By Bob Sheets
 
HISTORY:
I read this effect in The Artfull Dodges of Eddie Fields and actually tried it out a few times. It was strong but it did not have as strong a finish as I was looking for. I never forgot the idea because sucker card tricks are hard to come by. Years later I saw Cheek to Cheek and voilà, a less complicated method and a real blockbuster finish to a series of strong tricks. I have fooled some name magicians (who out of embarrassment shall remain nameless) with this routine.
 
All right it was Larry Jennings—he had a few cocktails (the more they drink the better the tricks look)—and he asked me to do a few tricks for him. It was a weak moment but anybody that knows him, a few under the belt or not, Larry is still one of the toughest guys to fool. This guy is no punk! When you fool him he tells you so. I of course tipped. He swung, I ducked and we both laughed real hard. Lots of guys, when you fool them, go get a friend and say “do it for ol’ Tommy Rot.” What jerks. Larry I love ya.
 
Description:
Two cards are selected and returned to the pack and freely shuffled, some face up and some face down. The deck is spread showing the cards in shuffled disarray.
A coin is then dropped by the magician on a face-down card which is revealed to be one of the selected cards.
 
The magician admits the trick would be better if the SPECTATOR did the trick.
The spectator is asked to drop the coin on any face-down card AND THAT WILL BE HIS CARD. An impossible trick since the spectator is looking at his card face up in the deck. But he goes for it anyway. The card is then miraculously revealed under the coin.
 
Three cards are then selected, returned, the deck shuffled, and when spread the WHOLE DECK, except the three selected cards, is now face down. YOU CAN’T FOLLOW.