SAM #31 March 2012 Meeting The theme was coin magic. The "coin guys" turned out in full force. Coins were appearing, disappearing, multiplying, flying through the air, turning up underneath cards and ending up in impossible places. Our esteemed President and MC for the evening, Steve Spence, kicked things off with a coin routine called Chinese Miser's Dream by Henry Evans. He used his own original patter. The bar having been set quite high by Steve, Mike Kohrman followed by doing his own presentation of a matrix routine with two coin related twists. For twist number one he used the Danny Archer "Coin Card" which secreted four coins onto the mat. The second twist used a shimmed magnetic card which enabled the magnetic coins, Canadian quarters, to disappear at the end. Taylor Martin performed a flurry of coin illusions including his own independently developed "Four Coins Through Hand", a very nice Okito Box routine, and an original with a watch bag, "Two Bits, Four Bits, Six Bits...". He concluded with another original, a "Broken and Restored Coins" routine. Jim Croop entertained us with Michael Rubinstein's version of "Nest of Boxes". This is a close up illusion where the magician's assistant's copper coin, trades places with the magician's silver coin. Both coins are signed by the magician and the assistant, and then quick as a flash, they trade places. The assistant's signed coin is found buried deep within a nest of boxes. As always, Barry Rice astounded us with his dexterity and showmanship. This time his coin routine included a very nicely done muscle pass. He also included a retention vanish, some hand washing, and a giant coin production. Tom Winteraud presented "Nine Coins on a Tray". Four spectators selected one each. Much to our surprise, upon counting it was found that there were still nine coins on that tray. A highlight of the evening was the membership initiation ceremony for Christian Painter. In his uniquely entertaining style, he fulfilled the requirement for membership by performing some magic. He did a card routine, his own invention on the oil and water premise and "Nether Blind nor Stupid" from Juan Tamariz. For a bonus, since it was Coin Night, he threw in a coin magic variation he developed out of the book Now You See It, Now You Don't by Bill Tarr. The membership vote was unanimous. Christian is now a proud member of SAM #31.