About 3 months ago here in New Zealand, new lighter coins were introduced to replace the older heavier coins. We now have new 10 cent, 20 cent and 50 cent coins.

Now, the old coins were not magnetic and cound not be picked up by a magnet. I never even gave a thought to testing the new coins we now have in circulation.
It wasnt until my 6 year old son was playing with one of his magnetic toys and I noticed that he had one of the new coins hanging off it. I was surprised and initially thought there must be some of that sticky stuff that kids seem to get everywhere that was holding the coin on !

But no, our new coins are able to to picked up by magnets !
I have never given much time to tricks that utilised magnetic coins or steel cored coins due to the hassle.

So my question is, what are the best coin tricks that utilise magnets ?

Thanks
Warren

I like coin through glass (melting point style), you could use them for a vanish, or a hold out....all of this requiring a ring though. There was a GREAT video of a coin through glass in another thread (i think it was taken down though), and a ring with a magnetic coin is what I use for it. PM me if you want the vid (well worth it: visual and practical). that's all I use with my ghetto Canadian coins lol. (does anyone think I use parenthesis too much?)


(Ian)

Remember that "magnetic coins" are one thing (they contain a magnetic core), "coins that can be moved with a magnet" are something else. The best term for the latter is magnetizable (capable of being magnetized).

I use a magnetic coin for a wonderfully deceptive trick: making it leap or flip over in the palm of my hand.

If you have magnetizable coins, invest in a chunk of neodymium.

Hi caubeck
Yeah I struggled with terminology. They are "coins that can be moved with a magnet"

Well actually magnetic is the correct term caubeck, even though it isn't used in the magic community.

The correct terms *should be*(logically speaking):

1. Magnet Coin(has magnet)
2. Magnetic Coin(will be picked up by magnet)

However, that is confusing and you can't have products on the market relying on
"ic" to differentiate, so we have:

1. Magetic Coin(has magnet)
2. Shimmed Coin(has steel shim to be picked up by magnet).


So millar, the correct term would really be something more like that your coins are "Naturally shimmed".

shimmed has become pretty much the term used for objects that can be picked up by a magnet, at least with regards to magic.

Yes and no!

A "magnetic coin" would be (a) a coin capable of being magnetized or (b) possessing a magnet inside.

Any metal that is attracted to a magnet can become a magnet itself, if only temporarily. However, few effects need a regular coin to act as a magnet, only to be affected by one, so a more convenient term for a metal coin that can be attracted by a magnet is "magnetizable."

The problem with "shim" (literally, a filler) is that it implies the addition of something so that a magnet can attract it. You can shim a plastic cup, for instance, or a sheet of paper. However, Warren is talking about coins that are naturally attracted to a magnet, so to call them "shimmed" would be illogical. You wouldn't call a nail or a teaspoon "shimmed," after all.

I propose magnetic (will attract), magnetizable (will be attracted) and shimmed (something has been added for magnet work). These are very close to the true meanings even in the context of magic.

This is where logic and everday speech get mixed up, which I tried to make clear in my post...

Saying "Naturally Shimmed" would be the correct way(imho), to tell a fellow magician that your coins are naturally attracted to a magnet, even though they aren't really shimmed... I know logically its not shimmed, but as I outlined in my post its the best thing to use in conversation unless suddenly all magicians become more educated in the semantics of "Magnet" vs "Magnetic" vs "Magnetizable".

Again, we can't rely on "c" vs. "zable" imho to differentiate which is why I think shimmed is still the correct term as its widely used.

I'd rather people learnt the meaning of a term consisting of a single already-existing word (magnetizable, coined in 1801) than be convinced that a new two-worded term ("naturally shimmed") were accurate, when the latter is virtually an oxymoron.

But each to his own!

I agree, but that would be like people learning the actual meaning of irony...

You mean "irony" as in what sticks to "magnety"?

Just to confuse the issue here is another term

From wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnet)
"Magnets are attracted to, or repelled by, other materials. A material that is strongly attracted to a magnet is said to have a high permeability. Examples of materials with very high permeability include iron and steel. Liquid oxygen is an example of something with a low permeability, and it is only weakly attracted to a magnetic field. Water has such a low permeability that it is actually slightly repelled by magnetic fields. Everything has a measurable permeability: people, gases, and even the vacuum of outer space."


So coins that are naturally attracted to a magnet
or coins that have been shimmed to allow them to be attracted to a magnet
have a high permeability.

Well, it doesn't confuse the issue, fortunately, it just helps explain how magnets work.

Extremely powerful magnets can attract bills as well as coins, but only slightly, and apparently some fruit is also affected by supermagnets. When it becomes practical to use and conceal powerful electromagnets we'll see some amazing effects in magic, including levitation.

By the way, you can also use magnetizable coins in disappearances. I don't have any routines, but if you play around with bits of neodymium long enough you'll find a way. You can also buy a coin with a magnet inside and combine it with your coins.

so you won't be able to use them as fridge magnets.
unless your fridge is magnetic.
Sorry.

The term is ferric, or containing Ferrite, a.k.a Iron. Ferric coins are attractied to magnets because of Ferromagnetism. Magnetism refers to the directional spinning of valence electrons of ferric compounds, which can be altered causing a gain or loss of magnetism.

The coins are magnetic, but not magnetized. They do however have the potential to become magnetized in the presence of a magnetic field.

I know there is a physics teacher in these forums somewhere!

Warren,

coming back to your question - you could consider a Raven or a similiar device. It comes with some routines - also coins included . . .

Andy

You could also try a PK ring

All I can say is you are one lucky man. Congrats! Now you don't have to pay over 4000% of a coin's original worth for it to be magnet-compatible.

Derek Merdinyan

Hi Dereck
that's one of the reasons I never got interested in coin magic that involved magnets.
I would hate to think how much it would cost to get New Zealand coins shimmed.

Warren

You can perform the Abyss!

One of the best coin in bottle effects in my opinion...at the end the spec can keep the bottle, with the coin permanently TRAPPED inside...what a souvenier.

I like the effect, but since I'm from Australia...I would have to use a steel core coin, meaning cutting open the bottle at the end and doing a switch. For me, this defeats the purpose of doing the earlier setup - there are other (easier) methods to get a coin in a bottle, if I'm just going to cut it open at the end.

For you it would be great though. You can borrow the coin and everything. Definitely worth checking out.

Nick

Hi Nick
I actually have the Abyss, and you don't need a steel cored (shimed) coin for that effect. It comes with two gimmicks to allow you to "attach" the coin.
But with the new coins here, it can now only be performed with one gimmick. (Although I have not yet tried it out)

Thanks