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This is a story all

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life got flipped
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upside down This

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The SPIN force

The history of this little gem seems to be surrounded in uncertainty.
I was shown it years ago by my friend Andrew Edmonds - who was in
turn shown it by another friend. Neither seemed to know where it
originated.
I subsequently demonstrated the move to a few friends, one of them
being Thomas Heine from Paralabs. He immediately recognized the
move as one he had used as a teenager to spin his finger ring. This
dates the move back at least as far as the eighties. But upon speaking
to the owner of Magick Enterprises in Sheffield, Russell Hall also
recognized the move from decades previous. New York Magician, Vinny
Marini has been using the move and variations for years and makes
reference to it online back in 2008.
A mentalist from the UK by the name of Karl Scott also stumbled upon
the move independently and calls it the PACT principle.
What is obvious from speaking with the above people is that the move
itself has clearly been in existence for a long time, with whispered
origins dating back as far as the American old west.
Given the vocations of the people knowledgeable about this move, it is
very likely that it had its origins in the bar bets and swindles in big

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cities and boom towns of the prior century - a technique passed along
through generations of con men, as it is a move ideal to their methods.
One thing I do know for certain is that this move lends itself
beautifully to the sorts of effects that youll read below and which
are the result of my many years of tinkering with the principle.
Regardless of its origins, I really hope you enjoy it and the powerful
mentalism it makes possible.

T yp e s of C oi ns
For this wonderful move to work, you will need to use a thick coin.
Here in the UK, I use either a 1 or a 2 coin.
When I lectured in Germany, I borrowed an audience members 2 coin,
but firmly believe a 1 coin will work equally well.
Speaking to some of my American friends, it would appear the majority
of US coins are too thin, however some report that you can get good
results with a Nickel if you only spin the coin using 3/4 power.
American readers may also find some use to taking two coins of the
same denomination and attaching them together either by using double
sided tape or even glue! This double thickness coin can produce the
same results.

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Ex e cut ion
Take an appropriate coin and go to spin it on a table. The majority
of people (right-handed) will spin the coin by gripping the edges of
the coin with the pads of the left thumb and right index finger. For
this to work, you need to be careful not to spin the coin in a perfectly
vertical alignment. Instead, angle the coin away from your body by
about 15 degrees. Pay attention to the face of the coin that you can
see, as the side that is visible will face upward after spinning. So,
for example, if you saw a heads it would land heads side up, and viceversa.

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As you spin the coin, be careful not to put too much on it or you can
lose control of the coin and send it rocketing across the table. Youll
want enough power for momentum to gather and to cause it to spin for
approximately ten seconds. I will typically spin the coin at about
the strength as I normally might. This helps me to ensure that the
coin doesnt wander erratically around the table. This is important,
as some tables have grooves or wood grains that can interfere with the
outcome of the spin, and you want to ensure that the coin stays in an
area that is flat and smooth.
You will note that, as the coin spins, the visual impression you get is
that of a sphere. At the top of the sphere, you will see a small hole
begin to open, and the hole will gradually become wider the longer
the coin spins as the coin eventually slows and loses momentum.

The hole that you see is the face of the coin that will eventually land
face up. Essentially, this means that your spin, although very
convincing, is actually only spinning on the angular edge and not the

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actual flat edge of the coin. By spinning it this way, the coin will
always be destined to land one way the one you determined when you
angled your coin away from your body.

Again, this is because the coin isnt truly spinning vertically; it

is only spinning at a slight angle - an angle that doesnt ever reach
a vertical stance. Therefore the centrifugal force of the coin is
engaged in a spin that lacks the impetus to correct outside its center
of gravity and lurch over to the opposite side. It can never land on
that opposite side. This is especially the case when you use a thicker
coin with a greater mass.

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V a ria t io ns on T he Spi n For ce

There are several subtle variations of this spin that still provide
the performer with a range of options that they may wish to experiment
with.

T he Ai r F or c e S p i n
Instead of spinning the coin on the table, you can accomplish the same
spin force in a standing position and allowing the coin to drop onto
a table. The coin will continue its spin and still land in the same
orientation as the side angled away during the execution. You may
wish to add a little more power to the spin to give it slightly more
momentum. This helps to ensure that the coin will still continue
to spin after its impact with the table. This is a very convincing
variation as the coin is clearly seen spinning in the air before it
lands on the table and continues to spin.

S p i n ni ng Hi gh / S p i n ni ng Lo w
The following two variations came from New York magician, Vinny
Marini, who suggested that you can determine heads or tails by taking
the coin and spinning high (above the equator of the coin), or by

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spinning low (below the equator of the coin). My attempts with these
variations have produced inconsistent results, but Vinny claims to
have been using this approach with success for many years.

T he S l ap : A P e r f e c t C onv i n c er
Instead of allowing the coin to slow down and gradually stop spinning
on its own, the coin can be stopped suddenly by the participant
watching. This is a very convincing subtlety that makes it almost
impossible for any audience member to believe anything sneaky could
possibly be going on.
As the coin is spinning on the table, instruct the participant to place
his/her hand down onto the coin to stop it from spinning. Think of it
as a slapping motion to bring the spin to an abrupt stop. Believe it
or not, because the coin is not engaged in a true vertical spin, the
slap will always result in the coin laying the same orientation up
as it was when you angled it back and initiated the spin. The Slap
doesnt need to be a heavy handed hard slap; just enough to bring the
coin to a stop. Please encourage your participants not to slap their
hand through the table!
I cannot emphasize enough just how convincing The Slap is to all
watching and anyone who saw me lecture in Cologne can attest to that.
I always employ this move when working with this coin spin force.

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This so convincing because the participant themselves can choose

when they want to intervene and bring the spin to a stop. It genuinely
creates the illusion that the coin could land facing up or down
depending on when the participant stops it.

This illusion is so

strong that it is quite difficult to entertain any other notion of

reality.

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Coinf a bul a t io n
What follows is a classic of mentalism, updated with the use of the
coin spin force. The very first time I performed this was at a wedding
held at Firth Court in Sheffield. I had been hired by the grooms
mother to perform for two hours in a strolling capacity. During the
booking procedure, I had requested a photograph of her son James so
that I could recognize him on the big day.
Of course, this was just an excuse to get a photograph as I had already
checked online to see if he had a Facebook account and started to
make a few mental notes about him (birthdays, hobbies, etc.). He had
restricted his privacy settings so I couldnt look at the photographs
section, hence the reason why I requested one from his mother.
Upon receiving the photograph via email, I opened it in Photoshop and
created a very special prediction that I had planned on using on the
day of the wedding.
The prediction was printed out, sealed inside an envelope, and taken
with me on the day of the performance. I used the coin force three times
to ensure that a city, car, and landmark were forced in the context of
creating an imaginary trip that James could visualise:
James, by now you may be thinking that theres a possibility I could
influence your thoughts and choices?
Definitely! Which was such an emphatic answer because I had already

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performed a couple of pieces for him and his wife.

So instead, I will ask you to summon up a few different thoughts and
we will let fate decide which way we will go, okay?
I took out the envelope and balanced it against a wine glass that was
sat on the table. I also asked James if he had any change on him, he
reached into his pocket and pulled out a few coins. I looked into his
hand and took a 1 coin from him.
I would like you to imagine taking a trip somewhere a mental
journey if you will.
Ill spin this coin, and if it lands on heads, youll imagine yourself
in Tokyo. If it lands tails, youll imagine yourself visiting New
York.
I spun the 1 on the table between us, waited a few seconds and then
continued:
James, when you want to, reach forward and slap your hand down over
the coin, keep it there and dont show me which way you have made the
coin fall.
(Pay particular attention to that underlined part. You have completely
disarmed the coin spin and placed full emphasis on the fact that the
participant themselves has stopped the coin spinning at a truly
random point, thus creating a completely random outcome.)

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After a few seconds, James reached over and slapped the coin down onto
the table, he kept it covered and looked at me:
Lets see where you are heading remember, heads is Tokyo, and tails
means youre off to the Big Apple.
James lifted his hand to reveal the coin resting tails side up.
New York it is! Have you ever visited there before?
No, but Ive always wanted to!
Well, nows your chance! Lets think about how you will get around
once you land. I think you should travel in style, so how about
hiring something flashy, something exotic. How about a gleaming Red
Ferrari? Or perhaps something even more outlandish - a bright Yellow
Lamborghini?
Heads, the FerrariTails, the Lamborghini.
The coin was spun a second time and James again slapped his hand down
to determine the outcome.
What car will you be driving James?
The Ferrari! James giggled. Genuinely, he did.
Excellent, so Im sure on this trip of yours, youd like to go
sightseeing.

Maybe visit some well known landmark or tourist

attraction?

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Where specifically comes to mind in New York City?

James thought for a moment before responding.
Erm The Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building.
Good choices! Okay then - heads youll go to the Statue of Liberty and
tails, to the Empire State Building.
The coin was spun for a third and final time. James waited a little
longer before finally bringing his hand down onto it. The coin was a
heads and thus James now had his landmark in mind.
At this point during the routine, we had gathered a crowd of friends
and family who were in attendance at the wedding. For their sake,
I recapped on what had happened explaining that we had built up a
mental journey based on the spin of a coin. I asked James to tell the
group the details of the journey.
So right now, I have an imaginary trip planned. At the moment, I am
heading to New York City, where I will hire a Red Ferrari and Ill
drive to the Statue of Liberty.
These choices were completely random and determined by you, James?
As I said this, I gestured toward the table with my hand, imitating
The Slap.
This gesture subtly reminded him that he chose when to intervene

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with the coin spin and he and his bride immediately agreed that it
was a completely random chance.
James can you grab the envelope that I gave you before you made any
of these choices?
James picked the envelope up and held it out to me. I shook my head and
shied backward, asking him to open it up himself and to show everyone
the contents. When the envelope was opened, James took a look at it,
his eyes widened and he covered his mouth with his free hand. A crowd
gathered around him and when they saw what he was looking at, and
murmured scream rippled across the group.
Inside was a photograph - a photograph of James sat behind the wheel
of a bright red Ferrari parked up outside the Statue of Liberty in New
York City.
That was the last effect I performed that evening and as I was leaving,
Jamess Mother (who had booked me) followed me down the stairs and
thanked me profusely. Since then, the family and their friends have
booked me for several more events including another wedding and a
handful of private parties. Its an ideal example of what can happen
by taking a little bit of extra time to prepare something unique and
personal.
A final note as regards this presentation. There is a flaw that I am
aware of and that is that the routine leans more towards a mental
magic piece as opposed to straight mentalism. Just what kind of skill

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as a mentalist would I be showcasing through the use of the coin spin

in this way?

Forced coincidence?
Im aware that this premise is not consistent with a piece of
pure mentalism (unless you contrive to dress it up as a piece of
precognition). However, in this particular case I felt that the pay
off and the impact on the audience were worth it.
It helps to be reminded sometimes that our audiences do not define
what we do by any other term than wonderful, and as long as they are
entertained and have a memorable experience, we ought not to always
feel constrained by self-imposed limitations.
_

I was recently sat having lunch with my good friends Atlas Brookings
& Laurence Hookway. I related this story to them and Laurence was
quite taken aback with it.
He emailed me a couple of weeks later with the following story:

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F i sh & Chip s : La ure nce Hook way

a u t h o r i s e d
R E D A C T E D :
p r o j e c t
b l a c k
f u l l
f o r

f o r
o n l y

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Coin in Ha nd
A n ew ap p r oac h t o r e ad i ng b eh a v i o r
The trouble with predictions is that people are predictable - what I
really want to do is predict the unpredictable.
The real beauty of the coin spin force is found in its impromptu nature.
Wherever possible, try to borrow the coin you use, and always offer
the participant the opportunity to use The Slap. This combination is
above suspicion and completely disarming.
Heres one of my justifications for using a coin to make a truly random
decision.
The performer reaches into his pocket and pulls out a handful of small
change:
What fascinates me as a performer is the difficulty people have in
making random decisions. These decisions are nearly always effected
by outside influence. I just selected a pound coin from my change, was
it a random choice? No, I just have a preference for it and always try
to use pounds when I play this game.
The performer hands the 1 to the participant and instructs them to
hold it and take both hands behind their back.
Pass the coin from hand to hand whilst its behind your back and,

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when you are ready, close both hands and bring them out in front of
you. Dont give me any clue as to which hand contains the coin, but you
must have it in one of them. Please dont drop it into your back pocket.
When I perform this particular routine, I use Hugo Shelleys Sixth
Sense 2.5 - A fantastic little tool, which I definitely recommend and
I am, of course, also using magnetic pound coin.
I ask my participant to hold both hands up at chest height, momentarily
bringing both their arms up with my hands and getting a reading with
the Sixth Sense device at the same time.
The script that follows is a typical example of how this plays:
Are you right-handed or left-handed?
Im right-handed.
I ask, because in the years that Ive been doing this, I have found an
overwhelming amount of people always place it in the hand they feel
most comfortable using. For you, its your right hand, so thats where
I expect you to have put it - yes?
Yes.
The participant opens their right hand to reveal the coin.
Excellent! Lets do this again. Place the coin behind your back and
when youve hidden it in one of your hands, please bring both hands

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forward.
The participant again places both hands behind their back and passes
the coin from hand to hand before bringing both hands out again.
The second time things are more interesting one, as in my experience,
most people try to catch me out by keeping it in the same hand.
As I say the above, my hands come up toward theirs to adjust their
hands and bring them ever so slightly wider apart. I receive my signal
from the Sixth Sense device and ensure I maintain eye contact with
the participant the entire time.
If the participant has indeed kept the coin in the same hand, I
will reveal that that is what I feel they will have done and ask for
confirmation.
If the participant hasnt kept it in the same hand, I continue with:
But thats most people I feel that you may have considered that
option for a few moments but then second-guessed yourself and
realized it would be the obvious choice - and therefore this time you
will have placed the coin in your opposite hand.
The participant cracks a smile and opens their hand revealing the
coin.
Now lets try this for the third and final time.

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The coin is once more taken behind the participants back, and they
hide it and bring both hands out as before.
This time, Id like you to drop one hand down to your side and keep
only one hand up. You take a moment to decide which hand you keep up:
the one with the coin or the one without.
The participant drops one hand down by their side, the performer
smiles and takes the hand that remains up right and continues:
I love this part. Nearly every time I ask people to drop one hand down
by their side, they go though a mild internal conflict. They first
think about dropping the hand that contains the coin, but quickly
realize that it is a defensive move that might be too obvious. So as a
result they decide to do the opposite and keep the hand that contains
the coin up right.
I take a look at the participant once more and smile, asking them
to open their hand and reveal the coin in the up right hand. At this
point, a close up audience generally believes your demonstration is
done - they will react and usually laugh, showing their appreciation
at the demonstration. At this point you should interject and proceed
into the real demonstration.
I appreciate your enthusiasm, but truth be known, that was just a
precursor. I needed you to see that in order for me to make my point.
Behaviour especially human behaviour tends to be very predictable,
and its because of this fact that I have a job!

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Ive been playing that particular which hand game for years, and find
that a very, very high percentage of people make the same choices. They
create a predictable pattern that once recognized, can be exploited
by people like me.
Because some behavioural patterns can be predicted, I decided a few
years ago to leave some things down to pure chance. Instead of asking
you to decide on which hand to put it in, we will simply spin the coin
on the table instead.
The coin is spun, using the force spin with the performer-taking note
of which side it will eventually stop.
I would like you to choose the moment when the coin should stop
spinning, just hold your hand over the coin and when you choose,
bring it down stopping the coin in its tracks.
The participant takes a few seconds then brings his hand down,
covering the coin. The performer turns his head away for the next
part and instructs the person to play the coin in hand game again,
only this time, the orientation of the coin will dictate which hand
the coin will be hidden in.
OK, so now, instead of you deciding rather predictably (wink) which
hand to hide the pound in, we shall let chance decide. If the coin
lands heads up, place it in your left fist. If its tails up, then place
it in your right hand. Hold both fists up as before and let me know
when its safe to turn my head back around.

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Of course, you have just previously remembered which side the coin
will land when you utilized the spin force and therefore you will
now also know in which hand the participant will hide the coin.
Your presentation from this point on will have to change to suit the
premise of genuinely reading the participant and trying to work out
which hand the coin is in.
You can repeat the game as many times as you wish, but I prefer to play
three rounds in total, varying the reveals to avoid any monotony.
When I perform this way, I really try to make the reveals as visual
and interesting as possible. What works for me wont necessary work
for you and vice-versa, it comes with experience and practice in real
performances.
Having said that, Id like to give some examples of the types of
revelations that I have used and experimented with over the years.

Exa m p l e R e ve al On e - (T h e F in g er)
Okay, hold both fists out a little wider at about chest height. Focus
on which hand contains the coin.
I bring my left hand up, with my index finger pointed upwards towards
the sky as I slowly lower it down from their eye line towards to the
hand that doesnt contain the coin. As I keep asking them to focus on
the location of the coin, I quickly change direction of my finger and

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tap the correct hand, claiming that this is where the coin has been
hidden.
This surprising reveal usually generates either a smile or a giggle
from the participant as youve misled them from the start, causing
them to believe that you were being drawn to the wrong hand.

Exa m p l e R e ve al T w o - (T his & Th a t)

Please hold both fists tightly, but down at your side. In a moment I
want you to bring just one fist up to chest height and say the words:
The coin is in this hand.
Good!
Now bring the other fist up to chest height, in line with your other
hand and say the words:
The coin is in that hand.
Excellent!
Once the participant has done this, there are two possible outcomes
to plan for. As you already know which hand contains the coin, simply
watch for whether the participant has called the fist hiding the coin
This or That and proceed as outlined below.

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The Participant Calls the Fist that Contains the Coin This
Ive been clever here and used a bit of psychology. It was interesting
to see which hand you assigned the value this to, as the term this
actually denotes ownership, and people subconsciously tend to
associate this hand with the coin. You see, because it is in their
hand, they will refer to something that is a part of them or in their
possession as this.

The Participant Calls the Fist that Contains the Coin That
Ive been clever here and used a bit of psychology. It was interesting
to see which hand you assigned the value this to, as the term this
actually denotes ownership, and people subconsciously tend to
associate this hand with the coin. You see, because it is in their
hand, they will refer to something that is a part of them or in their
possession as this. As a result the person holding the coin often
intuitively feels this is the case, and as their intention is to
deceive me, they end up changing their mind to try and catch me out.
So everyone I try this with will therefore call the hand with the coin
that to try and make it seem less obvious.

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Exa mp l e R e ve al T hr e e - (D r op o n e a rm)
Bring both fists out at chest height, just like you did in the previous
game. Focus on which hand contains the coin but dont give me any
clues, okay?
In a moment, I want you to drop just one arm down to your side. You
can choose to drop the empty hand down, or you can do what most other
people do in this situation and drop the hand down that actually
contains the coin - almost as if the weight of guilt made it heavier.
Take a few seconds now to decide which hand you will drop, and at the
count of three, let one hand fall to your side. One, two, three.
As before, only one of two things can occur:

Dropping the Empty Hand

When I labeled the hand that contained the coin as the guilty one,
you found yourself in something of a predicament.

It felt more

comfortable to drop the guilty hand, because it would be a case of out

of sight, out of mind and you could relax somewhat.
But because I said that, you felt it would almost be too obvious to
drop the guilty hand and therefore you will have at this point forced
yourself to have done the brave thing and kept the hand that contains
the coin up here at chest height. Open your hand and show us the coin.

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Dropping the Guilty Hand

By labeling the hand that contains the coin as the guilty one,
youve found yourself in something of a predicament. It feels more
comfortable to drop the guilty hand, because it would be a case of out
of sight, out of mind and you could relax somewhat.
Having said that now, it would almost be too obvious to drop the
guilty hand and therefore you will have, at this point, thought about
bluffing me and dropping the empty hand - but right at the last minute
you should have had doubts and reverted back to what felt comfortable
and dropped the guilty hand. Open it and show us the coin.

Exa m p l e R e ve al F ou r - (D o n t Lo o k !)
This is a cute presentation that can generate laughter amongst the
group if done right. Essentially, you will place the participant
under slight tension by instructing them not to give you any clue as
to which hand contains the coin. By doing so, it apparently gives you
an insight into which hand actually holds it.
Bring both hands up into fists but dont give me any clue as to which
one hides the coin. Take a deep breath in, hold it for a moment, and
then let it out. At no point must you give me any indication as to
which hand contains the coin. You must keep a poker face and give
nothing away. In fact, dont even look at the hand that contains the

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coin, understand?
As soon as you say those words, the participants face will tighten up
slightly as they resist looking at either hand. They have just been
given the instruction not to look at the guilty hand, therefore by a
process of elimination they wont look at the other hand because it
will instantly tell you which hand is guilty.
Their only real option is to look straight on. Continue with the
following:
The moment I asked you not to look at the hand with the coin in, your
reaction was to tense up slightly and avoid looking anywhere in the
vicinity of the guilty hand. As a result, your head flinched ever so
slightly in the opposite direction, away from what I now believe is
your guilty hand. The coin at this point, has to be in your right/left
hand.
I will usually choose from three of the above example reveals and mix
up the performances to try and give an organic, almost off the cuff
presentation.
I want to create the impression that I have many tools in my mental
tool kit from which I can draw from depends on the circumstances.
Once you have correctly revealed which hand contains the coin three
times in a row, you can either bring the demonstration to a close or
you can produce this kicker ending.

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P re dict ing t he Unp redi ctab le

At the start of this effect was a quote, I have included it below, and
the quote signifies bringing this effect full circle. It is optional,
and not needed, but sometimes is a lovely ending to an increasingly
engaging and interesting demonstration. If you choose to include
this ending, you will find the whole group will be often be discussing
it when you leave them:
The trouble with predictions is that people are predictable, what I
really want to do is predict the unpredictable.
You are able to predict the outcome of the second coin in hand game
because you are utilizing the spin force. If you predetermine how the
three coin spins will fall, then why not have it written on the back of
your business card and sealed in an envelope from the start?
Some mentalists argue (and they do have a very valid point) that
predicting an outcome - after you have supposedly read someones
thoughts - invalidates the whole process of mind reading. Why go to
that level of apparently receiving signals from a participant, only
to have apparently known all along what the thought or outcome was
going to be?
I agree wholeheartedly and have very little in way of a comeback in
this discussion.
However, I do genuinely believe that there are rare instances when

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the lines are blurred in favour of something inexplicable. I believe

that to predict the unpredictable, you are already blurring those
lines between what is possible and what can only be described as a
mystery.
At this point, Id like to introduce another friends thoughts on this
chapter. Atlas Brookings uses the Spin Force for a unique and quite
lovely effect. Im positive you will love it.

T h e L u cky T a lisma n - A t l as B r ook i ngs

Its lucky, he said, forcing the coin into my hand.
It took up nearly half of my palm and felt cold against my soft hands.
I was six.
How do you know, I remember hearing my small voice asking.
It just is.
He didnt want to tell me how he knew, but there was conviction in his
voice when he said it.
My grandfather passed away later that week.
It was only as I grew older that I remembered the incident and talked
with my grandmother about it.

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Why did he think it was lucky?

She looked at me, I think a bit pained by the sudden recall of the
idiosyncrasies of a man that she loved and who was no longer there.
And then her face softened and she smiled at me.
Well, your grandfather served in the armed forces. He was in Europe
during World War II. Being faced with life and death situations on
a daily basis made deeply superstitious men of them all. One of the
men in his platoon went to see a fortune teller, and she told him that
metal had a talismanic ability to hold good luck. She said that when
people had lucky streaks, it was because they were unknowingly in
possession of a coin that brought good fortune.
It was only when they spent that coin that their luck failed them.
She told the young man that if he could spin a coin five times and
correctly predict how it landed, that he ought not to spend it. It
would protect him and guide his fortunes.

This soldier returned

and told your grandfather, and soon, all the men were spinning their
coins before they spent them.
So the coin he gave me that was his lucky coin?
Yes. He once told me that hed spun it - not just five times, but ten.
Every time, it landed the way hed called. He didnt know what the
odds of that were, but he knew they werent good. And yet, hed done
it. Hed beat the odds. He told me how hed spun it that last time with
trembling fingers, and when it landed the way hed called, he just felt

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peace washing over him. It gave him confidence. He believed that

coin would preserve him and so he kept a cool head in every situation
he faced, and he came home to me entirely unscathed.
Now, I am a grown man, and I dont know really what to think about this.
Every word of it is true but I like to think that a man makes his own
luck.
But I also believe that there are things out there that we dont
entirely understand. Is it possible that the coins that pass through
our hands each day can bring us bouts of good fortune? I can only
propose that we put this to the test.
Has anyone here felt particularly lucky lately?
You have? Excellent. And do you have some change in your pocket?
Perfect. Lets have a look at these...
From here on in the presentation, youd use the coin spin force that
was outlined above to locate a lucky coin.
Now, every time Ive performed this, there has been a pile of change on
the table, and I take great pains to test a few coins before I get to the
lucky coin. This enhances the performance by building anticipation.
By the time you are employing the coin spin and have got four correct
calls in a row, the audience is on the edge of their seat. It also really
sells the idea that there is nothing tricky going on. When I perform
this, I am careful to seem curious about the process myself, and keep
an air of detached incredulity.

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The first time I did this, I was making it up as I went and didnt know
what to expect. The result was both shocking and gratifying. After
the tenth spin, my participant, a burly construction worker, took up
the coin and held it up to his friends.
I aint never spending this, he declared in a broad Yorkshire accent.
The way he said it, and the force of conviction in his voice was
indescribable.
I have no doubt that he still has that coin to this very day.
___________________
Thank you Atlas, I absolutely love this routine, its an enchanting,
yet simple piece and - whats best is that it is completely impromptu.
Speak to someone, borrow some of their coins and potentially change
their life forever. What more could you want?!

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O t h e r A p p l ica t ions f o r t he S pi n For ce

The coin spin force has potential applications across many plots in
mentalism and how you use it is up to you. Here are a couple of ideas
to get your creative juices flowing - I have, at one point or another,
experimented with all of them and still use one of the following in my
close up performances.
You might use the coin spin force:

As part of a traditional three phase One Ahead routine

In a Positive/Negative routine (You can genuinely control which

side the coin will land on a spin)

In my Nod to Pocketwatch routine - simply offer the participant

1 and ask the participant what they would buy with it. You can
predict the orientation of the coin spin and what product they
would buy with it.

In an open prediction made by a participant - for example someone

shouts heads, tails, tails and thats how the coin lands.

To never ever pay for a drink again. ;-)

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A n d No w f or So met hi ng...
coin toss. Included below are a selection of ideas that I have used in
conjunction with genuinely flipping a coin into the air and catching
it, yet still being able to determine the orientation of the coin.

T he T e e k (T ou c h P e ek )

a u t h o r i s e d
R E D A C T E D :
p r o j e c t
b l a c k
f u l l
f o r

The coin spin force isnt the only way to control the outcome of a

f o r
o n l y

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T he T r ap Door P e e k

a u t h o r i s e d
R E D A C T E D :
p r o j e c t
b l a c k
f u l l
f o r

f o r
o n l y

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T he C l i p P e e k

R E D A C T E D :
a u t h o r i s e d
f o r
f u l l
b l a c k
p r o j e c t

f o r
o n l y

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Twist & Turn

R E D A C T E D :
a u t h o r i s e d
f o r
f u l l
b l a c k
p r o j e c t

f o r
o n l y

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Orche st ra t ion

Michael Murray has a wonderful variation of the Twist and Turn move,
one that allows the participant to hold the coin when its orientation
is revealed.

a u t h o r i s e d
R E D A C T E D :
p r o j e c t
b l a c k
f u l l
f o r

An i de a b y M i c hae l M urra y

f o r
o n l y

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The Spin Force

R E D A C T E D :
a u t h o r i s e d
f o r
f u l l
b l a c k
p r o j e c t

f o r
o n l y

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The Spin Force

a u t h o r i s e d
R E D A C T E D :
p r o j e c t
b l a c k
f u l l
f o r

f o r
o n l y

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a u t h o r i s e d
R E D A C T E D :
p r o j e c t
b l a c k
f u l l
f o r

f o r
o n l y

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Coinf a bul a t io n Up dated

the best piece, in my opinion, for last.
Since the original Coinfabulation performance at Jamess wedding,
Atlas and I sat down at a pub and developed an interesting variant
that we are sharing here. Inspired by Laurences suggestion in Fish
& Chips of allowing the participant to spin the coin, we realized that
a few small changes in the routine could make a big impact.

R E D A C T E D :
a u t h o r i s e d
f o r
f u l l
b l a c k
p r o j e c t

Now that youve had a full sermon on coin work, I thought I would save

f o r
o n l y

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The Spin Force

R E D A C T E D :
a u t h o r i s e d
f o r
f u l l
b l a c k
p r o j e c t

f o r
o n l y

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The Spin Force

R E D A C T E D :
a u t h o r i s e d
f o r
f u l l
b l a c k
p r o j e c t

f o r
o n l y

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This is a story all asasa

life got flipped turne
down This is a story all a

asut how my life got fli

upside down This is aasd st
a story all asasasabou
got flipped turned up
is a stor

y all aboasasut how my

flippssed turned upside
aasd story all This is a s
asasasabout how my life
turned upsidsdsdse down T
all aboasasut how my li
flippssed turned This is a
asasasabout how my life
turned upsidsdsdse down T
all aboasasut how my li
flippssed turned upside
story all aboasasaago
turned upside down ups
aasd story all aboasasa
turned upside down This i
asasasabout how my life
turasdfiiroiujgj

upside down This is aasd st

aboasasaagot flipped
dow

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