BrianRxm Coins in Movies 320/382
Superman - Atom Man vs. Superman (1950)
President Monroe "Magic Coin" is used to teleport people
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The 1950 film "Atom Man vs. Superman" shows a "Magic Coin" used to teleport people. The coin is a dollar-sized Los Angeles Rubber Stamp Company President Monroe motion picture prop coin.
 
This serial film had 15 chapters, each about 15 minutes long, and was released in July of 1950. It was based on the popular Action Comics character Superman and followed the 1948 serial "Superman."
 
Superman came from the destroyed planet Krypton to Earth. He has super powers, including being able to fly, super strength, and x-ray vision. He has a cover identity as Clark Kent, who works as a newspaper reporter for the Daily Planet newspaper in the city of Metropolis, U.S.A.
 
His co-workers are Lois Lane, an experienced woman reporter and Jimmy Olson, a "cub" or new reporter. Their boss is the newspaper's editor Perry White.
 
Lothor is a super-villain, who "could have been the world's greatest scientist" if he hadn't turned to crime. Lothor has his headquarters in a cave and has several middle-aged men working for him.
 
He has many inventions, including a teleportation device which moves people to and from his cave, several types of ray guns including a heat ray, a thermal gun, a sonic vibrator ray, an Atomic Reduction Ray, a flying saucer, and a rocket. Later on a Directional Cyclotron is added.
 
Superman becomes weak and ill in the presence of the rare element Kryptonite and Luthor plans to use this weakness to destroy Superman. Lothor also has an alternate identity, "Atom Man", who always wears a mask.
 
This film has plenty of action with continual captures and rescues of the players.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
1. Title
Each chapter has a title card.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
2. Chapter 1 Heading - Superman Flies Again
The title one refers to the previous 1948 serial "Superman."
 
In the office of the Daily Planet newspaper are the main players.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
3. Perry White, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen
Perry has a police radio which also receives broadcasts from Lothor.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
4. Lothor on the radio
Lothor issues threats against Metropolis and warns the police and Superman to stop looking for him.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
5. Superman
Superman appears.
 
The police arrest some robbers.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
6. Robbers busted
One pulls out a coin which causes the robbers to disappear. It is called a "Magic Coin" or "Activated Coin" and activates Lothor's Matter Transmission Machine which teleports people to and from his headquarters.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
7. The Magic Coin appears
The coin is a Los Angeles Rubber Stamp Company President Monroe prop coin. Only the obverse side of the coin is shown.
 
President Monroe prop coin
8. Los Angeles Rubber Stamp Company - President Monroe and Bird of Paradise Coin
White metal, 38 mm, 20.68 gm
 
Obverse: President James Monroe facing half left, no text
Reverse: Bird of Paradise and man kneeling in temple surrounded by eight-pointed star, no text
 
For more information on these prop coins please visit: Los Angeles Rubber Stamp Coins
 
Back to the film:
 
Atom Man finally appears in Lothor's cave hideout.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
9. Atom Man appears
A "Magic Coin" is brought to the Daily Planet offices.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
10. Perry examines a Magic Coin
Lothor now owns a television station and is claiming to no longer commit crimes.
 
Lois manages to fall into the hands of the crooks and is rescued.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
11. Superman flies Lois away
The flying sequences in this film were done using animation.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
12. Superman uses X-ray vision to examine a Magic Coin
He finds that it is mostly silver with some copper and a mystery element.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
13. Lois holds a Magic Coin
It transports her to Atom Man's hideout.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
14. Atom Man holds Lois at his cave
Lothor's men have stolen some Plutonium which is needed to make synthetic Kryptonite.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
15. Lothor examines the box of Plutonium
Superman is lured to Lothor's hideout and given Kryptonite.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
16. Chapter 8 Heading - Into the Empty Doom
Lothor puts the reduced Superman into his transporter machine.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
17. Superman enters the transporter
Luthor sends Superman to the "Empty Doom" which is something like the Fourth Dimension.
 
Superman becomes like a ghost and Lois wonders why Clark Kent is also missing.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
18. Superman passes a message to Lois
Lothor has a television set.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
19. An early television set
Superman finds the cave and slugs Atom Man, knocking off his head.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
20. Atom Man loses his head
This Atom Man is apparently a robot.
 
Lois has quit the Daily Planet and gone to work for Lothor's television station as a news announcer.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
21. Lois works a television camera
Another one of Lothor's inventions, a security camera.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
22. Lothar's security camera catches a burglar
Lothor gets out his Flying Saucer.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
23. The Flying Saucer arrives
One of Lothar's man has an old-fashioned weapon handy.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
24. Lothar's man with a rifle
The rifle appears to be a Winchester Model 1894.
 
After issuing more threats, Lothar launches a rocket towards Metropolis which is intercepted.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
25. Superman rides again
Superman steers the rocket into the ocean.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
26. Lois receives a gift
It is "from an admirer."
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
27. A mounted Magic Coin
Lois is transported to Lothar's cave, where he takes her onto his rocket.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
28. Lothar's rocket flies into space
Lothar picks up an uninvited passenger.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
29. Lothar's rocket has surprise passenger
Lothar is taken in hand and he and Lois are flown back to Earth.
 
Atom Man vs. Superman
30. Lothar busted
Lois still wonders if Superman and Clark Kent are related.
Cast, Directors, Writers:
 
Kirk Alyn as Superman / Clark Kent
Noel Neill as Lois Lane
Tommy Bond as Jimmy Olsen
Lyle Talbot as Luthor / Atom Man
 
Director: Spencer Bennet
Writers: George H. Plympton, Joseph F. Poland, David Mathews
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