talkmagic.co.uk

I've been lucky enough to get a free deck of cards from airlines and bars and trade shows. A lot of my friends also give me old decks of cards that they've found in their house.

I was wondering if any of you out there can give me tips on other ways to get free decks.

Try asking at Casinos if they've got any old decks. They change them all the time and usually just throw them out. I knew a guy that got hundreds of nearly new decks this way.

No question about it......Casinos are the way to go! They love to get their cards out in the public as well as it is great advertising.

You can also find someone that has some promotional decks....let them know that you do magic, and if they would be willing to "sponsor" you with a few decks you would happily use them and casually promote the business while performing.

The only problem with casino decks is that (at least in the US) you can't get them after they've been "altered" to prevent cheating.

Some casinos will trim the opposite corners so the cards are uneven (making them almost usesless for card magic). Others will ink the sides to mark them. Others still will just drill a hole through the middle of the deck.

Out of curiosity - do casinos in Europe do the same with their old decks?

I'm sure they'd be great for Mercury Card Fold practice.

Demitri wrote:The only problem with casino decks is that (at least in the US) you can't get them after they've been "altered" to prevent cheating.

Some casinos will trim the opposite corners so the cards are uneven (making them almost usesless for card magic). Others will ink the sides to mark them. Others still will just drill a hole through the middle of the deck.

No question about it, they do not work ideally....however they give you something to practice with to avoid adding mileage to you performance decks....and as said earlier, mercury card fold, torn and restored effects, etc...