"POSH" (#146)

" POSH" (#146)

What you need.. Two quarters and a Sharpie. This is a nice coin routine.

Remove a quarter from your right pants pocket, give it to a spectator and ask them to put their initial boldly across the face with your handy dandy Sharpie marker. Announce that you are going to vanish the coin in either a visible or invisible manner. Stick the hand with the quarter into your right pants pocket, coin at fingertips, and state... "This is the visible method". Apologize for your lack of magic, take your hand out of your pocket with the coin still a fingertips, and announce that the invisible method will probably be more impressive.

Naturally, when the right hand was in the pocket it dropped the marked coin the the pocket and picked up a second quarter, which just conveniently happened to be in your pocket beforehand.
As you bring the second coin out of pocket, don't pause, but casually toss it from the right hand into the left hand. Finger palm the second coin and 'pretend' to toss it back into the right hand.

Using dramatic effect, slowly open your right hand to show that the coin has 'vanished'.

Show your hand totally empty, slide it back into your right pants pocket, and then make 'em wait a moment as you slowly bring the coin out of the pocket, at fingertips, and show it as the initialed coin. Give your audience time to catch it's collective breath...

Now, you're holding a coin in each hand, with the marked coin in the right. Take the coin in the right hand and perform a 'false transfer' to the left hand, making it appear as if you put the right hand coin in the left hand then opening the left hand to show a coin while keeping the right hand coin in finger palm.

Using your right forefinger as a pointer, explain how to intend to make the coin in the left hand travel up the left arm, across your chest, down your right side... and right into your right pants pocket... again. As you point to your left arm, run your right forefinger up the arm, across the chest, down the side, and into your right pocket for only a brief second.. just long enough to drop the marked coin in the pocket !

Now, you're so far ahead its pathetic..
Personally, after I finish with the Sharpie, I drop it... where else .. into my left pocket. As you stand there, coin in left hand for all to see, perform a french drop, or whatever else excites you, to make it appear as if you transferred the coin into the right hand. Keep the right hand closed as you quickly stick the left hand into your left pants pocket to get the Sharpie.. and leave behind the coin of course..

Tap the right hand exactly three times with the Sharpie in your left hand, uttering some sort of mumbo-jumbo, and again open the right hand VERY slowly to reveal that the coin has AGAIN vanished. Show your right and left hand clean.. wonder where 'o where could the little coin be.. and slip your right hand into your right pocket to retrieve the marked coin..

Remind them that you told them your were going to make the coin go up the arm, across the chest, and into the pocket and, if nothing else, you're a man of your word...

"3 dice guessing" #145

Pick a subject and give them the three dice, and a pen and paper or calculator if their mental arithmetic isn't up to scratch. Ask them to roll the three dice so that you can't see the resulting numbers (with your back to them or with a throwing cup to cover the dice). Then ask your subject to follow the simple steps listed below so that you can miraculously guess what the numbers thrown are. For example if they have thrown a 3, 6, and 2 they...
Multiply the number on the first die by 2 6Add 5 11Multiply by 5 55Add the number on the second die - 6 61Multiply by 10 610Add the number on the third die - 2 612Subtract 125 487
All you have to do is ask for the resulting number and subtract 125 from it. This gives you a three digit value with each digit representing a number thrown on the dice. i.e. 487 - 125 = 362 or 3 - 6 - 2. Try and make this last step seem difficult, as if you are using some magical power.

"Business Card"(#144)

"BUSINESS CARD" (#144)

Here is an idea I have been playing with, it has weaknesses andI've started working some of them out but here is the original,creases and all. See what you can do with it, discover which newdirections you can take it in and get back to me.Hand 4 or so people business cards. Ask one of them to write downthe name of an animal he or she once owned. Ask the remaining threeto make up names that could be associated with animals. Now thecards are all mixed. One at a time the cards are held in the air bysomeone else, and although your back is turned or you are otherwiseprevented from seeing, you call STOP on one of them, open it up toreveal that it is indeed the name of the only real animal. Themethod is really good fun. You simply peek the name of the animalthe first person writes down. Stop at any point you like,. open thecard and misread it, so no matter what it really says on the cardyou read it out saying the name of the animal you peeked earlier.Of course one in 4 times you will be correct and you can even offerproof. To cover the times you don't get it right just casually foldit and toss it back in to the pile with the others.

"red & black"(#143)

"RED & BLACK"(#143)

Take a deck of cards. Split them in to 2 piles. Red and Black. Stack the deck so that it alternates red-black-red-black all theway through. Now in performance you talk about par-optic vision and how it's possible, if you just trust yourself, to sense colours with the finger tips. Spread the deck face down. Have the volunteer touch the back of any card. Ask her to touch the face of the card without looking and decide whether she thinks its red or black. Just trusting her intuition. She says and you turn it over to show she is correct.

When she touches the card you cut the cards at that point and look at the card above. That card will be the opposite colour to the card she has touched. So for example that card we just looked at is black, we know the card she touched is a red one. Ask her which colour she thinks it is. If she says red, that's fine have her turn it over. That will happen 50% of the time. If that is not the case the most you have to do it either double lift to show she is correct

"jigsaw" #142

"JIGSAW" (#142)

You show an (almost) complete jigsaw puzzle, stuck on to a piece offoam core board. It is only missing one piece, but that piece isvery significant. It is one of the eyes of the famous Mona Lisa."Its a good job my aunt is a psychic, well that's what we'll callher as each Christmas she manages to buy me something that Ialready own. This Christmas it was the very same jigsaw again. Allwe need to do is find the one missing piece."5 people come on stage to help solve the puzzle, they each reachinside the box and remove a piece of jigsaw. Even though you haveyour back turned as they remove them and the pieces remain insideof their clenched fists you eliminate everyone until one personremains, that person holds the missing piece of the puzzle.For me this gives a significance to locating the right person, farbeyond just working out where the coloured gem is hiding. Everyonecan identify with the frustration of having lost one

tile of a jigsaw. SECRET: There are a few approaches you could take tothis. All of the pieces in the box could be the same, so theelimination process is just a charade.

"Coin Pass Through" (141)

Coin Pass Through(#141)

Materials Needed:
2 identical coins
a small piece of transparent adhesive tape or magicians wax

The Trick:
You ask the spectator to hold out his or her hand palm up. You in turn place your hand on top of theirs, palm down. With your other hand you place a quarter or other coin on top of your hand and explain to the spectator that with one quick slap of the coin you will make it pass through your hand and into theirs!

When you place your hand on top of the spectators open hand, you will already have the coin in your palm. If you place your hand on theirs quickly enough , the coin will not fall nor will the spectator already feel it in their hand ! You then place the "other" coin on top, on the back of your hand.
On the palm of your hand which is not touching the spectators, is where the tape or wax will be. Then with a quick motion, you smack the top of the coin,which actually gets stuck to the tape/wax. Slowly remove your other hand to let the surprised spectator see how it "magically" passed through your hand!

""Easy Levitation" (#140)

Easy Levitation(#140)

First make some really strong salt water, pretty close to 25% water 75% salt (or even more salt).
Then soak a peice of string or thread in it for an hour or two (let it set over night for best results).
Hang the thread from somewhere to allow it to completely dry and straighten.

The Trick:

After you have your super salty but dry peice of string ready, you can perform the trick.
Ask to borrow a small light object from someone such as a ring and tie the string around it and let the ring dangle like a pendulum.
Allow the ring to settle and stop moving. Light the string on fire with a lighter or match... the string will burn but the salt crystals left should hold the ring and it will appear to float.
Note: you might want to wear gloves of some sorts or other protective gear to keep the heat away from your hands.

"Cigarette Ash" (#139)

" Cigarette Ash"(#139)

Create an ash that never falls off the cigarette. You can challange a friend (smoker) to see you can hold the ashes on their cig the longest without letting them fall off.
You will always win after you know the secret.

Ever notice how grandmas have the ability to have their cigarette's ashes stay on the smoke for what seems an unreal length? Well, maybe not... if you don't know any smoking grandmas...

The trick is simple: Just take a straightened out paper-clip and insert it into a normal cigarette.
Push it all the way down even into the filter so that it stays put after the tobacco is gone.Now smoke the special cigarette as you would normally, the ashes don't fall off now.

"40 cents"(#138)

Forty Cents (#138)
by Frank Lane

Forty Cents is what we'll call this one because we use four dimes. This is really an after dinner trick, but you could use it after breakfast or on a rug, if you have one. It's the principle of four objects placed in the corners of a napkin or a handkerchief and finally they all reach one corner. Lots of fellows who read this book are magicians who wish to entertain their friends with the minimum of effort in practice and this will suit them to a "T".

I'll detail the method I use, as I do this in restaurants just as the check comes. The idea is that you spread out a napkin and place a dime at each corner, or about an inch or an inch and a half in from the corner. Now you take a playing card, or a business card and cover the upper right dime, and taking another dime in the left hand, you reach under the table, hold the edge of the dime against the table with left hand, and then let it bang flat against the table itself, giving the impression that it has gone thru the table, then your right hand lifts up the card and there are TWO dimes, where there was only one a moment before.



Maybe I should tell you that you have an extra dime with a tiny little magicians wax on it, and this is stuck on the face side of the playing card, or as I do, stick it on one side of your business card, because it is more natural to use a business card in a cafe. Looks more impromptu.
When you cover the upper right dime with the card, your second finger releases the waxed dime, as you lay the card down. Now your left hand goes under the table with another one of the dimes, as described above, and as it comes out, the dime is resting on fingers of hand, your right hand picks up card and spectators see the two dimes.- Your right hand goes over dime in left hand, your left hand takes the card with dime underneath, and then transfers the whole business to the right hand, which deposits it again on top of the two dimes.
You repeat this move with the other dimes, and finally you have the four dimes under the one card. You have two methods of getting rid of the other dime, the last one you placed under the table. Either snap it up your left coat sleeve, or allow it to drop into your trousers cuff. Sometimes I have a little wax in my finger nail of left hand. The first time I go under table with my hand, I deposit the wax there, and when I am ready to get rid of the last dime, I simply stick it to the table. When I go out, I whisper to the waiter that there is an extra dime (yes, extra) stuck under the table, and to go get it. They may think you're kidding them BUT THEY'LL ALWAYS LOOK.

"coin through Ashtray"

Coin through Ashtray(#137)

Here's a fairly simple effect thats been around for some time, but it usually requires a little prep that makes it difficult to perform in a walk-around or restaurant location. I've simplified it to the point where it can be performed at a table with a minimum of preparation.
Begin ideally with a small tin ashtray. It can be one of the little disposable foil ashtrays like those seen at fast food restaurants. I have also found them in packs of ten or so in grocery stores if you need to purchase your own.

It's not necessary to tell your audience what you're going to do... just do it. This sometimes increases their curiousity, as they are not only watching you, but trying to figure out what you're going to do.

Take the ashtray and place it on top of a glass. Remove a piece of paper from your pocket, about the size of an index card, along with a coin about the size of an American quarter. If you want to be brave, you can also take out a sharpie and ask someone at the table to please make a big 'X' on both sides of the quarter. Specifically tell them a " big X " to eliminate the possibility that some highly focused individual will make really small X's.
Once done, recap the Sharpie and casually lay it on the table in front of you. Take the quarter, put it in the center of the paper, and fold the paper from the top edge to the bottom edge. Fold the paper again, from left to right and then right to left. Pause during the folding process and make a comment or two. This gives the spectator just enough time to 'forget' exactly what directions you've folded so far.

If you're using fairly thin paper you can hold the folded paper, coin inside, in front of you using both fore fingers and middle fingers on one side and both thumbs on the back side - facing you. Momentarily make a little 'small talk', like " has any of you ever seen a real coin pass through a solid object ?", as you squeeze the coin front and back, forcing it to leave a raised impression in the paper.
Secretly allow the coin to slide out the bottom of the paper packet into your palm, as the coin is only sealed from the top and the sides. There are other ways, detailed in many magic books, to fold the paper, but this is the most straight-forward. Taking the packet in the hand without the coin, reach down almost as an after-thought and pick up the Sharpie with the other hand and drop it - and the coin - into your shirt or jacket pocket.
Put the packet into the ashtray, take out a pack of matches or lighter, and light the paper. As it burns, focus everyones attention on the glass - where they will shortly see the quarter pass through the ashtray and fall into the bottom of the glass.
All you need as a set-up is a quarter with two X's drawn on it, attached to the bottom of the ash tray with a small bit of wax. Of course, the heat from the fire will melt the wax and allow the quarter to fall into the glass. Use the right weight of paper to give the wax enough time to melt. Flash paper is way to quick, and cardboard may take too long to burn or produce to much smoke. Experiment.
A glass full of water will increase the amount of time the spectators have to watch the quarter as it falls. If you're using your own ashtrays, you can have the quarter already attached. Glass ashtrays are usually too thick to heat up properly. Since an 'X' is fairly generic, the spectator is not apt to realize that it's not their X on the coin.
It's worth the effort - if you take time to develop the proper patter and presentation...

"Coin In A Hat" (#136)

"COIN IN A HAT" (#136)

An old favorite is the trick in which the magician finds, with his finger tips, a coin which has been marked and then shaken up in a hat with a number of others.
Briefly the old method is this: A number of coins, say eight or ten half dollars or quarters are borrowed. One is chosen and marked by several spectators. As it is passed from hand to hand this coin becomes warm while the others lying on the table remain cold. The operator has merely to find the warm coin.
The new method

is even simpler. Cut tiny scrap of Scotch tape, the new adhesive

paper that is always ready for use without being moistened, and lay it on your table, adhesive side up. Borrow the necessary coins, half dollars or quarters, and put them on the table. Take any one and hand it out to be marked. This done, take it back and lay it on the scrap of Scotch tape, which adheres to it.
Borrow a hat and sweep the coins into it. Hand the hat to a spectator and let him shake it thoroughly, mixing the coins, then he holds the hat up high. It only remains for you to put your hand in, find the coin with the scrap of tape on it, scrape that off with your nail, and hand the coin to a spectator for identification.
Such are the bare bones

of the trick and, baldly presented, it is just another trick, but properly worked up it is quite effective. For instance, you may have the spectator who marked the coin hold your left hand and, when you have found it, pretend to have received a slight electric shock. Nine times out of ten the spectator will aver that he felt it too, particularly if at that moment you give his hand a little prick with the point of a pin which you hold between your fingers

"Spoon Bend" (#136)

“SPOON BENDING MIRACLE”(#136)
Here we learn about creating a startling illusion

The great writer & philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said that, “the most dangerous thing is illusion.” Emerson probably never saw this particular illusion, which is not a danger to anyone, but rather, a great ice breaker.

You allow the examination of a simple metal spoon to a friend. You take the same spoon and, with effort, use both hands to bend the spoon in half. You ask your friend to remove the spoon, still bent, from your hands. The spoon is magically restored at the instant it is removed!!

Secret: You use a nickel hidden in your hand. The spoon is held by both hands: the large, bottom part of the spoon, is placed in the palm of your left hand, while the handle is gripped by the right hand so that the handle cannot be seen by the spectator, but is visible to you. So now it appears that you will come forward with the handle until it almost touches the spoon in your left hand. In reality, the top of the spoon in your right hand will be behind a nickel. When you bring your right hand down it will appear that you are bending the spoon because the spectator will see the metal between your thumb & pointer finger and assume that it is the thin part of the spoon! Your friend will not see the handle of the spoon as long as you keep your right hand in front of it. This is very deceptive! When you have your friend remove the spoon, just place the nickel in your pocket while the initial shock remains! A little acting is always helpful in pretending it is causing you some strain in bending the spoon. I have never performed this trick without the spectator enjoying it. I hope it brings you the success it has given me.

"Mental Envelope Prediction" (#135)

"Metal Envelope Prediction"(135)

This month's idea is just one of the solutions emailed to me by Wayne Rogers, it's a fantastic routine idea!First, the specs draw on their cards and hold them face down.Next, the performer shows 3 envelopes each with a post it note ”covering a number”. ie the envelopes are numbered and the numbers covered.Each spectator is handed an envelope and told to drop their picture in it and seal it in. One spec mixes the envelopes and hands them to the performer.Performer fans the three envelopes and asks one spectator which number envelope they want. If they say, “One” performer lifts each post it note to findno. 1 and hands it to the spectator.The other second spectator selects another number and is given that envelope.Last spectator gets the last envelope.Recap what has happened. Each person drew a picture and sealed it in an envelope. They each chose either 1, 2, or 3 and received that envelope.All three spectator’s open their envelopes and they have somehow selected their own picture.

Secret: there are no numbers under the post it notes:

They are nail written on when the choices are made. You have secretly marked each envelope and know who it was given to. When they make their choice, select the correct envelope, lift the post it note to “check the number” and write the chosen number in before handing the envelope over.NB I would be inclined to use some post-it glue stick in addition to the normal glue on the note pieces, just to be sure that they are not accidentally lifted to expose there is no number underneath.

"Phyic Dice" (#134)

Psychic Dice(#134)

An old bartender's favourite. Ask your subject to drop three dice in to a glass of water. Then ask them to hold up the glass, total the numbers on the bottom faces of the dice and then put the glass back down. You dip your finger tips in the water, mystically rub them on your fore-head and magically tell your subject the total they have.
All you do is subtract the total of the dice's upward faces from 21. Remember opposite sides of a die total 7 and 3 x 7 is 21.

"Stebbins #5"

"STEBBINS #5" (#133)

Tell the spectator that you can tell them how many cards down the pack their chosen card is and ask them to choose any card, number and suit. Then locate the card with the same suit as the one named by the spectator, which is nearest to the bottom. Subtract the number of the card chosen from the card of the same suit near est the bottom of the pack. Then multiply the answer by four and then subtract the number of cards that were below the bottom suit card, the result will be how many cards down from the pack you must count to reach the spectator's chosen card. If the chosen card is a higher value than the suit card on or nearest the bottom of the pack, just add 13 and proceed as above.
For example: if the spectator chooses the 9 of diamonds and the card with the same suit nearest the bottom is a 5 of diamonds, you will need to add 13 to the 5 of diamonds, making a total of 18. Now subtract their card, the 9 of diamonds from 18, this leaves the number 9, multiply 9 by 4, which equals 36, then subtract the number 2 (which is the number of cards below the bottom suit card). This totals 34, so the 9 of diamonds is 34 cards down from the top of the pack.

"Stebbin's Drop" (#132)

"STEBBIN'S DROP TRICK" (#132)

(refer to # 129 for the setup)

Hold the pack of cards in your right hand and slowly let them drop into the palm of your left hand, asking your spectator to say "stop" where ever they want. Secretly look at the bottom card of the remaining pack in your right hand and ask the spectator to take the top card of the pack in your left hand and memorize it. Tell them they must concentrate on their card, you then name their card.

Stebbins #3 (#131)

"STEBBINS #3" (#131)

(refer to #129 for the secret setup)

Cut the pack a couple of times, then secretly glance at the bottom card as you pass the pack to a spectator, mentally add three to the bottom card and increment the next suit, this is the value of the top card. Ask them to cut the pack into four piles. Announce you are going to predict the top card off of each of the four packs. You already know the card on the first pack, so start from the opposite end and name card you already know, then when you pick up the card you will then be able to see its true value, then you name that card before you pick up the second card and continue to do this until you have named all four cards. Then simply show the cards you have just named to the spectator.

"Stebbins System #2" (#130)

"STEBBINS SYSTEM # 2" (#130)

(refer to #129 for the setup)

A spectator cuts the pack, you take them and secretly glance at the bottom card as you put them behind your back, ask the spectator to name a random card, you then pull it from the pack. Simply add three to the bottom card and increment the next suit, this is the value of the top card. Now just count through the cards until you come to their card, where you pull it out and show them.

"THE STEBBINS SYSTEM"(#129)

"The Stebbins System"(#129)

This is no ordinary card trick, this is the mother of all card tricks, and once learned you will be able to perform many different card tricks that defy all logic, because you will know the position of every card in the pack.!!! The cards must not be shuffled or disturbed in any way, but the performer can cut the cards and have several spectators do a straight cut. This will not disturb the order of the cards. This master system arrangement of the cards is far more impressive than just arranging them in numerical order in the suits i.e 2,3,4,5,6, e.t.c. as this sequence looks completely random to the spectator who will not suspect that the cards have been pre arranged.
The cards must be stacked as shown in the table below, by first placing the ace of clubs on to a table face up, then the four of hearts and so on until the whole pack is set in the master system order. This order is also known as the Si Stebbins order----

Clubs: A,Q,K,J,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2
Hearts: 4,3,2,A,K,Q,J,10,9,8,7,6,5
Spades: 7,6,5,4,3,2,A,K,Q,J,10,9,8
Diamonds: 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,A,K,Q,J

Rule 1 Each card has a numerical value, Ace=1, jack=11, queen=12 and king=13. Rule 2 Each card is THREE numbers apart, Ace, 4, 7, 10, etc. Rule 3 Every thirteenth card is a card of the same value, but a different suit.

Master System trick 1: Fan out the cards, ask a spectator to pick a card, separate the pack at that point, placing the top half on to the bottom of the pack while secretly glancing at the bottom card, you will instantly know the spectator's card. Simply add 3 to the bottom card value and call the following suit. You now know the card value so you can improvise your own tricks from here.



Hint: To remember the order of the card suits, it is useful to think of the word CHASED i.e C H aSeD

"predictive Cards" (#128)

"Predictive Cards" (#128)
Effect: The spectator is shown a fanned out set of cards and asked to pick one & concentrate on that card. The chosen card is not revealed by the spectator. The magician appears to read the spectators mind and pulls out or even tears up the spectators secretly chosen card.
Preparation: For this trick you'll need two sets of cards, each with five cards. (The cards should be five different cards, but should resemble each other (for instance, if you had a Jack of spades in one, use a Jack of clubs in the other). ie SET ONE : JC,KS,KH,QS,JD. and SET TWO: JS,KC, KD,QC,JH.

Method: Hide the second set of five cards, but keep them somewhere close, so that you can secretly switch them with the other set of five cards. Now, fan out the five cards. Tell the spectator to remember and concentrate on one of the cards. Now, as you collect the cards, you'll need to switch between the two sets. Now spread out the second set of cards on the table, face down.
Use some play acting and appear to be concentrating deeply as if reading the spectator's thoughts. Place a finger on one of the spread ot cards and slide it out from the rest of the cards. The finishing move is up to you, either:

1) Turn over the remaining four cards to show that the spectator's card has been removed.
2) Tear the card that you removed into small pieces, making sure that the spectator does not see the face up side of the torn card.

A simple trick but with a powerful finish. This trick is only as good as the performance and patter that you can use to make it entertaining.

"Invisible Dice" (#127)

INVISIBLE DICE(#127)

TRICK: The spectator rolls a pair of invisible dice. After doing what seems like some random math the magician divines the numbers that they rolled.
The magician hands someone an invisible pair of dice. He asks that they roll the dice and inquires, “What number did you roll?” After their response, the magician insists “Roll them again.” Upon complying the magician asks, “What number did you get this time?” After responding with a different number the magician proclaims, “So they are not loaded!” Everyone chuckles.
The magician asks that they roll the dice one last time. He adds, “This time don´t tell me what you rolled. Instead choose one of the two numbers that you rolled and double it. Now add five to your new number. Multiply the result by five and add the number on the other dice to it. What is your new total?” Upon their response the magician astonishes everyone by revealing the number(s) that they rolled. The magician adds, “Do you know how I guessed your numbers? It was easy… you left the dice sitting on the table.”

SECRET: The real method uses a little math.Let´s say they rolled a 5 and a 2.If they choose the 5 and double it that makes 10.Adding 5 to 10 makes 15.Multiplying 15 by 5 equals 75.Adding the other number 2 to that total equals 77.The secret is to subtract 25 from this last total!77 minus 25 equals 52.The result 52 translates that they rolled a 5 and a 2.

This always works. It is amazing!

If you decide to try this on an elementary school student, someone who has been drinking, or someone who just doesn´t seem that bright, you might want to hand them a pencil and paper or a calculator to work out the calculation. :-)