Bobo, J.B.: Modern Coin Magic ©1952 Carl W. Jones Hardcover, w/dj, 358 pages ©1982 Dover Publications Softcover, perfect-bound, 6x8", 358 pages

Image of original Modern Coin Magic Courtesy e-Bay seller AtlantisMagic

Dover Edition Courtesy eBay seller Slacks!

Comments: Illustrated by Nelson Hahne, edited by John Braun. This book is an essential if you are interested in Coin Magic. There is a newer edition of this book by Magic, Inc., The New Modern Coin Magic, which includes four additional chapters (see separate entry for that book).

Contents (from book):

 vii Preface
xiii J.B. Bobo: biography by John Braun
xvi Acknowledgments
xvii Prologue Of Coins and Conjuring: the use of coins in magic

1 Chapter I: Coin Concealments
1 The Classic Palm
2 The Edge Palm
3 The Thumb Palm
3 The Downs Palm
4 The Finger Palm
5 The Front Finger Hold
5 The Back Palm
7 The Back Finger Clip
8 The Back Thumb Palm

10 Chapter II: Basic Technique
10 The Bobo Switch: coin switch
11 Utility Switch: show coins in both hands while concealing
12 One Hand Switch
12 Shaw Judah Coin Switch: using a glass
14 The Click Pass: an audible false transfer
15 The Click Pass (Paul Morris): as above
16 The Coin Flip: coin can be flipped while concealing coin
17 Change Over Pass: showing both hands empty
18 The Bottom Steal: keeping the bottom of a stack
19 Producing a Coin from a Spectator's Clothing: use of back palm
20 Taking Advantage of a Fumble: loading under the shoe, into the cuff, or into the other hand

22 Chapter III: Coin Vanishes
22 Standard Vanish: hand to hand vanish
23 Simple Vanish: starting in palm position
23 Over the Top: unusual tossing vanish
24 The Tunnel Vanish: one hand pushes coin into fist of the other
25 Thumb Palm Vanish: two handed vanish
25 Drop Vanish (Milton Kort): Another toss vanish, and be used as switch or pass
27 The Bobo Coin Vanish: a retention of vision vanish
28 The Slide Vanish (John Mulholland): another retention of vision vanish
29 The Illusive Coin Pass (T.J. Crawford): yet another retention of vision vanish
30 A Coin Vanish: as above
32 The Pinch Vanish: for small coins
32 Gone (Bill Simon): vanish from heel clip
34 The New Era Coin Go (Jimmy Buffaloe): uses wrist
35 The Flyaway Coin (Frank Garcia): a lesson in misdirection
36 Behind the Back: a useful toss
37 The French Drop (Le Tourniquet Vanish): A coin is falsely taken with the other hand.
38 The Reverse French Drop (Dr. E.M. Roberts): as above
39 The Elusive Silver Dollar (Al Saal): requires back palm
40 The Wrist Watch Vanish (Royal H. Brin, Jr.): watch used to vanish a coin
41 The Pulse Trick (Glenn Harrison): another use of the back palm
42 The Cranium Vanish (Wallace Lee's Version): using your head
43 Vanish with the Aid of a Handkerchief: secretly transfer to other hand hidden by handkerchief
44 The Heads and Tails Vanish (H. Adrian Smith): stack of coins vanish in the hands
45 Vanish for Several Coins: a jagged stack of coins is retained in the hand when audibly dumped
46 A Trio of Vanishes (Ross Bertram): Three variations of the Tunnel Vanish

49 Chapter IV: Complete Coin Vanishes
49 The Bobo Complete Coin Vanish: coat pocket
50 Complete Thumb Palm Vanish: pocket
50 Knee-zy Vanish: pocket
50 Sucker Vanish: invisible transfer
52 Pocket Vanish: pocket
53 With a Handkerchief Number One: jacket pocket
55 With a Handkerchief Number Two (Jimmy Buffaloe): side coat pocket
56 With a Handkerchief Number Three (Milton Kort): side coat pocket
57 In a Spectator's Pocket: several methods
59 Bluff Vanish: a bluff from a pocket full of change
59 Sucker Bluff Vanish (Milton Kort): as above with watch band sucker move
61 The Coin Fold: vanish from folded paper
61 The Envelope Vanish: gimmicked

63 Chapter V Quick Tricks
63 Through the Leg: Coin vanished from fold of pants leg and reproduced from behind. Two methods
64 Rubbed Through the Leg: as above, different method
65 Through the Pocket: Half dollar penetrates through pants pocket. Several methods, one by Dave Coleman
66 Through the Hand: three methods (Clyde Cairy, Ross Bertram, other)
68 Through a Handkerchief
71 Double Penetration (Jimmy Buffaloe): two coins yanked through handkerchief
73 Pants Leg Miracle (Jimmy Buffaloe): Half dollar folded into pants leg, comes out a dime!
73 Half Dollar to Quarter (Milton Kort): Half changes to quarter as it is dropped into spectator's hand. Hands are shown clearly empty (back finger clip)
75 The Charmed Coin: half dollar changes to candy charm, which is eaten.
75 The Coin of Metamorphosis (Dr. E.M. Roberts): borrowed penny instantly and visibly changes to a half dollar in the performer's hand, then changes back to a penny
78 Coin to Key (J.G. Thompson): half dollar transforms into a key
80 Change for a Half: Half changes into a quarter, two dimes and a nickel
80 Much from Little (John Braun): Nickel transforms into an English Penny and Half, one in each hand
81 The Topsy Turvy Coins (Karell Fox and Roy Kissel): Five borrowed halves are overlapped on the palm alternating heads up & down. They are gathered into a stack, and allowed to fall singly into the other hand, all one way!
82 The Impromptu Mint (Jimmy Buffaloe): nickel changes into a half dollar after being covered with a card, and changes back again.
83 Smart Coin Trick (Frank M. Chapman): a coin is cleanly vanished and reappears with use of a handkerchief. Hands are shown empty throughout
85 Impromptu Version (J.G. Thompson, Jr.): As above, no silk
85 The Switchover (Jimmy Buffaloe): coin is produced from handkerchief
87 The Appearing Half (Jimmy Buffaloe): uses The Switchover in a different manner
88 Coin Production from Two Cards: Two playing cards shown front and back, coin appears between them
90 The Touch of Midas (Cardini): Hand is shown empty, and closed. Other hand touches wrist. When hand opened, a coin appears. This is repeated for four or five coins.
92 One to Four (Cal Emmett): multiplying coins effect
93 One to Six (Jack Chanin): as above

96 Chapter IV Cuffing
96 Dr. E.M. Roberts' Method
98 Louis Tannen's Method

99 Chapter VII The Art of Sleeving
100 Delayed Action Sleeving
100 Improved Method
101 The Pumpkin Seed Vanish
102 Reverse Pumpkin Seed Vanish (Ross Bertram)
102 The Catapult
103 Judah Method (Stewart Judah)
103 A Unique Sleeving Move (Ross Bertram)
104 The Throw (J.A. Bowling)
105 Kort Method (Milton Kort)
106 Kirk Stiles Method
107 A Method of Sleeving One of Several Coins (Milton Kort)
107 Dr. E.M. Roberts' Method
111 Loading: loading the sleeve to start clean
112 Switching: methods of switching coins
112 The Sleeve Pocket: special pocket
113 Tricks Using Sleeving
113 Penetration: Coin is tapped on table, spectator presses magician's hand into table, coin penetrates
114 Migration: Coin travels from hand to hand, despite wrists being held by spectators
115 Transposition (Dr. E.M. Roberts): Clean transposition of two coins, each wrapped in separate handkerchiefs
117 Devaluation: Half placed on back of hand transforms into a quarter
118 Inflation: Follow up to Devaluation. Quarter changes back to half.
118 Transformation: Nickel is slapped and "flatted out" to a half dollar.
119 Variation: using the pumpkin seed vanish and various objects
120 Dime and Penny for the Wiseacre (Al Saal and Milton Kort):
121 A Novel Vanish and Reproduction: coin vanish and repro using pencil and sleeves
121 The Vagabond Coins (Milton Kort): Four halves pass from one hand to the other
123 Splitting the Atom (Dr. E.M. Roberts): Borrowed half changes to two quarters
124 Change for a Dollar (Dr. E.M. Roberts): Two halves change to a dollar bill
124 The Stratosphere Quarters (Dr. E.M. Roberts): Four quarters are picked up from the table and tossed into the air, where they vanish one by one
125 The World's Fastest Coin Vanish and Reproduction (Dr. E.M. Roberts): A fast vanish and repro
127 Die to Dime (Kirk Stiles): One hand change of die to dime, ring, or other object
127 Almost a Transposition (Stewart James and Milton Kort): Penny in left, Dime in right: they transpose, but dime has split into two nickels. Three versions

129 Chapter VIII Coins Across
129 Copper and Silver Transposition (Milton Kort): Copper and Silver change places
130 Second Method (Stewart Judah)
131 Third Method (Arthur Punnar)
132 Fourth Method (Ross Bertram)
134 Guess Which Hand (C. James McLemore): Spectator can be always right or always wrong, coin vanishes at end
139 Quarter and Half Dollar Transposition (L.L. Ireland): Quarter and half change places various times, half changes to two quarters.
142 The Curious Nickel (Thomas H. Bearden): Nickel passes from hand to hand while wrists are held, then vanishes, then reappears. Uses sleeving.
143 Two Pennies on the Leg (J.G. Thompson, Jr.): easy but baffling penny passes to join other penny
144 The Inseparable Pair: coins are shown separate in two hands, but one joins the other
146 Coins in the Teeth: Similar to above but coin makes stops between the teeth...
146 The Drop Pass (Jimmy Buffaloe): pickup sleight allows invisible coin pass
147 The Hippity Hop Half (Jimmy Buffaloe): Two coins, one in each hand, slapped to the table. Both end up under right hand
148 Rapid Transit (Royal H. Brin, Jr.): Sympathetic coins. One in left fist, second coin placed on back of fist. Spectator moves coin to back of magician's right fist, inside coin passes too.
149 Winged Silver (Nelson C. Hahne): Four coins pass from one hand to the other. Two versions
152 The Flying Eagles: Three coins across
153 Variation (Senor Mardo): uses for copper and four silver
153 Three and Three: Three coins join three others. simple.
154 Chinese Money Mystery: Two rows of pennies are picked up in alternate hands. Two are tossed back down and picked up again. Hands are open and instead of four and four, only have 0 and 8!
156 Frank Drobina's Coin Routine: Five dimes pass from hand to hand. 5 phase routine uses basic sleights.
160 Four Coins to a Glass (Arthur Buckley)
163 Second Version: completely different moves
164 The Traveling Centavos: another coins to cup
168 Miracle Coins to the Pocket (Glenn Harrison): uses unique gimmicked coat pocket

171 Chapter IX Coin Classics
171 Coin Through a Ring: 2 versions, one using gimmicked coin, one using regular coin
174 Silver or Copper Extraction (Stewart Judah): Three methods to remove Silver or Copper from handkerchief
177 Orville Meyer Method
177 Third Method
178 Copper Penetration: follow up to Extraction. Silver given to spectator in handkerchief, copper vanishes and audibly joins silver!
181 The Expansion of Texture - Expanded! Combination of above two effects, follows Dai Vernon method
182 The Gadabout Coins: Two in the hand, one in the pocket with coins
184 The Three Coin Trick (Milton Kort): Three coins vanish and two reappear, the third is in spectator's pocket. Three versions.
186 The Bent Penny: Penny is given to spectator and told it has vanished, but it has only bent.
187 Silver Extraction (Dr. Boris Zola): A coin is heated and turns into molten metal and a clear coin
188 The Ghost of a Coin: Half dollar turns to glass disk in spectator's hand.
189 Second Method (Wallace Lee)
190 Coins Through the Table: Four coins in the hand pass through table to join four others in the other hand.
192 Second Version
192 Third Version
192 Fourth Version (Stewart Judah)
193 The Magical Filtration of Four Half Dollars (Al Baker): Coins through the table one at a time.
196 Version by Frank Garcia|
197 The Sympathetic Coins: Coin assembly or matrix
198 Second Version
198 Al Saal Strategem
199 Third Version
199 Fourth Version The Changing Change (Stewart Judah): uses four coins of different values
201 The Coin Roll: flourish
202 The Downs Coin Star: flourish
204 Roll Down Flourish with Four Coins
205 Downs Eureka Pass: vanish and reproduction of four coins
206 "Eureka" Routine (Arthur Punnar): Combines Eureka Pass and Roll Down Production
207 Rattle Box Routine (Stewart Judah): Chinese coin penetrates cup and table, then spectator's coin vanishes from box and ends up in cup
208 Thieves and Sheep (Milton Kort, Stewart James): using nickels and pennies
210 Just Pretend (Stuart Cramer): A coin is "thrown away" from the hand and vanishes, and reappears
213 The Free and Unlimited Coinage of Silver: a coin is found under any object selected
214 Coins and Cards (Glenn Harrison): a card trick turns into a coin trick

217 Chapter X Coin Boxes
217 The Okito Coin Box: explained, handling, turnovers, one hand method, hand to hand throw
221 Coins Through Box and the Hand: coin penetrates box placed on the back of the hand
221 Okito Box, Coin and Handkerchief: marked coin passes from box into knot in handkerchief
223 Routine with an Okito Coin Box and a Silk (Jack Chanin): Silk placed between box and lid; when removed, the coins have vanished
224 Silver to Copper with the Okito Coin Box (Dr. Carl L. Moore): Silver changes to copper in box in spectator's hand
224 The Half Dollars and the Okito Box (J. Elder Blackledge): coins across and more using an Okito box (shell)
230 The George Boston Combination Coin Box: Boston Box described, and simple coins through the hand explained
231 Copper and Silver Transposition with the Combination Coin Box: an English Penny and Half Dollar change places inside the box (Boston Box)
231 The German Coin Box: Essentially a Boston Box without a lid. Includes simple effect and handling
233 The Paul Fox Coin Boxes: Combo Okito/Boston Box set. Three routines described.

235 Chapter XI Trick Coin Trickery
235 Squeeze Play (Stewart James): Nickel and Penny set used to push nickel through ring
236 Jimmy Valentine Picks a Lock (Stewart James): similar to above
237 Money Paper (Stewart James): The date of a penny is written on a paper disk and covered by a nickel on top of a stack of pennies on top of a business card. The paper vanishes, and is found in the middle of the business card. Nickel and Penny Set.
238 Almost a Transposition (Stewart James): Penny and dime transpose, almost! Dime is now two nickels. (Dime and Penny Set, Nickel and Penny Set)
239 The Homing Coins (Al Caroselli): Two Nickels, dime, and penny are placed in a handkerchief and removed one at at time. One coin is placed on the table, and the rest travel back to the handkerchief (21 cent trick)
240 The Circus Trick: Similar to above, but the coins vanish (21 cent trick)
241 The 16 cents Vanish: Three of four coins are vanished from the hand, leaving one. (21 cent trick)
241 85 cents Through the Table (Rolland Hamblen): $1.35 trick, coins through the table
243 Copper and Silver Transposition - Number One. C/S coin, in the spectator's hand. Bold version.
244 C/S Transpo Number Two - variation of above allows inspection before
244 C/S Transpo Number Three - Non sleight version, no spectator.
245 C/S Transpo Number Four (J.G. Thompson): In the spectator's pocket, left clean.
245 Presto Chango (Thomas H. Bearden): Two Silvers change to Two Coppers, back to silver, then to C and S. Ends clean. (C/S coin)
246 The Inferior Coin (Milton Kort): A single Copper among Two Silvers keeps disappearing. At the end, two Silvers change to Two coppers. (C/S)
249 Thieves and Sheep (Lillian Bobo): Effect as earlier, uses C/S.
249 In and Out (Hen Fetsch): Copper and Silver transpose through handkerchief (C/S, ends dirty)
250 Up Their Sleeve (Hen Fetsch): Follow up to In and Out, coins transpose in spectator's and performer's sleeves, and ends clean.
252 Buddha's Coin (Hen Fetsch): A C/S coin adds a punch to the Buddah Papers
253 The Stack of Quarters (Nate Leipzig): Cap and Pence. Routine allows you to borrow quarters (more risky today with State coins). Quarter stack is placed in back of your fist. Spectator lifts cone, nothing happens. Magician lifts cone which leaps toward the audience, and the stack of quarters is replaced by pennies, and the quarters fall from the magician's hand.
255 Stack of Quarters - Second Method: Stack is placed on back of spectator's hand, and a dollar bill roll is used instead of the cone. Quarters vanish and are found in the coin purse.
256 The Hook Coin: Described and how to use it.
258 The Magnet: hook up to vanish a steel coin
260 Sundry Gimmicked Coins and Tricks Therewith: Described briefly, with tips on applications
260 Nickel to Half Dollar: Nickel visibly changes to Half Dollar
260 Liberty Head Half and U.S. Penny: Similar to Dime & Penny Set, uses large (Quarter size) Old Penny.
261 The Ring Coin: Half Dollar size
262 Short Changed (Gene Gordon): Handful of change is tossed to the other hand where all but two coins vanish
263 The Marksman (Jimmy Buffaloe): A hole is shot in a coin
264 The Squirting Nickel: tips on use

265 Chapter XII Shell and Folding Half
265 The Shell Half: old-style and expanded described
265 Mystery with a Half Shell: A quick hand to hand routine using a shell
266 How to Make Money: A half is produced from another half, then one turns into a quarter
268 Three Questions (Dave Coleman): Similar to above, with spectator interaction
268 Coin Through a Glass: Two coins are overlapped in a sideways glass and a second glass placed underneath. As the first glass is lifted, one coin penetrates the bottom of the first glass and falls into the second
270 Perfected Coin Through Handkerchief (Jimmy Buffaloe): uses shell
272 25 cent and 50 cent Transposition (Dr. Carl L. Moore): Spectators are always wrong in guessing which hand has the quarter (shell)
273 The Peregrinating Halves: Four Coins Across (shell)
276 Coins Through the Table (Milton Kort): Coins through the table, under a Whiskey Glass (Shell)
279 The Protean Coin (Milton Kort): A "one coin" copper/silver routine, ends clean
282 The Sympathetic Coins (Milton Kort): Coin assembly/matrix, only one cover and one of four coins is copper (shell)
285 The Modern Miser: Coin production (shell and hoo coin)
286 The Folding Half: introduction
286 The Half Dollar in the Bottle (Ralph De Shong): routine and handling tips (folder)
288 Half Dollar in the Bottle Second Method (Stewart Judah): uses coin fold for coin switch
289 The Magic Mint: A nickel is placed in the hand and is joined by a half. The half is put away, and the nickel changes into a half
290 Biting a Piece from a Coin (Gene Gordon): folder
290 Biting a Coin - Second Version (Tom Hollingsworth): A home-made gimmick penny and a tooth
291 Coin Through a Card (Dave Coleman): Folder and handkerchief

294 Chapter XIII Stage Coin Magic
294 A Comedy Coin Routine (Dave Coleman): Coin producing wand, multiplying coin tray, comedy glasses (home made); uses two spectators; good children's effect
298 Coin in the Banana: Comedy Children's effect. Coin is supposed to appear in banana, but spectator eats it first. Coin is removed from spectator's mouth with the Coin producing wand.
299 Coin in Ball of Wool and Nest of Boxes (Rolland Hamblen): Intricate version with Comedy Water Funnel, nested boxes, glass disk, and so forth.
303 Flight Three (Glenn Harrison): Three marked coins join a handful held by a second spectator

306 Chapter XIV The Miser's Dream: discussion of Robert Houdin and Herrmann versions
308 T. Nelson Downs' Original Version: as found in Modern Coin Manipulation, with back palms, multiple back palms, and so forth, with additional commentary added.
316 Production of any Number of Coins at Finger Tips: Downs, continued
316 To Pass a Coin Through the Knees: Downs, Continued
317 The Elusive Pass: Downs, Continued
318 New Change-Over Palm: More Downs, both hands shown empty
318 Downs' New "Click" Pass: More Downs, Coins to Glass
320 Downs' New Fan Pass: stack of coins
320 The Downs' Eureka Pass: already described (pg 205), Downs' comments
320 The "Turnover" with Forty Coins: flourish
321 To Palm and Make the Pass With Forty Coins: More Downs, with note that it is not possible
322 The Miser's Dream (Glenn Harrison): Uses thumb palm, make the audience laugh!
326 The Miser's Dream (M.S. Whitford's Version): Closeup version (or stage) with clear glass; no gimmicks
329 A Miser's Dream Routine (Jack Makepeace): Yet another version. Downs Palm
330 Perpetual Coins (Harry Bernard): Continuous production of coins, climax produces a cookie

332 Chapter XV The Stanley Collins Section: brief biographies of coin manipulators by Stanley Collins
332 T. Nelson Downs
332 William J. Hilliar
333 L'Homme Masque
333 Allan Shaw
333 Owen Clark
334 Charles Morritt: describes the Purse Swindle
336 Three Coin Monte: using a small wetted paper on the bottom of one coin
337 The Jumping Sixpence: bending the wrist can flip a Sixpence (dime) (Stunt)
338 The Esscee Half-Crown and Wafers Trick: A Crown is marked on both sides with gummed wafers and suddenly turns into a Penny. The Crown is found in the pants pocket.
339 Two Heads and a Tail: Two English Pennies are dropped and the spectator is asked if the bottom coin is heads or tails. They are wrong, and an additional coin is now on the bottom
340 The Esscee Front and Back Manipulation: show both sides of the hand empty

341 Chapter XVI Routines: put together from previously learned moves, page numbers provided
341 No. 1 With a Single Coin: Through the Hand, Through the Handkerchief, Vanish
341 No. 2 With a Single Coin: Producing and vanishing a coin around the Knee
342 No. 3 With a Single Coin: Handkerchief production, penetrates, through the ring, vanish
342 No. 4: C/S routine (C/S coin)
343 No. 5: Two Copper, One Silver and handkerchief
343 No. 6: Nickel to Half and English Penny, and Routine #4
344 No. 7: C/S Transposition, finish with #4
344 No. 8: Half to English Penny, Through the Pocket, Through the Leg, Vanish
344 No. 9: (shell, glass disk) How to Make Money, Ghost of a Coin, back to silver, etc.
345 No. 10: (shell, clip) Mystery with Half Shell, Quarter and Half Dollar Transposition
345 No. 11: One to Six production, Three and Three coins across, Inseparable Pair, vanish
346 No. 12: Double Penetration, Click Pass, Inseparable Pair, Coins in the Teeth, Vanish
346 No. 13: Touch of Midas, Sympathetic Coins, Coin Through a Ring, Vanish
346 No. 14 (Milton Kort): Dice Cup, 5 halves, Silver Dollar. Touch of Midas or One to Four, Traveling Centavos, Through the Pocket, Tunnel Vanish, Gadabout Coins. With variations
348 No. 15 Too Many Coins (Milton Kort): Flying Eagles, Winged Silver, Magical Filtration of Four Half Dollars, Click Pass, Inseparable Pair, C/S Transposition, Vanish
349 No. 16 (Rolland Hamblen): Expanded Shell, Five halves, Boston Box, Lippincott Box (loads coin).
350 No. 17 Specious Specie (J.G. Thompson Jr.): Liberty Head Half, C/S, Shell. Full two part routine