David Roth's Expert Coin Magic Made Easy, Volumes 1,2, & 3
VS.
Michael Ammar's Complete Introduction to Coin Magic DVD
VS.
David Stone's Coin Magic Videos, Volumes 1 & 2.
(Click titles to read in depth reviews)
I often hear the question asked by those starting out in coin magic: What video should I get to start out? Most often the response is the David Roth tapes (or DVDs), the Ammar tape (or DVD), or the David Stone tapes (or DVDs). All of the tapes not only provide teaching on fundamental coin magic techniques, but they also teach a nice sampling of routines with which you can apply your new found knowledge.
Personally, I love coin magic and am glad to own all three of the products. I can honestly say I have learned and USE something from each individual series. I know everyone is not a coin nut like me, some of you will want to just buy one series and learn from it. Realizing this, I have created a chart below that lists all the fundamental techniques taught on each tape, so you can better analyze what set you want to go with. I have highlighted in yellow the 13 items that overlap all three products (meaning they all teach it). Highlighted in green 19 are items that two of the 3 products teach but is neglected by one of the others. And lastly highlighted in rose color are 32 items taught exclusively on one set that the other two do not cover. Additionally, for the Roth tapes and the Stone tapes I list what volume number the specific technique is found on. The Ammar DVD is singular, so I just put an "X" in the categories it covers.
| LEGEND | All Teach | Two Teach | Exclusive |
| Roth Vol 1-3 | Ammar | Stone Vol 1-2 | |
| CONCEALMENTS | |||
| Back Clip | X | 2 | |
| Back Thumb Palm | X | 2 | |
| Classic Palm | 1 | X | 1 |
| Classic Palm one coin out of several | 2 | 1 | |
| Curl Palm | 2 | ||
| Deep Back Clip | 2 | X | |
| Downs Palm | 2 | X | |
| Edge Grip | 2 | 2 | |
| Finger Palm | 1 | X | 1 |
| Finger Tip Rest | 1 | X | 1 |
| Front Finger Clip | 2 | X | 2 |
| Tenkai (Goshman) Pinch | X | 2 | |
| Thumb Palm | 1 | X | 2 |
| CONCEALMENT TRANSFERS | |||
| Classic to Finger Palm | 1 | ||
| Finger to Classic Palm | 1 | ||
| Finger to Thumb Palm | 1 | ||
| Thumb to Classic Palm | 1 | ||
| Thumb to Finger Palm | 1 | ||
| FALSE TRANSFERS & VANISHES | |||
| Bobo Switch | 1 | 1 | |
| Classic Palm Vanish | 1 | X | 1 |
| Click Pass | 2 | ||
| Dr. E.M. Roberts Sleeving | 2 | ||
| Finger Palm Vanish | 1 | X | 1 |
| French Drop | 1 | X | 1 |
| Friction Palm | 2 | X | 1 |
| Han Ping Chien | 2 | 1 | |
| Loose French Drop | X | ||
| Palm Change | 3 | 1 | |
| Pointing Transfer | 3 | ||
| Retention Pass | 2 | X | 1 |
| Reverse French Drop | X | ||
| Schneider Vanish | X | ||
| Shuttle Pass | 1 | X | 1 |
| Simple Take | X | ||
| Slide Vanish | X | ||
| Spider Vanish | 2 | X | 1 |
| Thumb Palm Vanish | 1 | X | |
| Top Pocket Vanish | 3 | 2 | |
| Utility Switch | 1 | 1 | |
| COIN LOADS | |||
| Dai Vernon Load | 1 | X | |
| L'Homme Masque | 1 | X | 1 |
| Open Load While Taking a Coin | X | 1 | |
| COIN CHANGES | |||
| Flash Change | 2 | ||
| Metamorphosis Change | 3 | ||
| Spellbound Change | 2 | 1 | |
| COIN STEALS | |||
| Bobo Complete Vanish | X | ||
| Palm Down Steal | X | ||
| Pointing Steal | X | 2 | |
| The Cardini Steal | 3 | ||
| COIN SUBTLETIES | |||
| Kaps/Malini Subtlety | 2 | X | |
| Loupi's Table Turnover | 2 | ||
| Pely's Secret Turnover | 2 | ||
| Ramsay Subtlety | 1 | X | 1 |
| The Olram Subtlety with Coins | 2 | ||
| The Wand Subtlety | 1 | X | |
| AQUITMENTS |