Scotch and Soda

Manufacturer: Sterling

Type: Close-up sitting, Walk-around

Skill Level:

Retail Price: $20 - $30

Effect: This trick takes its name from the countless "Scotch and Soda" bets won with it. Magician shows an American half dollar and a copper colored Mexican coin. He places the coins into a the spectator's hand. The spectator puts his hands behind his back. With his free hand he removes the half dollar and places in on the table. He brings the closed hand, holding the copper coin forward. The magician takes a quarter and clenches it in his fist. The coins trade places and the copper coin is found in the magician's hand and the quarter found in the spectator's hand.

Performance Time: 2-4 minutes

Reset Time: About half a minute

Angles:

Quality: Well made. It will last a lifetime.

Mike Maione: This is the grand-daddy of gimmicked coin tricks. The Sterling version has instructions for a very simple presentation that a novice can handle. If your can do a simple coin switch you'll like the more advanced version provided. It makes the illusion a lot better. Lay people love this trick because it happens in their hand. To them it seems like real magic.

Buyer beware, however. There are other manufacturer's versions of this trick. Some don't provide the extra Mexican coin and some work with a shaved down English penny. Pass them by and insist on the Sterling version. It is far superior.

The trick resets quickly, but you need a bang ring and flat surface to slam it against, which makes resetting a bit of a pain and renders the trick inconvenient for most walk-around situations.

I like this trick and although I don't use it much in favor of tricks that require more skill. When I do, I usually get a better reaction because of the "in-the-spectator's-hand" effect.

Dr. Mitch: Normally, I shy away from gimmicked coins. However, this is one piece that just screams "BUY ME". It is simple in it's handling and with a wide variety of different effects possible ( as seen in books and videos based entirely on this apparatus), this is a must carry. Buy one and keep it in your pocket at all times and you are always ready for instant miracle. NOTE: be creative here...there are a wide variety of uses for this prop. My favorite...involves placing the copper and silver coin in a piece of flash paper. Fold up the flash paper around both the coins and place them in a shot glass. Light the paper and it burns off (in a flash) leaving ONLY the silver coin in the shot glass...where is the copper coin?....Lift the shot glass, it is beneath it; it has apparently melted right through the bottom of the glass!!!

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