Odd Coin Question

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Robert77
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Odd Coin Question

Postby Robert77 » September 20th, 2022, 8:02 pm

I've seen a couple gaffed coin sets which include 'replica' Morgan dollars. Idle curiosity comples me to ask:

1. what are these made from?

2. Are they exact replicas, or different to avoid counterfitting issues?

MagicbyAlfred
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Re: Odd Coin Question

Postby MagicbyAlfred » September 20th, 2022, 9:20 pm

Morgan Dollar replica coin - Tom Ladshaw Magic
https://tomladshawmagic.com › morgan-dollar-replica
"These museum-quality replicas are made from brass and are individually 'weathered', as real coins of this era would be."

I have a couple of these, one in the CSB set and the other in my dollar-size Hopping Half set, both of which i purchased from Tom, and they're beautiful.

Here's the Hopping Half set in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbycaeJvxzI&t=1s

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Odd Coin Question

Postby Richard Kaufman » September 20th, 2022, 9:54 pm

They are being mass produced by a Chinese manufacturer, the copyright on the image having fallen into public domain. They are no longer recognized as legitimate currency. They make beautiful gaffs and cost a fraction of more expensive versions.
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Bill Mullins
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Re: Odd Coin Question

Postby Bill Mullins » September 20th, 2022, 10:52 pm

And unless they have the word "COPY" stamped on them somewhere obvious, they are almost certainly in violation of the Hobby Protection Act. And if you sell or import them, you are in violation of the Collectible Coin Protection Act.

Robert77
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Re: Odd Coin Question

Postby Robert77 » September 20th, 2022, 11:56 pm

Thanks all.

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Odd Coin Question

Postby Richard Kaufman » September 21st, 2022, 3:40 pm

Dealers from China have been selling them at magic conventions for several years.
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Tom Gilbert
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Re: Odd Coin Question

Postby Tom Gilbert » October 6th, 2022, 9:34 am

I bought some Walking Liberty replicas and a couple of gaffs, to take a look. The replica ungaffed coins didn't look too bad, didn't look or sound like silver though. The gaffs were terrible. The magnetic coin was quite thick, and the shell was distorted. Hard pass.

MagicbyAlfred
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Re: Odd Coin Question

Postby MagicbyAlfred » October 6th, 2022, 12:17 pm

Tom Gilbert wrote:I bought some Walking Liberty replicas and a couple of gaffs, to take a look. The replica ungaffed coins didn't look too bad, didn't look or sound like silver though. The gaffs were terrible. The magnetic coin was quite thick, and the shell was distorted. Hard pass.


Coins (or replicas) not made from silver will never sound like silver. You didn't mention where you bought the terrible gaffs, Tom, so that other members don't waste their money. You know, caveat emptor, and all that. Like I've said before, the gaffed coins from Tom Ladshaw, that came with the dollar-size CSB and dollar-size Hopping Half sets I purchased ((Morgan silver dollar replicas), are excellent, both appearance and performance-wise. The dollar-size "Chinese Palace Coin" replicas that came with those sets are also very pretty and of superb quality.

Tom Gilbert
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Re: Odd Coin Question

Postby Tom Gilbert » October 6th, 2022, 3:13 pm

I didn't mention the dealer as others think their coins are great (from the same dealer). So, not fair to the dealer. My like of real, silver coins is probably clouding a fair judgement.

Jonathan Townsend
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Re: Odd Coin Question

Postby Jonathan Townsend » October 7th, 2022, 9:32 am

Some of the coins are brass/bronze with plating. How can I get the plating off to use them as-made in their metal colors?
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BarryAllen
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Re: Odd Coin Question

Postby BarryAllen » October 11th, 2022, 12:46 pm

Chinese rip-off Morgan Dollars hit the UK around 10 years ago.

They look like junk, feel like junk and they sound like junk.

Guess why?

I've seen expanded shells made from these over the years. They looked as if they'd been manufactured by being beaten with a mallet. In other words, the profile on the head side of the coin was severely distorted.

Sliding the shell onto the insert sounded like cheap tin being scraped together.

I'll make a prediction here. Most Magicians who have bought them, have probably never felt comfortable using them. I'd also guess that most Magicians who have bought them have probably just slung them into the back of their prop drawer, to gather dust, alongside other 'miracles' that they regret wasting their dosh on.

Worst case scenario - they've put them for sale on ebay, so that some other poor sod has the misfortune of owning them.

If you want decent gaffed coins (or indeed ANY decent quality prop) you either pay a high price from the outset; or you save like mad until you have enough to buy quality. Rest assured, you'll treat them with respect AND enjoy every performance that you deliver.

Basically, you'll ALWAYS value them more - because they have been an investment......in both your time and money.


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