Yes, Ammar's Intro to Coin Magic is a pretty good deal, I remember it well and learned an awful lot from it. And he covers the basics well then gives you the tools as to simple enough effects to practice with. It all works well.

Bobo's is great but can be a bit confusing I agree but stick with it as it's a treasure chest that you don't really get up front...But it comes to mean a lot down the road apiece.

There are many great books out there on this stuff, some more appropriate than others depending on where you're at as to skill and understanding. I think they are all meant to jumpstart your mind to trying things for yourself...At least that's what it did for me and many others that took us all from pretty much the same starting points but then off in many different directions and destinations.

The DVDs I think have been a tremendous help in the better understanding of this stuff. To me it's the difference between a staircase and an escalator. It's all in the name of progress and make no mistake about it, it works. Books are still great and DVDs I think help to make them even greater.

*Oh and don't forget about coin magic "Downloads" (My preference of the lot)...Many times they are cheaper than books or dvds, and give you not only a manuscript but also packs a video presentation & explanation for an effect(s). It's another one of those real progresses made gigantically possible thanks to the internet. The immediacy of instant downloads brings this stuff right to you in a flash...You can learn a lot from them as well. Welcome to the Café and enjoy the journey, it is one of continuous wonder. -Mb

I learned from Ammar, Bobo, Roth and Sankey. Ammar has some really easy stuff. Sankey revolutionary coin magic can be very difficult.

The article at CoinVanish comparing Ammar's, Roth's and David Stone's beginner DVDs was really helpful. I just placed an order for David Roth's Expert Coin Magic (3 DVD set).

I've never studied any type of magic before but have decided to pick up coin magic. This website was one of the first I found where people speak like adults and professionals. I'd just like to say this thread was an incredible help to me.

I started off buying Bobo without reading this website as it was recommended by Neil Gaiman in his book "American Gods", where the lead character learns coin magic while in jail. Neil had to study coin magic in order to write it convincingly and thus mentions Bobo's Modern Coin Magic.

I recently ordered MB's One Coin Jammy as I like routines and performances that don't use gaffed coins or props and can be performed impromptu. I was blown away with how awesome his presentation was firstly, but secondly I realised what I was missing! Of course, I'm talking about video.

I've picked up Ammar's Complete Introduction and instantly, techniques in Bobo's that I couldn't visualise or get to work through the description alone such as Mulholland's slide vanish, the drop vanish or the illusive coin pass became clear. His magical vernacular is much more accessible than Bobo's, which is understandable since Bobo was writing in 1910.

For those who suggested Kauffman for beginners I would wholeheartedly disagree. I've been practicing and studying for around 3 months, in which time I have a decent (but un-performable) grasp on basic sleights (minus backpalms, that's just plain tricky for me) and a few switches and passes I can play with in the mirror. Kauffman's Coin Magic builds on the basics and I feel like I would be able to tackle the material in there a year from now. I will still feel like a beginner a year from now but at least I'll have a had a year's practice!

My Bobo is heavy with bookmarks and sits beside a diary in which I make notes on sleights and misdirections that I enjoy watching or playing with. For other beginners out there, I would advise this approach as it really helps me stay focused on learning useful and workable material rather than "collecting" sleights on a whim.

Short version: cheers for your help, I am no longer a lurker. I have followed a similar progression path to the suggested path in this thread. You are all wonderful people.

Just seeing this but WELCOME Keerin. Seems like you have gotten off to a good start here. Hope all is well and let me know if myself or anyone from La Famiglia Magic can be of any help to you on your journey. Appreciate your post here.

-Mb

I would have to say for someone just getting started in Coin Magic.THE MODERN
COIN MAGIC 4 DVD set is great!!!! More than 170 Sleights & Tricks very easy to
learn.

Paul

Bobo's coin magic was my first book
I find that I learn better with dvds so the Modern coin Magic dvd set is also very good and Ben does a great job at showing some of the sleights I didn't get from the book.

Also I agree with otave. Dan Watkins has a great article at coinvanish.com that Helped me decide where to start as well. It helped me decide on buying David Roth's expert coin magic made easy vol 1-3 which penguin magic has on sale for about $37.50. now we play the waiting game!

Scottie K.

Oh and I just noticed Amazon seems to have a sale on The modern coin magic 4 dvd set for $29.99 USD atm.

I know I am a fumbling apprentice at the moment but the stickies are sometimes craaaaaazy looooong! Can we update the Stickies like, lets say, once every 2 years or so? What would the consensus be today Dec 8, 2010 on what a starters kit for a total beginner, like me, should look like?
Imagine you where to sell a 2010 beginners coin magic course in a box. What would it contain(Under $50) A la Blasckstone's?

Shamsiel

I'm not clear what you are referring to with the "stickies" or "Blackstone's". Yet, I think that there is not a single place to start with coin magic, and there are already some great resources. For my money, to learn sleights, a single DVD would be Ammar's Complete Intro to Coin Magic. If the person didn't want to start with sleight of hand, a book, like those by Fulves, may be good (but I don't have his SW Coin Magic).
Or, if someone just wanted to learn a few things about coin magic, they could start with Wilson's Complete Course, and have a lot of other magic to work with too.

Not sure about Blackstone's, but stickies refers to sticky threads. This one is over six pages long for example, so I can see what you mean shamsiel. A collection of stuff currently available as good beginner material may be useful.

I do not have enough experience to say what such a kit should contain, but Bobo and Kaufman's books have been quite helpful to me thus far, aided by looking on youtube for actual demos of some moves. Most of which are not great, but they do offer some insight.

Not having a credit card makes online purchases difficult, so I can offer no help on DVD's which I have found are difficult to find in South Africa. At least the more specialised coin ones.

Some of you might remember the Blackstone Magic Kit from the 80's and other similar products. My question was, if any of you where to create a -beginers coin worker's magic kit- for under $50 bucks, what would you include inside? Bobo's book obviously...what else?

Respects,
Shamsiel

Bobo's IS the "Beginners" Coin Magic Kit for under $50, way under $50.

Seriously, of course Bobo's would be in the kit and perhaps a few gaffed effects to keep you interested as you futz through the better understanding of the sleight of hand stuff...Like perhaps Scotch & Soda, A C/S coin and maybe 4-5 regular half dollar coins and an English penny or two...And perhaps a half dollar shell. I think these few pieces would give you a real good start in coin magic. S&S and the C/S coin will give you some immediate satisfaction where the magic happens for you. The regular coins would help in the deeper learning of all sorts of stuff in Bobo's where the magic happens much more fruitfully through you.

For the record, a good Beginners coin workers magic kit would be to get IMHO, the Bobo's book (about $10) + The Modern Coin Magic 4 DVD set (mirrors the famous book, about $20) + 5 half dollars, 1-2 English pennies, 1 dollar-size coin (about $5) + and maybe a half dollar expanded shell OR a C/S Coin (each about $15). Great use of the $50 kit to start and fly hundreds of miles forward in this stuff.

Of course you provide the time & effort and enjoy the journey!

I would second Marion (MB217's) thoughts on the Bobo book being a kit in and of itself, but I would save up and throw in an extra $10 and get the hardbound book (New Modern Coin Magic) rather than the softbound Dover edition (Modern Coin Magic) - the hardbound contains all of the softbound edition, plus much more. You will use it now and ten years from now and will never outgrow it.

As for video, if you haven't already perfected your CP, you might ask Marion sweetly and if you are lucky, you may receive from him out of the (substantial) goodness of his heart his classic p*** video - which will give you an incredible head start on that basic building block of coin magic (and, IMHO improve your existing CP even if you can already do it).

Regards,

Alan

Marion, Mb217 you have made my day! Thank you. I love the shiny things and I have a copy of Bobo's (my third book on magic) already. Got about ten half-dollars, and about 12-15 dollars (I had forgotten how big these things were!).

I will build
-Shamsiel's Essential beginners coin magic kit- (my first act of misdirection because in reality it is "Marion's Essential beginners Coin Magic kit"):
It Contains: (after Im done shopping)
1. Bobo's "New Modern Coin Magic"
2.Modern Coin Magic on DVD
3. Scotch and Soda
4. 2 english pennies
5. 5 half-dollars
6. 1 dollar-size coin
7. Half-Dollar expanded shell
8. C/S coin

Again, lots of thanks!
Respects,
Shamsiel.

I saw a lecture by Bobo -- it's got to be 30-ome years ago -- and when I recently got back into magic, I walked into the shop and asked for the book to brush up and get me started again. It's a great introduction to coin effects and kind of encyclopedia.

Hey Wayman where did you go
have you noticed how many of the earlier posters are no longer posting,
don't know what happened to them
the godfather

I'd recommend Harry Lorayne's 'The Magic Book' for any beginner to coin magic - even before the delights of Bobo are enjoyed.

It's certainly the book that initially got me interested in coins; albeit it at a very young/inexperienced age.

I only wish Harry would write a coin book - he could revisit the material from the aforementioned title and add an additional raft of coin magic from the 20 wonderful years of Apocalypse.

I did make this additional suggestion when Harry asked via the Magic Café for the 1970's books that people wanted to see included within the Classic Collection (Vol 2/3?) but I think it fell on deaf ears as he didn't comment.

A great shame - as, in my view, there is no better magical author.

I'm completely new to coin magic, but a few years back I tried learning strictly from Bobo. I stuck with it for a while but eventually hit a wall because there was so much information to take in and I felt overwhelmed and didn't know where to start or what exactly I should be practicing.

I just decided to get back into it and recently started using David Roth's Expert Coin Magic videos and it's made it a lot easier for me to learn one sleight at a time and concentrate on acquiring that skill before trying to move on to the next one. Obviously Bobo's MCM is a great resource with a ton of information, but I think it's best to use it as a secondary resource instead of trying to learn everything strictly through text.

If your working with Bobo I can't recommend the Ben Salinas 4 DVD set on MCM. IMHO the book should be packaged with Ben"s superb handling of the material. Read Bobo watch the video its working for me.

john