talkmagic.co.uk

Hello everyone.

We all know how to switch coins (eg you're going to perform with a gimmicked coin, you borrow a coin and switch it), but does anyone have any ideas on how to swap a banknote?

I've noticed recently you can buy flashpaper that looks like a £5 or £10. It would be great to borrow a note from someone, perhaps pull a lit match out of your ear or whatever (we all know how to do that, of course) and light "their" note.

But how to switch the note? Perhaps you'd have to fold it up or roll it into a ball first.

there are various bill switches available, most complete magic books will have one, or for a more visual change, try these...

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic13297.php&highlight=bill+switch

Or this...

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic10180.php&highlight=bill+switch

Thanks for that, though they look like effects where you fold the bill or whatever and they watch you fold the bill and at the end it's a different bill. So the switch itself is the effect.

What I need is a way to subtly switch their banknote for another banknote without them noticing, so I can switch it for a flash paper banknote, put a match to it and they see "their" note go up in flames.

So the switch needs to be quick and subtle.

I guess I could just screw their banknote into a ball in my right hand, palm it in the right hand, and reach into my right hand with the screwed up flash paper bill hidden in the fingers of the left hand, and just pretend to grab their note from the right hand but instead it's the fake bill, and unscrew it. They probably wouldn't notice especially if they don't know you're about to perform magic.

That would probably work, but was wondering if anyone had any insights or any specific method!?

I have kevin kings' money morph dvd and its a pretty good bill switch and I would definately recommend it but you need a TT to perform it. I believe Jay Sankey performs this effect on one of his dvds.

I have a TT and I'm very good with it, I've done that stuff more than anything. I wonder if any TT routine might draw too much attention to the change? I mean if you just want them to assume that it's their note. I will try it though...

You could always fold it and light it.
Do it as the $100 bill switch just don't unfold it.
Fold it up, switch it, light it.


Like you said though, it should be just as easy to crumple it up and palm the real note.

On another note, never having used flash paper myself I may be confused about its properties, but I am assuming that it burns so fast that it does not damage anything placed inside it.

If so, you could do an intresting little bill swich where you ball a bill, switch it for a smaller bill which is in turn crupled up within a ball of the flash paper made to look like cash.

Make some comment about burning off the excess, and light it. With a flash the bill visibly changes from a 20 to a 5.

If I need to do something like that, I just go with a quick comedy bit. It's not an original idea by any stretch, but it has worked like a charm for me.

Generally I have my gimmick folded in a particular way, ready to go in my pocket.

I ask if I can borrow a bill. Spectator hands it to me, I fold it up exactly the same way and slip it in my pocket.

"Thanks. I wanted to buy a soda later"

Quick little laugh - and I say I'm kidding, almost immediately pulling the bill back out of my pocket.

Super easy. I'm ready to go with my gimmick and all is right with the world.

Just remembered, I used to do a trick with a fiver folded up in a TT (has to be plastic like Vernet rather than the more rubbery TTs) and I would raise my thumb out of it and it would look like the note was raising from my hand.

It might work to do that, though would have to be subtle so it doesn't look like you're making a big deal of it.