Magic Tokens

Magic Tokens are coins & palming disk that are made specifically for magicians. They have been made of copper, silver, brass, bronze, nickel, base metal, wood, & later, plastic with the image of the magic or name.

They are usually stamped with the magician’s name & likeness. If they were also used for sleight of hand, they would be made with special features. T. Nelson Downs, for example, were unusually thin & well-balanced for easy palming & manipulation.

Tokens have been produced since the early 1700 to 1800's. These were often thrown out to the audience as mementos. Other were advertising pieces & souvenirs. Magic shops, including Martinka, Abbott Magic & Novelty Co. & L.L. Ireland Magic Co. Tannen's also coined their own tokens to promote themselves.

Books

• "Illustrated Checklist" by F. William Kuethe, Jr. (October 1978) which was produced as Vol. 18, No. 5 of the TAMS Journal. This is the bible for magic token collecting.

References

• http://collecting-stamps-coins.suite101.com/article.cfm/collecting_magic_tokens
• http://www.magic-collector.com/tokens.html