Customer Reviews

Modern Coin Magic: 116 Coin Sleights and 236 Coin Tricks

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is one of the true classics of magic. It contains the basics for almost all of coin magic. In other words you wouldn't have to read any other book and you could still be a top-notch coin magician.

MCM contains everything you need to know concerning concealment, production and alteration of coins. It has outstanding plots and routines and patter suggestions. It gives detailed accounts of some of the most cherished and "pet" tricks and routines of some of the finest "coin-men" in history. It is laid out very well with a fine index. It also has a history of coin magic. There is so much here that no matter where you start reading, you'll find yourself saying, "hey, I would really like to learn this!". Even though it is a fascinating read and fun to just glance through and dream over, I contend that if you decide to pick an effect, sleight or routine out of MCM and are determined to make it yours NO MATTER WHAT, you will be rewarded with the true wonder of magical study...RESULTS! Many magic books contain great items but lack good explanation which leads to frustration and lack of fulfillment. MCM has a unique quality about it. I think that is what I like most. It really provides the necessary explanation and instruction to actually teach you...if you let it and stay at it. But you have to want to read and study this book if you want the results. Self-working coin tricks are very rare.

While lecturing over the years I had the pleasure to meet many of the contributors of MCM. This was like magic in itself for me. One quick story. I was running the booth for Sasco Magic about 10 years ago at the St. Louis, IBM convention. Needless to say I was demonstrating coin effects, day after day...all day. A number of the true legends of coin magic were at the convention, many of which had effects in the "Bobo Book" (the generic name for MCM). It was a real treat to actually meet them and have them show me the same effects I had read about for years. But the biggest surprise was when Jim Buffaloe, after showing me his phenomenal items, told me that Bobo himself was there and that if I'd like, he'd bring him over to meet me. I could go on and on about the lengthy session that I, along with many other lucky magicians, witnessed that day, but let me say that J.B. Bobo was absolutely no fluke! He could do EVERYTHING in his book to perfection! That was the highlight of the whole convention as far as I was concerned. It was like one of those rare, surreal times we all experience once in a great while. What a trip!

I guess I could go on and on but let me just mention a few of the items I enjoy the most ( it's tough because I could say the whole book!).

Guess which Hand p134

Coin through Ring p171

The Bent Penny p186

Silver Extraction p187

Rattle Box Routine page 207

Presto Chango p245

Stack of Halves p255

Routine #4 p342

You haven't lived until you've curled up with Modern Coin Magic (The "Bobo Book").

This book is older than Joan Rivers but has aged much more gracefully. Slieght of hand coin magic just really doesn't change over time and this is the motherload for learning coin magic. If this is a side of magic that interests you than do yourself a favor, read and learn. You can learn these tricks just from this book because of the excellent drawings but it will take practice like any skill.

There's no word to describe this book other than fantabulous. It is the one book every coin prestidigitator must have. It has everything you could ever possibly want to know about coing manipulation from simple passes and vanishes to spectacular routines and seemingly impossible flourishes. It starts from the very beginning so anybody can learn from this book, and finishes where few masters of the art tread. Completely comprehensive, if you so much as master the first couple chapters of the book, you can amaze almost anybody and if you master a couple more, you can amaze the rest. Eveything is clearly explained with many detailed diagrams. It has been the bible for coin magic ever since it came out and I doubt it will be replaced anytime soon. This is a classic that you cannot do without.

This book, which I purchased nearly 6 years ago, is a god send. For those who are not owners of it, it is a well written masterpiece needed in the library of any magi. Even if you are strictly a card manipulator, the concepts and techniques between its covers can open new ways of seeing. I myself prefer to work only with cards, but there have been times when I was without a deck and coins were all I could get my hands on. Without this book I would have been toast. I found this book to be so useful that I now own two copies, the paperback, and the hardback. I suggest to all my fellow magi out there that if you don't have this book, get it, and if you truely love it, find the hardback too. The hardbound edition coontains several more chapters not included in the paper bound edition. Also on my recommendations list are Jean Hugards Royal Road to Card Magic (available heere...), John Northern Hilliards Greater Magic (hard to find, check your dealers or online), and the four volume set entitled Card College by robert Giobbi.

The legendary J.B. Bobo's book is considered to be the"bible" of coin magic. This book is an absolute requirementfor any magic library. Included are many sleight of hand techniques with coins as well as instructions on the proper handling of coin effect equipment like the Okito box. If you are just learning coin tricks, this is the book to have. And if you are a seasoned magician, there is no better reference for "brushing up".

As a novice in the world of magic, this book was my first foray into coin magic. Although well-illustrated, I find that even the basic sleights have been tough to master. Unfortunately, Bobo did not spend much time detailing common pitfalls nor focusing on the crux of each trick. Additionally, the chapters don't build in a natural kind of progession (As opposed to books like Royal Road to Card Magic which really feel like progress accumulates over time).

That all said, Bobo's style is charming, and reveals a genuine love for the craft and history of coin magic.

The best kind of magic involves the use of sleights. Using solely gimmicks leads the magician to be a bad magician. Some people like to see magic only with sleights. Gimmicks in many ways is like cheating. This is a great book covering so many sleights in coin magic that only Bobo could perfect it all. The only problem with this book is that there isn't any photos which show the exact position the coins should be in. A must buy if you want to be a "good" magician and be able to perform amazing tricks at the spur of the moment

Although this book is not really "modern" anymore, I found it to be the most comprehensive and helpful book on coin magic that I have ever read. It gives detailed illustrations and step by step instructions (unlike some other books) and is well worth the effort. I definitely reccomend this book as a great buy, especially if you have been looking around on the internet for some coin magic that you can easily learn. There really is no website, but this is a great buy at a great price. Definitely buy this book, whether you are a novice magician or an expereienced one.

My first copy of this book was the soft cover, the very same as is available here. A few years later I was given a gift of this same book, only this time it was a hardbound edition. My family and friends are aware that I love hardback books, as they tend to last longer. Much to my surprise though with this one, they publishers had added an additional four chapters, which totaled 100 new tricks! I thought the book was a masterpeice as a soft cover, boy was I in for a surprise. If you lke working with coins, this is a book o have. If you want to learn coin work, get it. Mark my words, once you have read it, and devoured it, you will crave to own the four new chapters. No matter which you end up owning, this is a definite conjurors companion.

This is THE classic for coin sleights. It covers everything from the basics to more advanced stuff. You won't need to buy another book on coin magic. The only reason this book does not receive 5 stars is that I think that it could have more illustrations and photos. You CAN learn from this book, but I am not sure if it is the BEST book for the beginner.