Something that sets Mr. R. Paul Wilson apart from many magicians is his ability to take something good and make it great. He can take a rather simple trick and weave an impelling story around it or stimulate an emotion within his spectators.

Right on the Money is a good trick… it’s not an opener, nor is it a closer. While it will fool any layman, many magicians (including yours truly) will likely figure out how it’s done simply by watching the entire presentation. It’s a simple trick - simple in concept, simple to execute. (Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all.) True to his style, though, Paul uses his talent to provide some presentation ideas that take this to the next level and make this a truly great trick. It’s like taking a great 2-D cartoon and changing it into a 3-D animated movie. It’s still a cartoon… but the takeaway is totally different.

Right on the Money won’t blow you away, but Paul’s thinking on how to get the volunteer emotionally involved, giving him or her a special magical moment is priceless.

Here’s the quick q & a for this review:
1. Is the trick easy? Yes
2. Arts & crafts? No
3. Gimmick? No
4. Foreign money ok? Yes
5. Preparation? Yes, but very little and quick
6. Sleight of hand? Not really, but there are some small simple moves.
7. Practice? Of course. :-)
8. Regrets? Nope.
9. Priced right? A little high… but not unreasonable.
10. Angles? Not really. Perform almost totally surrounded. (Angles would depend on how good you are I suppose)
11. Beginner friendly? Yep.

Get this and learn from the master Paul Wilson. I give 4 stars out of 5, as I generally save 5 stars for extremely visual type magic, plus the price is on the high side but acceptable.

By the way, I always try to be honest and straightforward in my reviews, while being respectful to the magician. If you appreciate my reviews, can you please click the "Yes" button below beside the question, "Did this review help you?" It's not like I actually benefit in any way by your clicking it... but it would be nice to see if my reviews are helpful or not. I hope they are. If you ever have suggestions or comments or questions about my reviews, please feel free to leave me a constructive comment. I'm just trying to be helpful. I love the Penguin community and hope that I can someday contribute my own product. :-) Thanks for reading and for any (hopefully positive, but either way, at least kind) feedback.

The effect itself is nice, but my favorite part is Paul’s scripting— it engages the volunteer by posing a simple dilemma and everyone watching can’t help but be sucked in. If I was currently performing (you know, pandemic and all...), I would add this to my library shows right away. I plan to use this.

The mechanics are simple and you perform an impossible prediction. This can be in your wallet or carry around bag in a day.

Such a wonderful effect and very easy to do.
No gimmicks to be made, can be done on the fly (so long as you have paper, a baggie, and some coins).

R. Paul Wilson talks about how it can be a great thing for your volunteer to not open until they get home. I really like that idea too.

Everything is normal and commonly found, so no suspicion with the elements of the effect.
It’s very easy to,perform.
The scripting makes it essentially foolproof.
The result can be different each time.
Can be done at a bar, strolling, table, stage etc.
very clearly taught.

What’s not to like?
Highly recommended!

I’ve been doing some of R. Paul Wilson’s stellar material for more than 25 years. He has a knack for stripping away unnecessary moves and plot complications. He’s like an expert diamond cutter, taking rough stones and making them into brilliant showpieces. He’s done this with classics like the Ring on Stick, and contemporary classics like Three Fly and Color Monte. He will even revisit his own creations with updates that make them even stronger. If Wilson’s name is on it, I’m paying attention.

Here Paul takes the pocket change prediction and turns it into a powerhouse. His premise is so easy to understand, the audience can describe it in one sentence: a spectator reaches into a jar and grabs a random bunch of coins, which are placed into a clear zipper bag that contains a folded piece of paper. The bag is sealed and handed to the helper, and when it’s opened, the paper bears a production that exactly matches the amount of money inside.

Here’s what Paul’s added: like a diamond, this piece has wonderful cut, clarity and color. He’s cut out all unnecessary moves, making the handling both simpler and super deceptive. The plot is clear and simple. And he’s added some color. The moment of revelation is chosen by the helper. They can open the bag immediately, after the show with their friends, at home, or NEVER. As with Jon Allen’s “Schrödinger’s Card,” this elevates the piece from a stunt to a philosophical problem.

I’m working on ways to do this on Zoom, and already have my own presentation worked out. This is strong enough to open, close or feature in any show, and could even be done as a “parentheses;” having the selection process as a prologue and the revelation as an epilogue.

Thanks to Paul Wilson for getting those creative gears going!

I was expecting something similar to the Osterlind money trick with the coins but it's nothing like that. This is simple, easy to set up and easy to do.

How adaptable is it?
- You can use any currency that has coins readily available. Doesn't matter what shape or size, as long as you have coins. Preferably different denominations 5c, 10c, 25c etc.
- Nothing to stop you using the method for something similar, maybe monopoly money, or small poker chips... no reason not to use the coins but you could in theory use something else.
- There are some pieces where you will need to do 'something', but this should not put anyone off performing. No demanding audience management, just some simple instructions.
- The compromise for the effect is good.
- Different outcome each time.

How easy is it to perform?
- Left handers will have no problem, no issues for visual impairments, no clothing restrictions, no language restrictions, you could be seated or standing.
- You will need to have hands that can move, you don't need to be a coin expert or anything like that, just have hands and generally be able to use them.
- You can have more than one piece of paper set up at a time if you wanted to repeat.
- No funny writing taking place, no double talk.

Key points:
- They really do end up with a bag full of coins, with a prediction that really does say the actual amount.
- Easy to set up, no arts and crafts.
- Almost as easy as you could get to perform, the effect plays out just like the trailer!

This is a cleaver and deceptive trick which you can learn how to do very fast. With little practice, timing and misdirection you create a money miracle. You need a glass filled with different coins which must be wide enough to pinch your fingers into and grab the coins. This is not something you generally carry around with you, so it's not very impromptu.

This is a trick you'll probably never do because it's quite quirky and fits Paul Wilson so well. It requires a performance setting, really: it's not something you'd do casually. That said, the thinking behind it is sound, the method is devious and fun and you may have use of it.

I really like the whole premise of this mystical effect.
Paul presents this in an entertaining way that draws straight to the heart of a persons curiosity .
This is pure, with zero reliance on anything mechanical going wrong.
This is possible the best finish to a street performance I have seen , as you would be asking the crowd directly to get involved and place some loose change in the pot 😂🤣👍
5 stars all day long ...... nice effect and teaching Paul 👌

This is a nice trick, it's pretty easy to do and ends clean, but the real value here is Paul's presentation.

I like the premise of offering them the option to hold onto the prediction for as long as they want. It reminds me of J.J Abrams TED talk on the Mystery Box. I've been fascinated by the idea of incorporating it into a magic trick ever since I saw it in John Allen's book, but I never did anything with it. This is the first time I've seen a presentation for it that I liked.


The price is a bit higher than I would think it should be for what you're getting (I would probably have charged $5.95 for it), but this is a nice trick you will enjoy performing and your spectators will enjoy watching.