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 -5ps to 10ps -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 theres 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 isnt 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. Dont worry if the genuine coin gets separated from the false stack on your lap - its 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 dont 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.