Tommy Downs was how he was introduced to us when we met the Koin King along with his ever present buddy Eddie McLaughlin. It was around 1928-29 that it happened and the man who wrought up London with his manipulations in 1907 treated us fairly and squarely when our tricks so pridefully displayed morning after morning for a week did or did not fool him. It meant a lot to our, then limited, perspective on magic and magicians.
We can never forget the Downs’ trick of being cordial to the point of putting his hand upon the shoulder of an assistant while he confidentially showed the other hand devoid of coins just placed within. That the stack of half dollars was resting on the shoulder of the amazed audience, while, for a gesture, he saw both hands displayed completely empty, is not here nor there. It was T. Nelson’s “savoir faire” during the vanish and subsequent production that impressed the onlookers, if any. It was, more or less, a one man mystery.
Using one of the coins provided with a shell, the following routine of events makes for good mystery. First provide yourself with a coin dated in a year the digits of which do not contain a zero. Start the effect by forcing upon four people cards the value of which represent these figures — each card being a different one of the four suits. Thus 1938 would possibly be represented by AH-9C-3D-8S. On top of these force one more card, say the JS.
Don’t worry about the forcing of five cards. Mr. Downs used the “classical” fan force, and when he failed to “give” a card, merely passed on to another. Thus, in forcing the five cards one might have to approach seven or eight people. This does not hurt the effect for it encompasses a greater percentage of the audience than is usual in a trick, a proceeding which always is of psychological value. Then, after the five force cards were out, he would return to those few who had gotten free choices by their stubbornness and have them returned for another trick which he would culminate. Then, having disposed of the outlaw cards, those left were the ones pertinent to the trick we are talking about.
Now the performer tells of the uses and abuses of money – how it turns people’s heads – and has a spectator step forward. He is shown a coin and asked how many he sees. The answer is one, of course, but when the performer touches the spectator’s eyes and puts the coin back on the palm, the man from the audience sees two. The spectator in the audience who took the Jack of Spades is asked to concentrate upon his card while the person assisting the performer looks intently at the pennies and names whatever card he may visualize. He does so correctly!
Immediately the performer stops any applause forthcoming and says that many may think it is merely a trick with the coin. Therefore, he does insist, he’d like to try a similar effect with a borrowed bit of money. This time the coin comes from the audience and it is given another person to hold. Four ladies are called to the front and each is asked to select one of the four suits as they arrive. You impress that they have free choice but it is not so for there are only four suits and only four girls. You stand them before the audience in the order that you have forced the four “date” cards and their suits.
The man with the coin (borrowed (?)) now reads aloud the date. Then, connecting that first digit, 1, with the suit selected by the first girl, you ask the person holding the Ace of Hearts (in this case) to name his card. Everything checks! He shows his card to all and you take the second girl together with the second digit on the coin and ask another of the spectators if he isn’t holding the 9 of Clubs. He will have to show that card, or you are awfully bad at forcing and remembering. And so it goes with the remaining two.
You finish with the remark that whereas a quarter could make someone see (?) a chosen card, a half dollar has been able to divulge the identity of four. It’s the power of money in hand that makes possible such farsightedness.
We hope that most readers have followed the effect with the method in mind. The shell coin came in at the beginning. It was thus able to make two from one. On the outside part of the genuine coin was tacked a miniature Jack of Spades. After the change of one to two, the shell was replaced and the coin turned over. Thus the spectator could name the Jack selected. With the coin pocketed, and a borrowed one forthcoming, the performer merely exchanges it for one he has picked from his pocket when replacing the shell outfit.
The correct date is thus assured and from there on it is merely a case of picking good looking girls, arranging them in the order of their selected suits and letting the rest of the trick take its course.
It is all a true example of Downs’ simplicity of method combined with a terrifically completed appearing effect plus the use of a great many people from the audience.
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