Loved this series, especially from a man that had done it all, not just in coin magic, but as to the art in general. I actually met Alan Greenberg once at a social event through my job in NYC, and he was doing a little magic at the table, I remember. Little did I know that The Master himself had something to do with it. Man, you just never know…:D

Anyway, that’s my little story about this famed New Yorker, but this one is much better… Take it away, David.

Y’know, I’ve done all sorts of coin tricks, but this remains to me one of the very best ever devised. Both as to the trickery of it, and the overall presentation of the effect. The trick teaches you all you need to know about coin magic, as everything is in it. If you can do it well, you will certainly be good at this part of the art, probably others too. I have my own take on this classic in my Magic Mini Book, it was just that important of a trick to pay homage to.

***And it’s Halloween, and for me I’ll get to do some tricks for the people that knock the door, some come back every year for years now to see the magic…Always a fun night.

Anyway, not sure who this is but here’s a good take on the old trick, and once again from somewhere within the big, small, and all of us…

Gadabout: STILL one of my go-to's. People LOVE the empty left hand at the end....

Another one that has been with me for some time now is just a classic. Like the great coin & closeup man, Jay Sankey, I even built upon it in different ways myself.

Here is another old-timer and just brilliant closeup magician doing it quite well. It’s still an old coin trick worth learning (even doing it with half dollars), so make sure you do because its overall simplicity continues to amaze people to this day.

Thank You Marion for ALL that you share here at the Café,I have enjoyed so much from your post over the many years here.Bless You Marian.

Just in case you might’ve missed it, again I say that when you figure out how to bring it all together, your coin magic gets even stronger. Don’t get me wrong, just doing coin tricks is fun but being able to do it all and still find a way to make the coins the focus, well, that’s even greater magic, the potential of championship quality…

Here’s what I mean…Take it away, Henri…

Ahhh, the truly great ones can do it all, or at least can do a little bit of this & that. Here is the Master again, showing his abilities with other things in, particularly here as to classic closeup conjuring. Variety is indeed the spice of life, even in magic.

Watch closely and you will see all the same moves he used so amazingly in coin magic. And actually, this is a wonderful effect toward being a more well-rounded coin man. Enjoy!

A few days after he learned the Oscar Pladek move, David took me for coffee at a coffee shop downstairs from Tannen's. He used crocheted balls used for cups and balls, and just made 3 go from his left hand to his right hand. That's all. Perfectly clean.

Then, once he had his longer 3 ball trick and switched to the silicone balls (He told me "Buy them by the gross".) he had me illustrate his lecture notes. He also had card tricks that took a half hour and he was on one side of a door and you and the deck of cards were on the other side. Plus a lot of tricks you could do over the phone. Something with 3 coins I can't even remember. Switch the dime with the coin on it's left, etc. You know, a series of instructions, and he knew the outcome. A nickel, dime and penny. Probably Pat Cook knows.

I'm sure that lecture is from the 1990 Ron MacMillan convention. Its also the year Oscar Pladek died. Its a beautiful move. Even the 'put & take' vanishes David uses are silky smooth.
Thank you for sharing

Nev

Was Oscar Pladek a Chicago magician? From the UK? David showed me the move but I think I saw it in print somewhere. p.s. David used thumb palm for the single ball vanishes, but let his thumb be fairly far out and not cramped, but watched his angle from the left.

Found this on - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Pladek-2

Oscar Joseph Pladek
Born 27 Nov 1928 in Passaic, New Jersey
Died 15 Jun 1990 at age 61 in Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

"Regarding the small balls and net routine....didn't Oscar Pladek, a local NJ magician, have something to do with that? I seem to recall some conversations many years ago." "Oscar invented the double-ball steal, which was stolen and published by Marlo. Pladek's original handling was eventually published by Karl Fulves in Pallbearers (I believe). Vernon did not use the Pladek move." - Unnamed source

I think the net was Silent Mora's. I'm just going by memory. The trick has also been done with a largish tray that 2 spectators on each side of the magician hold a narrow end. Lately there seems to be no net and no tray and just a table with or without mat. I have an in-the-hands version that doesn't need a table.

Wow. NJ and PA. 61 is pretty young.

It is a beautiful move. With just 4 balls, I came up with a way to do 3 balls to the pocket, and all 3 come back, to the opposite hand. David liked it. It uses just the same moves that are in his routine with just a difference in sequencing.

Appreciate the back-stories here fellas, nice to see how the dots get connected from one hand to another.

And this was Roth’s take on a closeup classic, and he was also not too bad with cards either. I remember seeing him behind the counter at the magic shop in the City, doing all sorts of things. It was like people didn’t know that he was also the king of coin magic. He presented it all in his classic Roth style, so you know it was always a hit. He was definitely well-rounded, and a Master at his specialty.

How true. It is a shame that there isn't a video of his Endless Chain routine (although it can be found in one of his lecture notes), but yes, his card work was just as flawless as his coin work.

I think he learned a lot of the endless chain from Ricky. He swore by it for Bar Mitzvah party shows.

Sorry to keep hi-jacking this thread, but wanted to mention I wrote up my 3-ball sequence "3 to the pocket-3 come back" in the Secret Sessions section under a new thread Principles and Language. Thank you.

P.s. I showed it to David. He liked it! It has been vetted by the man!

Digging deep into the memory banks .... I saw David lecture in London in '95. The lecture was arranged by the late Morley Budden (Kaymar Magic Studio) if I recall.
Anyway .. David did his endless chain routine as a request. At the time I didn't pay a lot of attention as I had never seen the endless chain before. I thought it more of a puzzle. I do remember everyone laughing.

Heres a picture of a starstruck young me from the same evening. I wish I was still that thin.

Click here to view attached image.

David was so generous at that time. Later on I think he wondered if he gave away too much so soon. One thing about the chain, and certain other things which he never offered to "tip" to me...I think whoever he got it from, and with the chain which I've said I think he learned from Ricky, he must have promised not to "kick it around". And then around the time he was working on the "break off" move (am I naming this right?) he stopped showing me anything new he was working on. I think it was because so many people had learned his old stuff.

Anyway, what a great picture. No beard or glasses either.

That is a wonderful photo, Nev…Look at you! That’s one for the ages alright, a true example of the many different people Roth touched and inspired all around the world with his magic.

Always nice to meet such great inspiration up close & personal. Glad I did, too. It truly is something you never forget, as the humbling greatness of such people makes it so. Not by force but just by sheer respect & admiration. I remember feeling that way from my interactions with another real champion of a man, Muhammad Ali…Man, what a feeling, one you carry with you always.

Anyway, thanks for posting it here, my friend.

And I appreciate everybody checking in and contributing on this string.

Good holiday(s) to all.