Overview
The Mirage Coin Set Extreme by Craig Petty and Alakazam Magic is more than just a collection of gimmicked coins. It is a complete learning system designed to help magicians develop both practical coin magic skills and confidence with the craft as a whole.
The set includes expertly manufactured gimmicks by Roy Kueppers, along with a collection of genuine coins including Kennedy half dollars, a copper English penny, and a brass Chinese coin. Two of the coins are specially gimmicked, allowing for a wide variety of visual transformations, transpositions, and matrix-style routines. Also included is a well-made coin purse that is both attractive and practical, easily holding everything needed to perform the routines taught on the project while keeping the set organized and ready for performance.
What truly sets this release apart, however, is the amount of instruction included.
Instruction and Teaching
The original tutorial runs approximately 4 hours and 25 minutes. In addition, it also comes with an extra live session lasting just over an hour, a 50-minute routine and discussion from Alakazam’s Peter Nardi, and a 25-minute bonus segment from Chris James.
Craig Petty does far more than simply explain the mechanics of the routines included with the set. He carefully teaches the sleights required for his material and spends considerable time discussing foundational coin techniques that can be applied well beyond the Mirage Coin Set itself.
The result is a course that feels more like a coin magic workshop than a product tutorial.
My Experience
This was the coin set that allowed me to learn my first real coin routine, and it remains one that I still perform several years later.
One of the first effects taught on the project is Craig’s International Reverse Coin Matrix. The routine was challenging enough to push me forward, but accessible enough that I could experience success relatively quickly. More importantly, the tutorial gave me the confidence to begin working more seriously with coins.
Before purchasing the Mirage Coin Set, coin magic felt intimidating. After spending time with the material, I became far more comfortable handling coins and exploring the broader world of coin magic. That confidence eventually led me to study additional material from Craig Petty, more technically demanding routines from Rick Holcombe, and the classic works of David Roth in Expert Coin Magic.
Looking back, I honestly do not think I would have attempted much of that material had I not started with the Mirage Coin Set.
Who Is This For?
I would not necessarily recommend this as a beginner’s very first magic purchase. However, for magicians who already have some experience and are ready to take coin magic seriously, it is an outstanding investment.
The set strikes an ideal balance between practical routines, technical instruction, and long-term educational value. Rather than teaching a handful of tricks and sending you on your way, it provides skills that continue to pay dividends as you explore other areas of coin magic.
Quality and Value
At nearly $200 for the half-dollar version, the Mirage Coin Set Extreme is certainly not an inexpensive purchase. That said, the quality of the props and the sheer volume of instruction make it feel like much more than a single-trick release.
In my own case, I enjoyed the set so much that I eventually contacted Roy Kueppers and commissioned a custom version using Walking Liberty half dollars. While the original set is excellent as supplied, I found that performing with real silver coins elevated the appearance and feel of the routines even further.
Final Thoughts
The Mirage Coin Set Extreme receives my highest recommendation.
Excellent props, thorough instruction, practical routines, and a genuinely useful education in coin magic combine to create one of the most valuable magic purchases I have made. More importantly, it helped transform coin magic from something I admired from a distance into a branch of magic that I actively perform and enjoy today.
For magicians looking to take the next step in their coin work, few products have had a greater impact on my development than the Mirage Coin Set Extreme.
further study
Members are invited to continue to the extended review, where we open the box and take a closer look at the workings behind the Mirage Coin Set Extreme and the possibilities it places in the performer’s hands.
