Magic Tricks

I think Consolidaton is a great impromptu trick for beginners. The sleights (not really sleights... more or less just some subtle finger work) are minimal and the setup is about as minimal as you can make it.

I think that most experienced beginners and up will be able to figure this trick out... but still, it's a great trick! There are tons of money tricks out there, but I think this is (for me at least... at least I can't remember any others) the first one that combines a bill and loose change into another single bill. The concept is refreshingly new.

This trick has me thinking of some variations I might try, as well as some changes in the patter so that it feels right to me.

David does a nice job teaching this simple trick.

Let me answer some point blank questions here:
1. Is it worth the price? To be honest, I feel this is a $4.95 trick. In my opinion, this is overpriced. I'm not saying that it's not good... I'm just saying it's not $9.95 good.
2. Is this hard? Not at all. Even a beginner can do it. In fact, a beginner SHOULD do it. He or she will only improve with each trick like this.
3. Is there any preparation or arts & crafts? No arts and crafts. Preparation is very minimal. Like 3 seconds tops. The only other prep is that you obviously will want to obtain $2 bills, which may or may not be a challenge for you. It's at least a quick trip to the bank.
4. Is it impressive? Yes. For me personally, the bill + change = bill is a new idea which is already inspiring more ideas for me.
5. Would you recommend this trick? Yes, for beginners. Anyone more advanced will likely be able to figure this trick out. If you can't though, get the trick. Be careful not to hurt your head when you bang it repeatedly against a wall after watching the explanation.
6. Why is everyone else giving this trick 5 stars? I don't know. I think it's a cute trick, but I'm surprised over the excitement this trick seems to be generating. Maybe it's just me... maybe I'm getting old and I'm just being crotchety. That said, this review is my opinion, not anyone else's.
7. What is your rating then? I'm giving this a 3.5 stars. My reason is this... generally I reserve 5 stars for over the top awesome brain exploders. This is not that. To me, all tricks that are awesome but don't result in spectator gray matter all over my clothes top out at 4 stars (there are exceptions such as Mnemoica Trainer by Rick Lax, but this is a general rule for me). David's trick is a great trick, so I think 3.5 stars out of 4 is a great rating for him. David, please see it this way. :-)

So guys, that's my review... if this blows your mind, then I suppose get it. If you're new to magic, get it. If you're at an intermediate level or an experienced beginners, I'd recommend watching the demo a few more times before making a decision.

(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!)