Magic Tricks

A few things first: I did not purchase this from Penguin. I purchased this from a prominent NYC dealer about 4-5 years ago—whenever this first came out.

So I'm surprised to see this popping up at the top of the bestseller list again. Is this a revised illusion? Has this been on TV somewhere that I have not seen? (I don't watch a lot of TV, you see.)

So my review here is predicated on what I purchased some years ago. And normally I wouldn't care to review an effect after all these years, But I want to speak up because, with this particular illusion, I have been able to truly, truly stun an audience. I don't know any other effect I can do that equals this one.

First of all, yes, you might be entirely disappointed with the gimmick when you first open the box. (Isn't that true so many times?) The gimmick is certainly very well made, one of the best of its kind I've ever seen. In fact, you can use this gimmick for other effects you already know! (See below.) But...you won't find yourself thinking, "aha! something new!"

So please realize what you are paying for is the instruction, and fortunately it truly shines. The instruction is very thorough to begin with, but variations are presented as well, in terms of whether you would like this to be a multi-stage effect or not. There is a bonus effect taught that requires you to have a second gimmick, not provided. (Second gimmick does not need to be this product's gimmick—you can provide your own, for sure. You may even have a spare gimmick just sitting around.) This bonus effect is probably worth just as much as the original effect your are purchasing, so think of this purchase as a two-for-one.

I have performed this a number of times to strangers, friends, and family, and no other effect I have ever done has created this aura about me as a magician. Card magic? People expect a trick. For coin magic like this, people hold something...but see, you put a solid coin in their hands and suddenly it is gone; people have not experienced anything quite like this.

I also appreciate how flexible this illusion is. I combine this illusion with a swami style "guess-how-many-cents-I'm-holding" routine. I then move on to writing something secret on my business card, and before they know it I have performed a coin bend on their original, initialed coin. I leave my spectator with a coin that disappeared, returned by a bent coin (initialed by the spectator), and leaving my business card to boot. Truly a reputation maker.

My only caveat is that this isn't for the beginner, probably. You really must have audience management skills. The angles are not much of a problem, but you must realize you are going to be putting the gimmick right in the spectator's hands. Can you manage that? Are you comfortable with a ditch? Of course you can! Especially with the well taught video. (But if you aren't sure, well then you might need to move on to something else.)

Of all the magic I've ever purchased, this is easily within the top 5. Maybe even the top 2...