Dates

A number of coins are collected in a borrowed hat which the wizard places on the table crown down. Announcing the date of a coin, the performer puts his hand into the hat, and brings forth a coin which he immediately passes for inspection. It bears the date he named ! He repeats with the others. One advantage of this method is that no extra coin is used, and another is the fact that the spectators may note the dates on their own coins before dropping them into the hat. Thus each may claim his coin immediately after its date is read.

It is requisite that the performer perform some feat requiring the loan of a half-dollar at some time earlier in his program or routine. Pretending to give it back, he must substitute a half-dollar of his own, prepared by rubbing it previously (on either side or in the milling) with a piece of soap. By not allowing too much soap to collect on the coin, its presence never will be suspected. In borrowing a number of coins for the experiment to be explained, the magician must make certain that this prepared coin is included among those collected in the hat. The first date he names is that borne by the prepared coin !

Reaching into the hat on the table behind his back, the wizard will find it very easy to distinguish the soaped coin from the others. It has a soft or greasy feel that cannot be mistaken from the others when one is looking for it. Securing it, the conjuror at the same time picks up another of the coins between the first and second finger-tips, and by bending the fingers inward, lodges it in the crotch of the thumb. It is easy to tell where on the half-dollar coin the date is, by sense of touch alone.

On the older coins, the starts on the “tails” side have a feel possessed by no other portion of the coin’s surface. On the newer ones, the waist of the figure on that side is a good distinguishing sign.

At any rate, the coin is lodged date side up in the thumb crotch, so that in bringing the hand forward, the conjuror, apparently having but one coin between thumb and index fingers tip, really has one concealed in his thumb crotch, and can glance down and read the date. The prepared coin is given back to the owner (?) and the magician reaches into the hat for another. This time the one just glimpsed is named and a third coin concealed in the thumb crotch to be read as the hand is held forward. In a similar manner each date is read to and including the last.