Changing a borrowed twenty dollar bill into a one dollar bill is a close-up classic that many magicians perform. But how about turning two half-dollar coins into a dollar bill? Tony Clark’s well done Coins To Cash lets you accomplish this with no intricate sleights. And at the end of the effect, you’re left apparently clean.
The trick begins with you showing two half-dollars at your finger tips. After bringing your hands together, suddenly, a folded dollar bill appears. Unfold the dollar bill and you can show your hands empty, as well as show both sides of the bill. Depending on the spectator’s mind set, the coins have seemingly turned into the dollar bill, or, they think that the coins somehow vanished.
Coins To Cash requires no complicated sleight of hand to perform. A simple finger palm is about all the trick calls for. Once the bill appears, you simply unfold it and the effect nearly works itself. At the end of the effect, you can clearly show your hands empty (really empty, even to other magicians), as well as show both sides of the bill. You’re not completely clean at the end, but you look clean.
I received a good response to the trick, but found that you have to watch the lighting a bit. Angle wise, you could perform the trick completely surrounded, but would not want to. A comfortable angle for spectators would be approximately 75 degrees on each side from directly in front of you.
Reset is fast and easy and with a little practice, can take less than eight seconds. Tony Clark says that you can reset the trick in front of an audience, but I’m not sure of the motivation that would be needed to justify the steps as spectators looked on.
The secret is a diabolical stroke of genius. Magicians will have as much fun examining the gimmick as they will have performing the trick. The gimmick is well made and virtually a work of art in itself. With some care, the gimmick should last a good amount of time. I would personally keep it in a loose jacket pocket as opposed to a pants pocket or wallet that would stress it. Also, when stored in your magic case, it should be kept in an envelope, or even better, a hard container for safe keeping.
The single page of instructions gives you clear steps on setting up the trick and performing it. There are helpful diagrams, as well as a couple of short routines. One routine has you displaying three half-dollars, taking one away and asking spectators what is left. When they reply “one dollar,” you show them the single dollar. A second effect has you doubling your money by showing two half dollars and turning them into two one-dollar bills. Both routines are superior to the basic effect because they bring in extra props that can take some heat off of the method.
