David Roth is a renowned magician who has made significant contributions to the field of coin magic. Born in 1952 in Brooklyn, New York, Roth began his love affair with magic at a young age. Roth's interest in magic was sparked by a visit to the famous magician, Slydini, who mentored him and helped him perfect his skills. Over the years, Roth's close-up magic acts became legendary, with Roger Ebert referring to him as "a genius with coins." One of Roth's signature routines is his handling of the famous "Wild Coin" effect. He has developed several innovative methods to produce and vanish coins, leaving his audiences amazed and perplexed.

David Roth was the premiere coin manipulator.
Other magicians describe him as a “legend” and a
performer with “amazing ability … a genius.”

His remarkable and unique style of magic is performed in a very distinctive and intimate way—this is magic in its purest form. Sleight-of-hand, not on stage but directly before you.

World renowned

David has performed the world over. He has made television appearances in South America, Europe, Japan, and of course the United States, where he has been seen on the David Letterman show, HBOs “Magical Moments,” and other network appearances over the years. David Roth is one of the finest sleight-of-hand performers in the world.

Lauded by his peers

Two-time winner of the coveted Magician of the Year award at the Magic Castle, and their Creative Fellowship for Lifetime Achievement in Magic. He received the Medal of the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star from the Magic Circle in England. As magic consultant to Ricky Jay in “Ricky Jay on the Stem” and “Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants,” he traveled extensively with Jay in the hit show.

Always Impressive

David has performed the world over. He has made television appearances in South America, Europe, Japan, and of course the United States, where he has been seen on the David Letterman show, HBOs “Magical Moments,” and other network appearances over the years. David Roth is one of the finest sleight-of-hand performers in the world.

See his videos, including a video of his memorial, here.

The Genii Forum

There are multiple reports that David Roth has died. There are no details at this time, other than we have lost yet another giant of magic.

Leonard Hevia Posts: 1951 Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm Favorite Magician: Dai Vernon, Frank Garcia, Slydini, Houdini, Location: Gaithersburg, Md.

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Leonard Hevia » January 15th, 2021, 7:08 am

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by luigimar » January 15th, 2021, 8:54 am

I.M. Magician Posts: 1122 Joined: August 19th, 2013, 10:49 pm Favorite Magician: All of the very best! Location: Magicville

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by I.M. Magician » January 15th, 2021, 10:12 am

How sad. he was only 68!

I had a wonderful conversation with him several years back and really appreciated having the opportunity to do so. I still think about the things we discussed that day.

He was a regular guy and a really nice guy as well as an excellent magician.

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by erdnasephile » January 15th, 2021, 10:17 am

The greatest coin magician I have ever seen and a fantastic teacher of magic. Gone way too soon.

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by PapaG » January 15th, 2021, 10:22 am

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Jack Shalom » January 15th, 2021, 12:58 pm

Oh, how awful. At Fantasma he destroyed me with a cheek to cheek deck. I was looking for the sleights.

All proceeds to Open Heart Magic charity.

MagicbyAlfred Posts: 2388 Joined: June 7th, 2015, 12:48 pm Favorite Magician: Bill Malone Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by MagicbyAlfred » January 15th, 2021, 1:32 pm

What. This is a total shocker! 68 years young, and gone far too soon! The very personification of what clean deceptive coin work should be. Sincere condolences to his family! It wouldn't surprise me if, as we speak, he's approaching a group of angels with a '64 Kennedy Half, saying: "Look, a half dollar, a fifty-cent piece, a silver coin. Watch. " as they look on enraptured and totally captivated.

Jeffrey Cowan Posts: 271 Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm Favorite Magician: Bob Kohler & Tim Conover Location: Beverly Hills, CA Contact:

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Jeffrey Cowan » January 15th, 2021, 3:50 pm

Definitely a shame. David was generous with me when I presented myself at the FAO Schwartz magic counter in 1986 and asked for some feedback on the palm to palm change I had been learning from his video. He then did it for me with sets of dice, switching two for two. It was perfect and an ephiphany. It's a good thing he had pledged to use his powers for good

And for those who don't know, his card work was beyond superb -- as I learned when he did a few things for me and some laymen in the store.

Leonard Hevia Posts: 1951 Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm Favorite Magician: Dai Vernon, Frank Garcia, Slydini, Houdini, Location: Gaithersburg, Md.

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Leonard Hevia » January 15th, 2021, 6:50 pm

Roth's abilities went beyond coins. His work on the chop cup elevated it from the guessing game. He could do the cups and balls very well, and his three ball routine was superb. His general knowledge of magic and its history was impressive. He was among the next wave of magicians like Steve Freeman, and Earl Nelson, who traveled to the Castle in the 70s to be with Vernon.

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Brad Jeffers » January 15th, 2021, 10:38 pm

My girlfriend and I had a front row seat at a David Roth lecture at the 2008 SCAM convention.
She was extremely impressed and still talks about it to this day.
We were both saddened to hear of his passing.

Richard Kaufman Posts: 27000 Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand Location: Washington DC Contact:

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Richard Kaufman » January 16th, 2021, 11:18 am

Roth used bridge sized cards, and often did an excellent Straddle Pass, something you don't see often.

I.M. Magician Posts: 1122 Joined: August 19th, 2013, 10:49 pm Favorite Magician: All of the very best! Location: Magicville

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by I.M. Magician » January 16th, 2021, 11:42 am

Richard Kaufman Posts: 27000 Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand Location: Washington DC Contact:

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Richard Kaufman » January 16th, 2021, 2:35 pm

I believe the law in New York City is that when someone who dies alone an autopsy is automatically required. Not sure if that's still the case, or if the novel coronavirus has changed that. And of course the results are private unless someone makes them public. If Roth's sister is no longer living, then he has no immediate survivors.

MagicbyAlfred Posts: 2388 Joined: June 7th, 2015, 12:48 pm Favorite Magician: Bill Malone Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by MagicbyAlfred » January 16th, 2021, 9:17 pm

This wonderful clip was just posted yesterday in honor of David. It's a young David Roth appearing on the Robert Klein Show in 1987. He would have been 33 (possibly 34) at the time of this appearance. So smooth, and the misdirection and timing are phenomenal! Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pevxL9Rc2Ho

I.M. Magician Posts: 1122 Joined: August 19th, 2013, 10:49 pm Favorite Magician: All of the very best! Location: Magicville

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by I.M. Magician » January 16th, 2021, 9:55 pm

Thanks for sharing that Alfred! It was David at an important time in his career. A young extremely talented magician making his rounds all over the place performing his magic.

Jonathan Townsend Posts: 8693 Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm Location: Westchester, NY Contact:

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Jonathan Townsend » January 16th, 2021, 10:02 pm

Thanks MBA. Somewhere out there is a video from his appearance on Wonderama. The Tuning Fork routine was magical and poetic.

. leaves [us] with just the tuning fork, the glass, and. the memory.

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Brad Jeffers » January 17th, 2021, 1:02 am

HERE is a clearer copy of the video Alfred posted. It was posted by Peter Samelson, who along with Dorothy Dietrich, appeared on the same show.

HERE is the interview segment of the program.

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Jim Martin » January 17th, 2021, 10:19 am

I.M. Magician Posts: 1122 Joined: August 19th, 2013, 10:49 pm Favorite Magician: All of the very best! Location: Magicville

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by I.M. Magician » January 17th, 2021, 10:26 am

Not sure how you decided that! He seemed to be stepping on David’s presentation at first and David seemed to be annoyed with him. Then, Klein calmed down and allowed David to do his presentation.

At least, that is how I viewed that segment.

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Jim Martin » January 17th, 2021, 10:50 am

Not sure how you decided that! He seemed to be stepping on David’s presentation at first and David seemed to be annoyed with him. Then, Klein calmed down and allowed David to do his presentation.

At least, that is how I viewed that segment.

I don't disagree with you about the opening.

I felt that Klein gave an appropriate, respectful intro. Then as you stated, at first, he was being silly and ad libbing for a short period of time - and David responded and participated. Klein stopped and the viewer's focus shifted to view David's work.
The more David did, the more magical it became.

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Michael Rubinstein » January 17th, 2021, 12:08 pm

David passed suddenly and unexpectedly at home from complications stemming from chronic health issues he had. He is survived by his sister Linda. However, I am writing for another reason. David's cat was taken by the police from his apartment, and is now held at the Manhattan ACC for only a few days. Then, I don't know. Neppi is 9(they have him as 5 and misnamed him Nippi), a neutered male with all shots. He only has lived with David, and is probably shy with others. He needs a home quickly, someone with no kids or pets who would be patient with him. He is now in a cage, scared and alone after losing his only friend. If you can help, please please please let me know. My email is [email protected]

I.M. Magician Posts: 1122 Joined: August 19th, 2013, 10:49 pm Favorite Magician: All of the very best! Location: Magicville

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by I.M. Magician » January 17th, 2021, 12:12 pm

I am now praying that someone loving takes ownership and excellent care of his cat Neppi.

If I could adopt Neppi, I surely would but circumstances do not allow for that to happen unfortunately.

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Michael Rubinstein » January 17th, 2021, 2:11 pm

MagicbyAlfred Posts: 2388 Joined: June 7th, 2015, 12:48 pm Favorite Magician: Bill Malone Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by MagicbyAlfred » January 17th, 2021, 2:25 pm

I.M. Magician wrote: I am now praying that someone loving takes ownership and excellent care of his cat Neppi.

If I could adopt Neppi, I surely would but circumstances do not allow for that to happen unfortunately.

That is a kind sentiment, I.M. Cats are the cat's meow! And great news, Michael, your post must have done the trick!

And I agree I.M. that Klein was stepping all over Roth right out of the gate - and that David was (understandably> annoyed. It made me feel uneasy for Roth right from the get-go. It is to his credit that, despite Klein essentially heckling him and forcing him to get off to an awkward start on National T.V., David overcame it, rallied beautifully, and took control. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some producer in Klein's ear telling him to back off. The reality is that there are some people who don't like anyone else to be the center of attention, and as magicians, we've all encountered them from time to time. It is an undesirable personality trait that can be displayed by "friends," family members, Joe Blow at a party, and yes, certain celebrities. It is an especially undesirable trait for a television host who is supposed to help make their guests look good, not rattle them.

I.M. Magician Posts: 1122 Joined: August 19th, 2013, 10:49 pm Favorite Magician: All of the very best! Location: Magicville

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by I.M. Magician » January 17th, 2021, 3:08 pm

I.M. Magician wrote: I am now praying that someone loving takes ownership and excellent care of his cat Neppi.

If I could adopt Neppi, I surely would but circumstances do not allow for that to happen unfortunately.

That is a kind sentiment, I.M. Cats are the cat's meow! And great news, Michael, your post must have done the trick!

And I agree I.M. that Klein was stepping all over Roth right out of the gate - and that David was (understandably> annoyed. It made me feel uneasy for Roth right from the get-go. It is to his credit that, despite Klein essentially heckling him and forcing him to get off to an awkward start on National T.V., David overcame it, rallied beautifully, and took control. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some producer in Klein's ear telling him to back off. The reality is that there are some people who don't like anyone else to be the center of attention, and as magicians, we've all encountered them from time to time. It is an undesirable personality trait that can be displayed by "friends," family members, Joe Blow at a party, and yes, certain celebrities. It is an especially undesirable trait for a television host who is supposed to help make their guests look good, not rattle them.

First, I am so very happy that Neppi is getting a new (and hopefully loving) home! Thank goodness!!

Second, I agree with your thoughts Alfred. I see it the same way.

Letterman was notorious for fouling up a magician’s performance.

Leonard Hevia Posts: 1951 Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm Favorite Magician: Dai Vernon, Frank Garcia, Slydini, Houdini, Location: Gaithersburg, Md.

Re: RIP David Roth

Post by Leonard Hevia » January 21st, 2021, 6:47 am

A nice tribute to Roth by Swiss:

David roth magician

David Roth is widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest coin magicians. Roth is known both for tremendous technical mastery and for playful and surrealistic formal performance pieces. Roth is considered one of the finest sleight-of-hand performers, and is world-renowned as the finest coin manipulator. His peers describe him as a “legend,” and a performer with “amazing ability … a genius.” This is magic in its purest form. Sleight-of-hand, not on stage but directly before you.

First let me state that David Roth has an amazing ability when performing with coins. He is truly a genius. I have been fortunate to have enjoyed the confidence and friendship of the leading exponents of coin manipulation of the past. T. Nelson Downs, Allan Shaw, Manuel and Welch Miller all specialized in this branch of the magical art. To the very best of my judgment, David’s ideas and execution far surpass any one of them. I feel quite certain that if they could witness his performance they would not only be astounded but realize that they had seen the master.

—Dai Vernon

David has performed the world over. He has made television appearances in South America, Europe, Japan, and of course the United States, where he has been seen on the David Letterman show, HBOs “Magical Moments,” and other network appearances over the years.

Roth was an important contributor to Richard Kaufman’s Coinmagic a widely regarded text on contemporary coin technique; his major work was chronicled in David Roth’s Expert Coin Magic, a book co-written with Richard Kaufman. Roth has lectured for magic enthusiasts around the world and has produced numerous instructional videos. Roth is associated with Conjuring Arts Library in New York City.

Lauded by his peers, he has twice won the coveted Magician of the Year award at the Magic Castle, and their Creative Fellowship for Lifetime Achievement in Magic. He received the Medal of the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star from the Magic Circle in England. He was backstage magic consultant to Ricky Jay in “Ricky Jay On The Stem” and has traveled extensively with Jay in the hit show, “Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants.” His book Expert Coin Magic has become a standard text on the subject and is known to magicians all over the world.

David also worked with Conjuring Arts Hocus Pocus Project, bringing magic to incarcerated youth. Read the New York Times article here.

He honed his remarkable skills the way a concert pianist would, and he was continually developing new routines and adaptations of classical ones. His style, his wit, his affability and his charm are unequaled, and he was an asset at any kind of event you may be hosting—cocktail parties, birthday parties for adults, trade shows, corporate events—you name it!

David Roth: Master in Residence by Noah Levine

Magic Castle awards

1974 “Visiting Magician of the Year”
1977 “Close Up Magician of the Year”
1998 “Creative Fellowship Award”
1999 The “Medal of the Inner Magic Circle with the Gold Star”
1999 “Lecturer of the Year”

Major technical contributions

Roth’s trick “The Hanging Coins” (which was first revealed in Apocalypse magazine, Volume 1, No. 6, page 68, 1978) took an ancient, and long ignored, sleight of hand technique and made it far more deceptive and useful. This technique, which Roth dubbed “Edge Grip,” has subsequently been explored in depth by other experts in the field. It is a significant tool of contemporary coin magic.

Roth’s virtuoso execution of a “persistence of vision vanish” led to tremendous interest in his handling of the move (which he refers to “The Retention Vanish”), and – perhaps – to increased use of this move among magicians.

Roth’s handling and application of a technique that has—largely thanks to him—become known as “The Shuttle Pass” is highly influential.

Roth’s “The Original Chinese Coin Assembly” was highly influential as the first published coin assembly that used the bare hands. This was a highly influential development that has been widely used and explored by other sleight of hand experts.

Roth’s literary works

Expert Coin Magic by David Roth (Instructional book on coin magic published by Richard Kauffman)
Expert Coin Magic Made Easy vol 1–3 (Instructional DVD set)
ULTIMATE COIN MAGIC COLLECTION vol 1–4 (Instructional DVD set)

Theatrical credits

In 2003 Roth co-wrote and co-starred along with Darwin Ortiz in All of the People, All of the Time. It also co-starred actress Ruth Williamson and was co-written by Patrick Cook. It opened in Charlotte, North Carolina and later played in Waterford, Connecticut.

He has consulted for Ricky Jay’s production of On The Stem as well as Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants in which he was credited in the program as Ricky’s ‘53rd Assistant.’

David roth magician

I've known David Roth since he was 17 and I was 20. So that's over 50 years. I just spoke to him several days ago. He sounded fine. He was telling me about when he knew Francis Carlyle. David knew these great anecdotes because he knew so many of the guys. I just heard this news from Jeff McBride. On the Genii forum there is a whole page, but no one knows anything. Someone could check with Darwin Ortiz or Pat Cook. They'd know. This is shocking. Gregg Webb

My friend David Roth is gone. He was my best friend in magic. He had some health issues, but I never thought he would leave us so soon (and the details of his passing aren't important). To many he was a legend, the man who shaped coin magic for generations. To me, he was someone who I could call and we would talk for hours. Not just about magic, although he loved to share stories about the Giants in magic. We would talk about our lives, and what we were up to. Years ago, he stayed with me for three months after a fire broke out in his apartment, and in all that time we never had those all-night sessions that magicians love. We just talked about life, and my cats. In fact, he turned down an offer to move into the city to be closer to his place of work, because he confessed, he didn't want to leave my cats!!
In recent years due to my own health issues we didn't see each other much, but in earlier times we toured the world together, going through Europe, Japan, Malaysia, and the Philippines. We traveled together, just because we enjoyed each other's company, and had a blast promoting our shared love of coin magic. Often, after our lectures, we would get together with the attendees and David would wow them with incredible card magic! Yes, David had some of the best teachers in card magic like Marlo, Jennings, Ortiz, and others, who shared secret stuff with David because he wasn't a card guy!
Together with Mike Gallo (and initially Geoff Latta), we held the famous New York Coin Magic Seminars. The first was held in a hotel in Manhattan, one was held in Las Vegas, and the rest at Marc DeSouza's magic theatre. The work we created, a DVD series consisting of over 34 hours and over 225 routines and discussions on all aspects of coin magic, have been called by Bill Wells the video Bobo for the 21st. century. Of course his own work, preserved in his own book and DVD sets, are classics and will be in itself lessons for generations to come.
David was always so supportive of my coin magic, and his advice made me a better magician. From David I learned about how to build a routine, the importance of patter, and how to make magic look as clean as possible. I always tell the story that after seeing David perform for the first time as a teenager, I changed my entire philosophy of coin magic and developed my own retention and fingertip style. To be more like David. He was the Best.
He used to kid me that when I went to his apartment for the first time in 1983 to have a session, I brought a box of fresh ruggalah. The way the afternoon went, was that I performed, and he watched. I guess I passed the test because we became friends for life. When I got overwhelmed with work and raising a family and had to put magic to the side for a while, it was David who kept calling me to keep me updated with all the news in the magic world until I was ready to come back.
When we were kids, we watched as the greats of the generation before us slowly began to pass on. And we realized that we, and all the guys of our age group, were the people that everyone now looked up to, as we had looked up to the Vernons, the Slydinis, the Kaps, and the New York guys like Ken Krenzel, Gene Maze, Derek Dingle, Herb Zarrow, Sam Schwartz, Harvey Rosenthal, and so many more. And now, it seems like our generation is passing down the torch to a great new group of young, talented magicians, who will become the older generation, and so it goes. The changing of the guard. But no one will ever be able to replace my friend, who has impacted the lives of magicians the world over, now, and for generations to come. R.I.P. David (1952-2021).

S.E.M. (The Sun, the Moon, and the Earth) is a sun and moon routine unlike any other. Limited to 100 sets, here is the promo:
https://youtu.be/aFuAWCNEuOI?si=ZdDUNV8lUPWvtOcL
$325 ppd USA (Shipping extra outside of USA). If interested, shoot me an email for ordering information at [email protected]

I was working at Tannen's when David bought a red close-up mat which he was going to use because he was going to perform at the Magic Castle the first time. He had me bring out about three different ones because he wanted it to be perfect. I understood.
Before long I saw Vernon on, maybe Dick Cavett's show, talking about David Roth. Vernon had been blown away and admitted it on national TV. Before too long, it seems, I met Geoff Latta who was somewhat in the know about David's techniques. David had been helping him. Later I was to find that David was helpful to a fault. One reason he and I got along was that I wasn't trying to learn his techniques because I was trying to develop my own. which he respected.
Again, seemingly before too long Richard Kaufman's book on Coinmagic came out. Before too long it seems, The first few issues of The Apocalypse came out, and then Kaufman's big book on David's coin magic came out.
I must say that at the time, you saw very little great coin magic. Slydini of course did coins. Shigeo Takagi from Japan showed me a really great matrix with quarters. That was a very interesting time. Many guys did cards. Very few did coins. One heard of Kaps, or Goshman, various other names. but nobody at the time could make it look like the way David did. Magicians would surround him just watching him do his Retention of Vision vanish (you thought you saw the coin in the hand before it vanished). He called it "getting a burn". Or watching him just do his Spellbound variations.
Most guys at that time, when they did coin tricks. they looked like coin "tricks". David really got it to look like real magic. Young guys today with the
DVD's and all might not be able to realize the state of coin magic before him. He made coins magical.

I remember when I first tried the shuttle pass, it felt clumsy and I wasn't sure if it would fool anyone. Then I saw David Roth, and was blown away how real it looked. The Hanging Coins transformed the way I approached coin magic. Then Wild Coin. Various Spellbound handlings. The Black Hole. And on and on. David was truly very talented and creative to the point of being out-of-the-box in his thinking. Much imitated but never equaled, he was the epitome of a true original.

David came over to London in 95 on business and while here a small workshop was arranged by Morley Budden (Kaymar Magic). I travelled down from the northeast to attend.
There was about a halfdozen of us there. Everything we asked he covered, even types of close up mat that worked best for him. I vividly remember him stood right under my nose going through the deep back clip recovery.
In between the teaching he did a few card tricks which easily fried us (or me anyway).
Back then being quite young and always broke it was an effort to get time off work and pay for train tickets down to London but it was the best money I ever spent.
I would love to know who else was there that afternoon. Back before the day of mobile phones and email addresses to my regret I never made the effort to keep in touch with anyone.

RIP Mr Roth. A master of performance and teaching.

In 1996 I was Jean-Pierre Vallarino's assistant in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during the great Bazaar de Magia convention.
There I met David, we talked about everything, but mainly coin magic lol !
I encouraged me to pursue my research on the back thumb palm, giving me several sources to study.
I'm grateful for all he brought to the magical world, and first of all for his kindness.

It's always a sad day when we lose another giant - perhaps sadder too for those new ones of us who never got to know the greats in the first place.. thoughts and prayers to everyone

For those of us who want to see some of his best work, what would people recommend? The New York Coin Seminar stuff?

So sorry to hear this. 😔

I spoke to Roth for his birthday a couple/few years ago and we had a great conversation. I was humbled that he knew of some of my work. WOW. I have known him for many years growing up in NYC and frequenting the old Tannen's Magic Shop near Times Square. Man, Roth was Coin Magic for me, and it was always good to run into him here & there over the years, always a special moment. And it was just beautiful to watch him work, no one did it any better, and he taught most of us here & worldwide a thing or two as to the art with that famed, “. 50 cent piece” of his. He will be sorely missed, and his influence and expert ingredients will live on in me and surely many others for all time and then some.

Finally, to a real Master here and everywhere. Thank you for being such a nice man and a great magician that gave so much more than you ever took. Now, onward to see the greatest magic that ever was. R.I.P. 🙏🏽

*Check out my latest: Gifts From The Old Country: A Mini-Magic Book , MBs Mini-Lecture on Coin Magic, The MB Tanspo PLUS, MB's Morgan, Copper Silver INC, Double Trouble, FlySki, Crimp Change - REDUX!, and other fine magic at gumroad.com/mb217magic

"Believe in YOU, and you will see the greatest magic that ever was." -Mb

I was thinking about one area of David's work that I feel has been misunderstood by many writers. They refer to the Retention Pass as any time you keep the coin held-out or held-back in the opposite hand, as in "you pretend to put the coin in the left hand but RETAIN it in the right hand". Well, this is not what he meant.
He was referring to Retinal Retention or Persistence of Vision. See, he was operating on another plane. He kept his coins shiny and just before a coin was to vanish, he'd hold it still, on the left palm but still held by the right fingers and thumb tips, long enough to "burn" an image into the retina of the viewer so that after the hand was closed, as the coin was stolen away, your retina told you the coin was still there. Then he timed the opening of the left hand to reveal the vanish. that you could swear you saw the coin "dematerialize". It was amazing to see up close. He called it "getting a burn" and he used to do it over and over for those of us who were friends of his. This technique made his coin magic seem like supernatural phenomena. I feel that a lot of people who never knew him well enough to see this up-close think that Retention Pass means just keeping (retaining) the coin in the other hand. a fake-"put". No. it is Retention of Vision Pass or Retinal Retention Pass. In the early days it was just Geoff Latta who was understanding this.

On Jan 16, 2021, Betrayal Mix wrote: For those of us who want to see some of his best work, what would people recommend? The New York Coin Seminar stuff?

Everything Roth released in print and on DVD was great. He was that amazing. If his name is on it, get it.

Notice that Roth never worked with silver dollars, only half dollar sized coins. At a lecture I attended he pointed out that his hands were small and he was more comfortable with half dollars.

The best description of Roth's ROV vanish is in Kaufman's CoinMagic book. Several pagesges are devoted to the nuances that Roth thought were important. It might also be in Expert Coin Magic. Roth noted that it was important for the coin to catch the light before the move. Right before it went into the receiving hand, the coin was revolved from edge on to flat surface toward the audience. This would reflect a brilliant flash outwards, if the coin was polished.

Gregg, nice to explain this here as to Roth. I remember Mickey Silver mentioning Roth to me as to this long ago, and of course Mickey took it to an even higher level as to truly understanding the extensive power of it in the right hands.

I use a simple retention pass but know many ways to do it, as for me it is just a tool to get from here to there in an effect. The whole action of it becomes second nature within a routine. And usually you can substitute a fake put, but a cleverly placed use of the persistence of vision is quite a bit more convincing and eventually more startling, as you mention Roth originally showed and made better known.

And Leo, I learned an awfully lot from the man, his DVDs were gold as to learning good coin magic. I would guess they would remain HIGHLY RECOMMENDED forever. I can't perceive a moment in time when they would not be anything but required learning. (Oh, and Mix, Roth's work can be seen all over the internet and it takes you only a minute to see how truly good he was from the simple to the complex, which he made look simple).

Leo, I remember him also somewhere mentioning preferring half dollars to silver dollars, mostly a matter of comfort for him as you said. I think they are more comfortable for most people really, especially just starting out and as you go down the road a'piece. Oh, and once you get that retention vanish down, it works even with a dulled silver coin, and then any coin really. But the shinier the coin, the better flash or burn for sure. Certainly a magical little thing that was worth all Roth's deeper exploration, explanation, & sharing of.

*Check out my latest: Gifts From The Old Country: A Mini-Magic Book , MBs Mini-Lecture on Coin Magic, The MB Tanspo PLUS, MB's Morgan, Copper Silver INC, Double Trouble, FlySki, Crimp Change - REDUX!, and other fine magic at gumroad.com/mb217magic

"Believe in YOU, and you will see the greatest magic that ever was." -Mb

Mb217 - you are one of the few who understands the difference between what most people mean by the "retention pass" and the retinal retention, persistence of vision, "getting a burn" theory.
I was also thinking about the first time I met David. He said to me, regarding how he got so good so young, that most magicians don't practice enough. I think he got his discipline of practicing from music. He had played the oboe, he made money on the side carving reeds for other oboe players, and from music stores he knew about rosin. Rosin was something you rubbed on the bow of a violin. Well, David used to rub the edges of his coins with rosin to make them easier to palm (!) Also he used to really be able to play piano. honky-tonk style I believe it is called. He attempted playing piano and also typing on a typewriter with coins palmed to improve his classic palm. I'm trying to remember some of the more interesting anecdotes about David as a way of keeping his memory alive.
To get back to my point. He believed most magicians didn't practice enough. That's a real lesson there.

I am so sorry. To say I am shocked would be an understatement. RIP

He has developed several innovative methods to produce and vanish coins, leaving his audiences amazed and perplexed. His attention to detail and precision in his routines have earned him a reputation as one of the best coin magicians in the world. Roth has also authored several instructional DVDs and books, sharing his knowledge and techniques with other aspiring magicians.

His teaching style is clear and concise, making it accessible for magicians of all skill levels to learn and master his routines. In addition to his work as a magician, Roth has performed in various venues and has been a consultant for television shows and movies. His impact on the world of magic is ongoing, as he continues to inspire and influence future generations of magicians. Overall, David Roth's contributions to the field of magic, particularly in coin magic, are immeasurable. His skill, creativity, and dedication have solidified his place as one of the greats in the world of magic..

Reviews for "The Legendary Coin Manipulation of David Roth: Decoding His Techniques"

1. Jane Doe - 2/5 Stars - I really did not understand the hype around David Roth as a magician. I found his tricks to be lackluster and predictable. The audience seemed to be more entertained by his showmanship and charisma rather than the actual illusions he was performing. I expected to be blown away, but unfortunately, I left feeling underwhelmed and unimpressed. Perhaps his style just doesn't resonate with me, but I would not recommend him to others who are seeking mind-blowing magic acts.

2. John Smith - 1/5 Stars - David Roth's performance was a complete waste of time and money. I've seen many magicians before, but he was by far the most unimpressive. His tricks were cliché and looked like something I could easily learn to do myself with a couple of YouTube tutorials. The whole experience felt like a cheesy birthday party magician trying to pass himself off as a professional. I was extremely disappointed and would advise everyone to save their money and skip his show.

3. Sarah Johnson - 2/5 Stars - As a magic enthusiast, I had high hopes for David Roth's performance, but I was left feeling disappointed. His tricks lacked the wow factor that I had expected from a magician of his caliber. In addition, his stage presence was rather dull, and I struggled to stay engaged throughout the entire show. It felt like a missed opportunity to witness a truly remarkable magic act. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend David Roth to fellow magic enthusiasts who are seeking a captivating performance.

Mastering the Art of Misdirection: Lessons from David Roth's Illusionary Feats