Modern Coin Magic. J. B. Bobo
most “boxes of tricks.”
The great innovator in coin magic, T. Nelson Downs, presented his famous coin act for the first time in 1895 at the Hopkins Theatre in Chicago. To Downs is credited the invention of the back and front palm with coins, and many other sleights and passes that produced the astonishing effects which made his version of The Miser’s Dream the sensation of the vaudeville world, and established him “King of Koins” in spite of a host of imitators. Downs may truly be called the originator of modern coin manipulation; his book, Modern Coin Manipulation (1900), established the fashion for coin magicians for the first quarter of this century. It has remained until today the only book in the English language devoted entirely to coins, and in it are disclosed the sleights and passes that enabled the “King of Koins” to reign supreme as a vaudeville favorite both here and abroad.
But even as the “King of Koins” went triumphantly from engagement to engagement, the inventive and restless minds of the world’s hanky panky men were evolving new bits of coin chicanery. The best of it was acquired by the “King” and set down for us in The Art of Magic, another great book bearing his name as author, and John N. Hilliard’s as editor. In this book, which made its appearance in 1909, we find, among other good things, the Downs thumb crotch palm, the coin roll, The Sympathetic Coins (attributed to Yank Hoe), The Expansion of Texture by L’Homme Masqué, and a number of other useful subtleties. The magic of the twentieth century has been greatly influenced by this man from Iowa, whose inventions have stamped him one of the magical giants of his time. Other clever minds have taken up where he left off, and explored the vistas he opened for them, to provide you with the wealth of coin magic you will find collected here.
From the eighth century B.C. to the middle of the twentieth century, a long procession—nay, pageant—of magical craftsmen has contributed to this book of coin magic. As John Northern Hilliard said, “A panorama of civilization. A glorious and sordid pageant, like history itself.” May the collected coin magic of these worshippers of the Goddess Maja, to which J. B. Bobo has devoted so much of his magical life, give you pleasure and serve you well!
Bibliography
Sachs’ Sleight of Hand. (1877) 1946. pp. 6-51.
Downs’ Modern Coin Manipulation. 1900.
Downs’ The Art of Magic. 1909. pp. 227-260.
Gaultier’s Magic Without Apparatus. (1914) 1945. pp. 249-358.
Hilliard’s Greater Magic. 1938. pp. 665-720.
Hugard’s Modern Magic Manual. 1939. pp. 7-21.
Tarbell Course in Magic. 1941. Vol. 1. pp. 63-115.
Buckley’s Principles and Deceptions. 1948.
Monie
Scot’s Discouverie of Witchcraft, 1584
“He that hath once atteined to the facilitie of reteining one piece of monie in his right hand, may shew a hundreth pleasant conceipts by that meanes, and reserve two or three as well as one. And lo then may you seeme to put one peice into your left hand, and reteining it still in your right hand, and may togither therewith take up another like peice, and so with words seeme to bring both peeces togither. . . . By this devise (I saie) a hundreth conceipts may be shewed.”
Chapter I. Coin Concealments
The Classic Palm • The Edge Palm • The Thumb Palm • The Downs Palm • The Finger Palm • The Front Finger Hold • The Back Palm • The Back Finger Clip • The Back Thumb Palm
THE CLASSIC PALM
The coin is held in the center of the palm by a contraction of the muscles at the base of the thumb and little finger, Fig. 1. It is transferred to, and pressed into this grip by the tips of the second and third fingers. Several coins may be held in this manner.
This is one of the most difficult of all concealments to master but it is one of magic’s finest secrets. The layman cannot imagine it possible to conceal a coin in this way.
The beginner may experience difficulty in retaining a coin in this position at the outset, but the ability will come with practice. Once the knack is acquired coins of various sizes can be retained.
A minimum amount of pressure is sufficient to hold the coin in place. Too much grip tends to make the hand appear cramped and tense. A coin is not a heavy object, so hold it lightly and the hand will appear natural. Actually it should be held so loosely that a mere tap with the other hand will dislodge it.
An important point to remember is that no one is misled because the fingers are apart. Only when the hand looks natural will it be above suspicion. The ability to palm a coin should be mastered first; naturalness will come later. Make use of the hand that has the coin palmed by picking up something with it, such as another coin, or a small wand or pencil; use it to pull back the sleeve; to snap the fingers or make a gesture. Any of these actions subtly direct attention away from the hand with the concealed coin. Sometimes I grasp a spectator by the arm to draw him closer for a better look, with the very hand that has the coin concealed.
The parlor rug offers an excellent surface for coin work. It is advisable to spread a pocket handkerchief on the rug and place the coins on that, as some rugs have a confusing design, thus making the coins difficult to see. Whether operating from the floor or a table, a natural pose to assume is to rest the fingertips of both hands on the working surface. The hands will then look empty even if something is concealed in one of them, Fig. 2.
In some instances certain tricks must be done while standing and occasionally the spectators will be crowded around you. Just a little thought will solve this problem and make you master of the situation. Watch your angles. Form the habit of keeping the palm of the hand in which the coin is palmed, toward the body. Or, if the hand that has the coin concealed is held parallel with the floor there is little chance of detection. The coin can only be seen from a point directly below.
THE EDGE PALM
The coin is held in the same spot as just explained, by the muscles of the hand which press together from opposite directions against the edge of the coin. It is not held flat as in the classic palm but in a slanting position of about forty-five degrees, Fig. 1.
This palm is more difficult to acquire than the classic palm, but once it has been mastered this one becomes easier. A fairly new coin with a sharp milled edge is easier to hold than one with a well worn or smooth edge.
To place the coin in this position you must first hold it by its edge between the tips of the forefinger and thumb. Then place the tip of the second finger in front (nail against edge of coin) and third finger behind and grip it with these two fingers as the thumb and forefinger are removed from the coin. Now by bending the two middle fingers inward the coin is carried to the palm, Fig. 2. and retained there while the fingers straighten out again, Fig. 1.
A simple reversal of these moves will return the coin to its starting position.
To palm several coins in this fashion you would proceed exactly as you would with one, but as each coin is palmed it is placed on top of the preceding one with the final coin being closest to the wrist.
To produce them again bend the