pockets it, picks up the glass again and a whole shower of coins fall out. Whew!

Jay Marshall performs and explains various Coin Rolls and Sleeving. This was really neat to watch. Jay has some very good manipulation skills. He starts by performing the four-coin roll out and then proceeds to roll them back into his hand without dropping any. Jay then demonstrates his skill with coin roll. He can roll the coin forwards, backwards, both sides of the hand, and continuous roll (steeple chase). Jay than shows different methods of sleeving including tossing a coin into your sleeve, as well as a very nice routine with sleeves rolled up the arms somewhat. He places a coin into the hand and then opens the hands palm outward, the coin is gone. (Actually he pushed it around the backside of his hand and into the sleeve).

Eugene Burger performs and explains his Coins Thru Table. Eugene has a very unusual coins thru the table routine as he uses other props in addition to the coins. He starts out by placing a small red die on the table and rolling it around a bit clearly showing his hands empty. He eventually picks up the red die, rubs it into his hands and it turns into a white die. He proceeds to reach into his pocket and bring out 3 silver half dollars. He places them one at a time into his left hand. He takes the little white die and shows it in his right hand. His right hand goes under the table. He slaps his left hand down on the table and a coin penetrates and falls through the table. Eugene brings his right hand out showing the white die and the coin. He places all objects on the table. He places two coins into his left hand and picks up the other coin and die in his right which goes under the table. Once again a coin from his left hand penetrates the table and joins the other coin and the die in his right hand. All is once again placed on the table. Finally the last coin is held in the left hand, the other two with the die go under the table, and the last coin penetrates the table. All objects are in the right hand and are spilled out of his hand onto the table. Eugene then very clearly places each coin one at a time into his left hand. He puts the little white die on the top of his closed left fist. A spectator presses on the die, and his hand is opened to reveal all the coins are gone! Finally, the white die is picked up, a spectator blows on his hand and a oversize gold die is dumped out of his hand.

Don Alan performs (performance only) his Cigarette Thru Quarter routine. This is probably one of the best Cig-thru-quarter routines out there. Basically a cigarette penetrates a quarter. I cannot describe in detail all the patter and routining that occurs, this is something better watched then read about.

Gary Kurtz performs (performance only) Full Frontal Assault. Ok this routine is could take the prize for one of the best on the tape (in my humble opinion). The name is VERY indicative of what happens. Gary stands in front of two spectators and completely and continuously gives them a full frontal coin assault. I watched this routine over and over and frame-by-frame to try and figure out how he did what he does in this routine. I believe I was able to figure out every move, but you will NEED a very thorough knowledge of coin work. Much of what he does is very subtle, but some of what he does can be found in his book and videos. Here is how you get a full frontal assault with coins: Gary walks up to two standing spectators and shakes their hands. He grabs one of the spectator’s hands with his left hand and points at the spec’s hand with his right. Gary pulls a coin out of the backside of the spectator’s hand and drops it on his palm. Gary picks the coin up, displays it both sides in his left hand, and drops it back onto the spectator’s palm. Gary reaches behind the spectator’s elbow and produces a 2nd coin, and behind the spec’s hand to produce a 3rd coin. All coins are placed in the spectator’s palm up hand. Gary picks up the coins in his right hand and pockets them all. He reaches behind the other spectator’s elbow with his left hand and produces a coin, places it in his right hand, and repeats the sequence two more times for the 2nd and 3rd coin productions. Gary displays the 3 coins in his right hand, and throws them into his left. He wiggles his hands and one coin jumps from his left to his right hand invisibly. He brings his hands together and then back apart (this is the one iffy part in the routine in my opinion – he is executing a coin steal he has taught before in his previous materials – I never cared for this steal). Nevertheless even knowing he stole coins, he is still very impressive with his right hand coin displays. He holds his right hand palm up showing one coin. He closes his hand and opens it, 2 coins are there, he closes his hand, and opens it 3 coins are there. (During production this he never touches his other hand). He dumps two coins into his left hand and hands them to the spectator. He brings the other coin up to toss into his left hand and the coin completely vanishes. Gary picks up a 2nd coin from the spectator’s hand and tosses it back and forth between his hands. This coin also completely vanishes. Gary picks up the 3rd coin and places it in the fingertips of his hand. He picks up the coin and places it on the fingertips of his other hand, he repeats this a few times until the coin completely melts away at his fingertips. The 3rd coin is now gone as well. Gary then turns to the other spectator and reaches out into the air right in this guy’s face and plucks two coins out of the air (one in each hand), puts both in one hand and reaches forward and plucks the 3rd coin out of the air. All 3 coins are back. At this point Gary takes a bow. The assault is over.

Jay Sankey performs and explains Undercover. This routine uses an American half dollar, a card case, and an American Penny. Jay drops the half dollar into the card case, rattles it around a bit, and closes the lid of the case. He holds this card case in his palm up left hand. The American Penny is held in Jay’s palm up right hand. Jay turns his right hand down and smacks the Penny onto the table and rubs it. He picks up the Penny and repeats the motion. This time when he lifts his hand from the table, the Penny is gone and the Half Dollar is in its place. The card case is opened to reveal the American Penny inside.

John Carney performs and explains his famous Logical Bill routine. John brings a dollar out of his pocket and lays it on the table. He picks it up and folds it. He rubs the folds back and forth and a half dollar falls out. He opens the dollar, refolds it the other direction, rubs the folds, and a 2nd half dollar falls out. John then takes the bill and folds it into 8ths and squeezes a 3rd half dollar from the bill. John pockets the 3 coins and then with a flick of his wrist the one-dollar bill changes into a $100 bill.
Vani Bossi performs and explains a routine called Pre-Matrix. It’s called Pre-Matrix because it is a four-coin production from a deck of cards. It is a perfect introduction to setup for a Matrix effect. Vani takes a deck of cards, shuffles them twice, and then spreads them on the table. He reverses the spread and picks the cards up again. Vani shuffles through the deck to pull out 4 random cards and places them on the table one at a time. He lifts the cards up one at a time and reveals that a half dollar lays under each card.

John Born performs and explains his routine Matrix Reborn. John starts with four silver half dollars in a square in his close up mat. He waves his hands over two coins. One coin invisibly jumps from under one hand to his other hand. (David Roth Chink-a-Chink, Michael Ammar Shadow Coins type effect). John repeats the move and 3 coins wind up under one hand. He then places his hands over the 3 coins and the one coin by itself. When he lifts his hand, all the half dollars have changed to brass Chinese coins. While visually stunning, this routine will leave you EXTREMELY dirty. You will need to go straight to your pocket or your brief case at the end of this routine.