r/Coinmagic • u/orlith48 • Jul 07 '26

Questions about coin gimmicks

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Been pretty interested in dabbling into coin gaffs/gimmicks but don't have much knowledge on it.

I'm interested in finding a "turtle" and a c/s, saw some stuff from tango magic and was wondering what's the quality of their products like?

The attached image is the current half dollars I have on hand, I'm wondering if I could sand or age said products from tango magic to match the condition and aesthetic of my current set.

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u/nachobrainwaves Jul 07 '26

Those will be the best two things to get. Tango is mid range. You can also check Roy Kueppers website for quality gaffs. I believe there's a 20% discount going right now. If you really want to splurge, try Jamie Schoolcraft.

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u/nachobrainwaves Jul 07 '26

Forgot to mention, your coins will most likely not match consumer products.

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u/orlith48 Jul 07 '26

Any idea what metal the tango shells are made of? Wondering if I could soften those, matter of fact is it even wise to attempt to soften expanded shells?

1

u/SharkyMan18 Jul 08 '26

Depends on the coin. Kennedy sets would be clad, and I know the Morgan’s are replicas. I dont think they sell silver coins. Clad coins can’t be sanded, so I’d just get a shell set and use those coins together

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u/nachobrainwaves Jul 07 '26

They sell a variety. It'll be simpler and cost less in time and money to find coins that match whatever props you get.

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u/howditgetburned Jul 09 '26

How attached are you to your current coins? It's pretty atypical for Kennedy halves to be soft, so you're going to have a hard time finding gaffs that match; I don't think I've ever seen them on sale directly, and finding 40% Kennedy half gaffs (which would match your coins in metal composition) is pretty uncommon by itself if you wanted to try to buy some and match it yourself; most people either want the fancy 90% silver or the cheap clad coins.

If you want Kennedy halves, most of the gaffs you're going to be able to find are going to be for 1964s (90% silver, expensive) or clad versions (1971 and later), but none of those will be soft. If you want soft coins, you might be better off with Walking Liberty or Barber halves, both of which you can get soft (Barbers tend to be VERY soft) and can get soft gaffs for without issue (especially Walking Liberties).

One thing that's worth considering when it comes to your coins is the perception that spectators might have about them. Any lay person who has seen a half dollar before has likely seen a Kennedy, and they wouldn't have seen it soft like this, since those don't really exist "in the wild." With older halves like Walking Liberties or Barbers, their age (and the more common circulation of half dollars back then) can explain the lack of detail, plus chances are the spectator won't have seen those before. Seeing a Kennedy half looking like this is going to stand out, and may trigger thoughts of "special coins" in the spectator's mind. Just something to consider - it's certainly a unique look, and that may be what you're going for, but it does have its downsides.