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[ALLEN, Ken] Chinatown Quarter (1953)
[ALLEN, Ken] Chinatown Quarter (1953)
No place: No publisher, no date [1953]. First Edition. Small printed envelope which contains a one page sheet of instructions (on one side only) plus a manilla envelope and 4 smaller white envelopes. Inside the manilla envelope is a fake coin (removed from its plastic wrap, though wrap still present) with one side being a 1952 Washington quarter, the other side is a Chinese coin with a square in the middle. The 2 effects listed on the sheet require a regular quarter and a Chinese coin. It is unclear if the real Chinese coin was supposed to be included here or provided from another source. The only coin here is the fake coin with two sides. The fake coin shows some wear from use. The envelopes and instruction sheet are in very nice condition. The outer envelope has light edge wear. Very good to near fine.
The magician causes an American quarter to transform into an antique brass Chinese coin, that has a hole right through its center! "Chinatown Quarter" consisted of Allen's routine, as well as a gimmicked coin. But mostly, the name is now associated with the coin itself. "Chinatown Half-Dollar" came out sometime in the late fifties, and the silver-dollar size followed shortly thereafter. All three have since been used by magicians in many other tricks.