Aroundsquare’s Deadeyes is their first entry into the world of currency manipulation, and they’ve put a lot of time and effort into the refinement of this design, and the development of possibilities surrounding it. They’ve started calling these “contact coins” because they lend themselves to a style of manipulation that resembles contact juggling. On the surface, the Deadeyes look like just a refined worry stone made from metal, and they certainly serve well for that. They are precisely crafted and beautifully finished, with an ergonomic indent on either side that is perfect for thumbs of any size.
But as you’d expect from AO2, there’s more to it than that. The concave shape and resulting ridge around the perimeter make the Deadeyes perfect for contact-style manipulation. With practice, the coins can be made to roll fluidly between the fingers, or back and forth over the thumbs, and isolations can be performed where the coins appear to be floating around the fingertips.
The Deadeyes are available in two sizes, and assorted metals. The large size is 37mm in diameters, and the small one is 30mm in diameter. They both play well and feel great in the hand, but the large feels much more substantial and is more stable when performing contact-style manipulation, while the small is much closer to the half-dollar size preferred by many magicians.
*NOTE: On the sand blasted and machine finished models, there are apparent machining lines. The sandblasted pieces have a distinctive circle midway down the concave slope, and a small circle at the centre where the concave flattens out. These are clearly visible, but only slightly perceptible to the touch (if at all). These ridges do not detract from the play, but they will be noticeable upon inspection. If you are looking for something that is completely free of blemishes, then the mirror polished pieces have you covered.
Weights are listed below:
Titanium small: 13g
Copper small: 25g
Brass small: 24g
Stainless steel small: 22g