10 amazing routines using the ‘dynamic
coins’ gimmick.
Dynamic Coins is an great prop which has one very
well known effect - the appearing and disappearing
coin routine. The prop is a pair of brass caps which
can be shown empty, and a normal brass ring.
Inside the two brass caps are shells - false stacks of
four coins. A genuine coin of matching value is placed
on top and the five coins can be made to appear,
disappear, penetrate and move invisibly. Some newer
versions of this gimmick can be handed out for
examination. This manuscript contains effects
designed for those, but if you have one which cannot
be examined or closely viewed, just skip any
audience participation or examination
sections in the instruction.
Contents -
-appearance
-penetration
-transposition
-vanish
-
lost coins
-5p’s to 10p’s
-through the table
-coins in head
-die to coins
-coins in can
The first 4 effects should have come with your prop. They can be
performed as separate routines, or all together as one. The next 6 routines
are all new effects.
The original effects.
1. Appearance.
Effect - two brass caps are shown empty, and one is
placed inside a brass ring. When it is hit on a table
and lifted up again, a stack of five coins has
appeared.
Method - Set up your Dynamic Coins as to start a
trick, with the two shells (false stacks) inside the caps,
but with a genuine coin hidden as described in the
introduction.
Display both caps as empty - and the ring.
Place one cap inside the ring and tap them onto the
table. Lift up the cap to reveal the stack of coins.
2. Penetration.
Effect - the coins are placed on top of the empty cap.
Another cap is put on top, and the coins pass through
the lower cap onto the table.
Method - Remove the ‘unloaded’ cap from the table,
as it is now actually empty. Leave the coin shell on
the table.
Take the ‘loaded’ cap (the one with a shell), and use
the ring to carry out the appearance move, but without
lifting the cap afterwards.
Carefully, so as not to show the hollow shell, lift the
pile of coins which you already had on the table, and
put them on top of the loaded cap.
Now, put the unloaded cap over the visible coins and
press it down so they vanish.
Lift up the whole thing and the coins have penetrated
the solid brass cap.
3. Transposition.
Effect - the coins jump from cap to cap, however far
away they are.
Method - Have a shelled stack of coins visible on the
table, as well as a loaded cap and an unloaded cap,
plus the ring.
Turn both ‘empty’ caps over, one inside the ring, and
one covering the coins, but not enough to vanish
them. Pick both caps up again and slam them down,
being careful to land them in exactly the correct
positions so the change takes place.
Then, after a dramatic pause, lift both caps to reveal
the transposition of the stack.
4. Vanish.
Effect - The coins vanish from the table under one of
the caps and the cap is still empty.
Method - Show both caps as empty, but have a
shelled stack visible on the table. Cover the stack with
the unloaded cap and press it down - not too hard
though, because people realise there’s something
dodgy going on. Lift the cap to reveal the vanish, then
show both empty again. As you hold the caps and let
their disbelief soak in, press the shells hard into the
caps with your thumb.
Hand the separate parts out for examination, but each
to a different person.
The new effects.
5. The lost coins.
Effect - the stack of coins is placed under one cap,
and they are both moved around. The spectator is
asked to guess where the coins are and they are
always wrong.
The coins are produced from somewhere unexpected,
like a matchbox or glass.
Method - Have a genuine stack of five 10p coins
hidden somewhere, in a matchbox or a glass or mug.
Make sure they are not visible or nobody will touch
them until the end of the trick.
Use the appearance move to get a shell stack, and
then display empty caps, quite far apart so nobody
notices a difference.
Cover the coins with the unloaded cap and vanish
them without revealing the vanish.
Move both caps around as if trying to confuse the
audience.
Tell them they can keep the coins if they can tell
which cap they were under.
Lift up the one they point to. It isn’t there. Mix them
again and do the same again. It is still not there.
Oh wait - lift up both caps - the stack is gone! Direct
the spectator to where the genuine stack is and get
them to take out the coins and examine them.
6. The 5ps to 10ps.
Effect - a stack of five 5 pence coins are placed on a
table. In one swift movement, an empty brass cap is
brought down on them and when it is lifted they are
gone, replaced by the same number of 10 pence
coins.
Method - Have a genuine stack of five 5p coins on the
table, and an unloaded cap under the table, on your
lap.
Put the ring over the 5p stack so that they are pretty
much in the centre.
Tap a loaded cap over the coins and lift it to reveal
that the coins have changed value.
Change them back by taking the ring away and
vanishing the 10p stack.
Hand the coins out for examination and while they are
being checked, quickly but carefully switch the loaded
cap and bring out the unloaded one and hold it as you
were holding the loaded cap.
When all the coins are given back, hand the cap and
ring out for examination.
7. Through the Table.
Effect - 5 coins are placed on a table. An empty cap is
placed under the table, then another cap is placed
over the coins on the table. The coins on the table
vanish, and with a ‘chink’, the coins pass through and
land in the other cap.
Method - Have a false stack on a table with two caps,
both unloaded. The other false stack is on your lap.
Don’t worry if the genuine coin gets separated from
the false stack on your lap - it’s not the end of the
world, just try to keep them together as it makes the
next move look more natural.
Pass one of the unloaded caps under the table, and
as you move it down, grab the stack from your lap
and place it on top of the face down cap. Raise the
genuine coin slightly above the shell and hold this
position.
Practice doing this silently and with one hand, while
continuing to talk and gesture with your other hand,
concentrating on the table top.
Take the unloaded cap from the table and place it
over the coins to vanish them.
Under the table, drop the genuine coin on top of the
stack so it rests there, so a ‘clink’ sound is heard.
Pick up the loaded cap from the table and show it
empty, then carefully bring out the coins on the cap
from under the table.
You may want to vanish these quickly as well before
people ask to examine them. You may hand out the
caps and ring if you use the same preparation
technique as in the end of trick no. 4 (vanish).
8. Coins in Head.
Effect - 5 coins are pressed into the magicians
forehead until they vanish from sight. An empty cap is
placed on a table and the magician blows on it and
the coins appear there.
Method - This is probably the most complex effect as
it involves some sleight of hand.
You need two genuine coins, one unloaded cap, a
shell stack and the ring.
Prepare the stack by putting one genuine coin on top
and one on the bottom. This is actually six, but refer
to it as five and they will generally believe you.
Cover the coins with the unloaded cap and use the
vanishing move. This means that one genuine coin is
still visible as it does not fit in the cap. If you show this
to the audience as if there are four others in there as
well without directly referring to it, it seems that it is
the case.
Lift the cap to your head, and as you do this, allow the
genuine coin to drop into a palming position so you
can safely hold it.
When this is done, pretend to press the coins into
your forehead, then reveal the vanish.
If you are working at a table, drop the palmed coin
into your lap as your hand moves down again, but if
not, just hold on to it until you get a chance to
naturally move towards a pocket to hide it.
Place the loaded cap inside the ring on the table and
use the appearing move, but don’t reveal it yet.
Blow on the cap and make magical gestures, then
slowly lift up the cap.
9. Die to Coins.
Effect - A die is placed on the table. Suddenly, as a
brass cap is passed over it, it changes to a stack of
coins. Then it is changed back and the die is handed
out for examination.
Method - The same as 5p coins to 10p coins, except
the 5p coins are replaced with a small die, or anything
else which fits nicely inside the shell.
10. Coins in the can.
Effect - 5 coins disappear and reappear inside a can
which they would not normally fit through the rim of.
Method - Before the performance, take five small
coins and drop them into an empty drink can. Leave
this on the table upright without knocking it or
touching it.
Put a shell stack on the table, visible, and an
unloaded cap.
Carefully place the stack on top of the drink can,
showing that they could not fall through the hole.
Place the unloaded cap over the stack and use the
vanishing move, but without revealing the vanish yet.
Lift the can without shaking the coins inside, and
pretend to press on the cap quite hard. After a few
seconds, jolt the can so the coins inside rattle around.
Reveal the vanish, then get away before they ask to
examine your props.
