Ouch. 1500 bucks!!

That hurts.

Thank you Jim and everyone for sharing.

One of the first Miser's Dream routines I learnt was in Tarbell's (found in Volume 2 of Tarbell's Course in Magic). It has a very basic routine which is easy to learn.

Some of the coins I use for my MD routine are:

A touch smaller than the Nielsen coins (my coins are about the side of a silver dollar), have a shiny finish (unlike the Nielsen coins, though I suspect the Nielsen coins catch the light better and won't be noticed as easily should you flash), are just as thin, and have on both sides the words: "ONE NECROMANTIC COIN L.L.I." around the outside of the coin, with a circular "1" picture in the middle of the coin of a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat by its ears (OUCH!).

Just curious... Does anyone know where these coins came from and if they are still being manufactured?

Ray

If you are working close to people I would suggest using real money (coins).

I don't know how many of you saw 'Magick' on channel four last year but one of the magicians performed 'misers dream' dressed as a tramp on a busy street. He dropped the coins into an empty pint glass and then changed the coins into sand. It was a really powerful and hard hitting interpretatio of such a classic effect.

Dizzy

I use a variety of finales for my miser's dream. One thing I recommend is either a giant coin production or Dave Cresey money print mouth coils. I do my routine with sleights but also use coin clips. These can be purchased at your local magic shop for $1.50 a piece. This allows you to start with the basic coin move and then actually produce multiple coins from your hand.

The two best misers dreams I have ever seen were...
Al Flosso using a coffee can painted red all sleights.
& Chris Capehart again using a coffee can and all sleights.
Does that tell us something?
S.

I use an ungaffed bucket much like Al Flosso, something the audience recognizes and I phase the routine into one without a bucket using and inertia pass, the coins go into my pocket. It seems to work well since you can remove either part and still have a routine.

I use a normal bucket and sleight of hand. The end that I always use: I push the nose of the child and let the last palmed coins fall out.
(sorry about my english, again)

I got a quick question for all on the Misers Dream.

When you perform the Misers Dream is it during a stage act? This question hits me very hard. Like yes, they can hear the coins hitting on the bottom of the bucket.
But what happens if you can't speak during the act? People would think your weird when your not playing music? This question may be very confusing. You can reply and ask me to re-write this. Sorry once agian!

Kevin Vu
Seattle, Washington

I don't think patter is necessary for the miser's dream. The plot is very simple. You are producing coins, then dropping them into a bucket of some sort. Let your eyes and body do the talking, and people will follow very clearly.

Kevin

Flosso and Capehart for sure, add Jeff McBride (Flosso-style) but up-to-date.

All done without gimmicks, loads, nothing. Just a handfull of coins and PERSONALITY AND SELL.

Believe me, there are NO hard moves, you don't need them.

And for bars Porper's new cocktail shaker version is almost self working.

Miser's Dream is a fun routine.

I have thought about adding it to my stage program for years. It has been included close up for quite awhile.

Last year I got some nearly normal coins of EBAY. I had not heard of them and bidded and won them blind. About 25 or so can be Cl.... P..... in one hand.

The tricky part was to get them one at a time, when I wanted them. They are extremely thin and I believe cut from tin. They are about 2 inches in diameter.

Questions......

The seller is no longer posting.(At least this year)

Does anyone know of a source for these thin.(even thinner than Nielsen Coins.(Which I used to use.)

Is there a manuscript or book on building a coin ladder?

Thanks for all your input and inspiration to bring my nearly normal coin work to a higher level.


Harris Deutsch
Laughologist

I did the Miser's Dream one year at the Texas Renaissance Festival. It was an unusual circumstance, but the routine played extremely well.

I had a small amount of patter, because that is the kind of show I do, and we were not permitted to use recorded music. However, I did have a small combo -- autoharp and hammer dulcimer -- in the background during much of the routine.

Let me set the scene. It was for the 25th anniversary of the Texas Renaissance Festival -- the Silver Anniversary. At the end of the evening, there was a special performance called "The Silver Masque," and I was asked to do a turn in the show.

I had 200+ Abbott's palming coins that I used in the routine. I started with two loads of about 40 coins in special holders in one of my pouches. I had an additional 40 coins in my LH F. P. And one coin in "catching position."

I used a silver bucket -- actually a flowerpot -- that had a nice sound. That was in my L.H.

I stepped out onstage and said, "Ladies and gentlemen -- when the Renaissance Festival started, 25 years ago, I performed on this very stage. One weekend at the end of the festival, there was a fire, which destroyed part of the backstage area, and the two booths standing right over there (pointing stage right, simultaneously showing hand empty -- subtle move). There was money in the booths, and that was a total loss. The next morning, I was out walking, and I saw a shimmer of silver in the air -- there's one right there! I grabbed it, and it materialized! (first coin produced, 'dropped' into bucket), and another." I repeat this a couple of times. And then I invite a child to catch a coin and toss it up to me. I catch it in the bucket, reach in, pull out a real half dollar, and toss it back to him, saying, "This is yours -- you caught it!" After producing several coins, I procure another load, which I extracted from a man's beard -- into the bucket. I procured another load, and did the same from a child's nose.

Then I said "Unfortunately, you people in the back can't see this, so I have something to show you (roll out coin ladder. Two coins on top of it are set up for Karrell Fox style of production. I pick up the bowl and drop a coin into it) You can hear that -- right? Listen to this (placing bowl under ladder, and dropping coin into top of ladder.) Isn't that pretty!"

Now I begin the alternate hand production of coins into the ladder. At one point I have a timed releas coin which I produce away from the ladder, toss into the air, follow with my eyes and it drops. Gets a combination of a laugh and a gasp! I produce the shower of coins, and steal a mylar coil which I produce like a coin. I develop the coil and extract a 6 inch jumbo coin from it. That's the end of the act and I roll all of it offstage. I then come back and take a curtain call.

It always went over very well.

Bill,

Thanks for sharing.

I could see and hear, the magic happening.

Now that's something!

Harris

Natural Turn (Ray),

I'm not sure but I think that the coins you describe carry the initials (L.L.I) of Laurie Ireland. Laurie was a noted manipulator, the original proprietor of Ireland's Magic Shop (predecessor of Magic, Inc.)and the first husband of Frances Ireland Marshall.

Sid

Thanks Sid!

Ray (naturalturn)

I have heard some good things about Petrick's (Petrick and Mia) Miser's Dream. I know he sells it on his Web site.

Does anyone have a review?

Mike

On the same topic of Miser's Dream.

What are your opinions about productions?

What I mean is that there are several ways to produce the coins...

from the air
from objects (IE candle flame)
apparently from the fabric of your own clothing
from a spectator on stage
apparently from a spectator's hand
from people in the audience
etc...

What are your views of the different ways to produce coins?

I open my show with the misers dream, and it floors them always! I use a clear glass vase to start and use several coin loads, and multiple slieghts. Downs palm, front/back palm, and thumb palm. After producing around 25 into the vase, I quickly produce around 80 or so with my viking coin ladder. After all the coins have been produced, I pour them all into the glass vase. The glass vase is covered with a foulard for less than a sec. and when whisked away the vase is full of water and fish, no coins in site. no tables in site! (its one of many original illusions I have created.)

I cant stress the importance of acting in this routine! I would recomend taking a mime class, it will elevate your preformance to a whole new level!

Does Jeff McBride teach his version on one of his DVD's?

Regan