Which First: Coin Magic or Expert Coin Magic?

[J-Mac]

I plan to purchase both of Richard's great coin books, Coin Magic and David Roth's Expert Coin Magic. However I can only afford to get one at a time - which is really OK with me since I can only read one at a time! - and so I am wondering which is the better book with which to start?

BTW, I am a pure, rank amateur who prefers coin magic personally - mostly I guess because I handle coins much better than I do cards! I have dabbled casually since the late 1970's, and since returning to the Philadelphia area after traveling extensively for the last 35 years I keep wandering aimlessly wondering whatever happened to the great magic shops that used to be popular way back then. Like Jack Chanin's Studio of Magic on Walnut St. and The Magic Center on 13th.

My skill with coins is fairly moderate, shaded toward basic. I have virtually memorized Bobo's MCM from my much dog-eared copy that traveled with me all these years, along with a few other lesser known volumes. And now that I am pretty much stuck at home due to a disability my interest in magic has once again grown. I do have a couple of decent coin magic DVDs but I do prefer to read the "classics" before watching the tricks/sleights on DVD. DVDs are great IMO after you have become comfortable with the sleights from reading about them and practicing over and over. DVDs help me get some sleights correct after reading about them and practicing what I think is how they should be done. Watching DVDs first tends to make me think I can perform them way before I am ready to do so. Which is never a good thing!

So..... as I plan to get through both books eventually, which one would you recommend that I read first?

I look forward to and thank you in advance for your advice!

Jim

[Richard Kaufman]

We've got a three books for the price of two sale, so if you can squeak together the bucks, now is a good time to buy both.

Failing that, most single-book buyers prefer CoinMagic because it has material from many different contributors, so different styles are represented.

There are very few simple coin tricks, so you'll have to practice. There's just no way around it.

[J-Mac]

We've got a three books for the price of two sale, so if you can squeak together the bucks, now is a good time to buy both.

Failing that, most single-book buyers prefer CoinMagic because it has material from many different contributors, so different styles are represented.

There are very few simple coin tricks, so you'll have to practice. There's just no way around it.

Oh, practice I do!

Oddly enough I was just on that page (3 for 2) right before reading your post, thinking the exact same thing. That does sound too good to pass up. Think I will probably go that route.

Thank you Richard. Very much appreciated!

Jim