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Keith Mitchell Special user 799 Posts |
I have a trick that requires me to burn the envelope with money inside of it.
Obviously I cannot burn real money, so I was wondering if you guys could help me find fake money. I need fake USA bills, not those expensive funny money, just something that is inexpensive and easy to burn. Is there a special name for these fake bills? Many thanks |
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tony2514 Regular user Yorkshire, UK 162 Posts |
There are some really nice Flash Bills out there, why not do away with the envelope and burn a Flash bill in full view.
You can get replica money on ebay or CDs with the artwork to print your own. |
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The Amazing Noobini Inner circle Oslo, Norway 1658 Posts |
I think that if you burn money, regardless of if you yourself know that it isn't real, the audience will think that you're a fairly big a**hole if they think it's genuine cash. See what I mean? To them you may as well be burning real money. Which is an extremelely tasteless thing to do.
Also, selling or printing fake money that is good enough to fool someone up close is obviously illegal, so finding a big wad of great looking fake bills in a store isn't very likely. In order to sell them they need to look fake up close and also, I would assume, be in a context which explains why they are made in the first place. Such as this: http://madhattermagicshop.com/magicshop/......_id=4285 Best of luck
"Talk about melodrama... and being born in the wrong part of the world." (Raf Robert)
"You, my friend, have a lot to learn." (S. Youell) "Nonsensical Raving of a lunatic mind..." (Larry) |
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jimhlou Inner circle 3698 Posts |
You can get "fake" money at any Teacher supply store.
Jim |
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Jerrine Special user Busking is work. 629 Posts |
I think that burning real money is a great way to commit the audience's attention and conviction.
Doing so I've never been seen as a fairly big any-type-hole. The situation really gets good when the bill is restored. Burn the money Man, burn the money! |
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Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts |
One of the best most startling Bill in Lemon routine I ever witnessed was done by Mark Wilson on one of his specials. The bill was borrowed and the serial number noted down by the audience member...as I recall....and then...the bill...was simply burned by Mark!
Lemon selected and cut open. Bill removed and serial number confirmed to be the same. It took me some time to figure out 'how' to get bills with the same serial number, but once I have that worked out ... oh, boy was it WORTH burning a REAL bill for each show! The burning of a real bill to accomplish some effect and affect upon the audience is a wonderful thing used well and at the right time. The cost if you are using a one dollar bill is easily amortized into the cost of doing business, etc. There is also a real POWER to the open and obvious destruction of a real bill that simply can't be denied. Flash Bills are nice in their place, but they do NOT burn at all like a real bill and although folks might think for a moment that you somehow caused a real bill to burn in such manner, in reality most folks know that there was just something wrong. The burning of a real bill takes time and has drama. You have time to tell a joke or relate a bit of information. You HAVE TIME TO BUILD THE BLOODY SUSPENSE and time to ACT upon what is happening in front of the audience. Don't overlook this classic bit of business. Best,
Brad Burt
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Loual4 Special user Montreal, Canada 670 Posts |
One word of caution. In some jurisdictions (Canada, for example...), it is a criminal offense to destroy currency. Now, I don't think you would get sent to prison for burning 5$, but you might get way too much trouble for a simple trick. No matter how good the trick is!
Have a nice day! Louis Jutras |
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airship Inner circle In my day, I have driven 1594 Posts |
Though TECHNICALLY illegal, I don't believe there has EVER been a case of a magician being prosecuted for altering or destroying money.
Though Congress forgot to include a loophole for magicians, the Secret Service has bigger fish to fry.
'The central secret of conjuring is a manipulation of interest.' - Henry Hay
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Jerrine Special user Busking is work. 629 Posts |
The bill in question is whole again, verified by serial number. If authorities are involved, I never burned a real bill now did I? No, not at all. I'm a Magician. You thought you saw me burn your bill. It was all an illusion.
Move along, nothing to investigate here. |
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jimhlou Inner circle 3698 Posts |
My wife can burn through $100 in no time.
Jim |
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Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
It's my understanding that it's not illegal to destroy money. At least not in the states. What is illegal is to turn one denomination of currency into another. That's what the "defacing a bill" means. After all if I have a $5 bill it's my $5 bill. Again, this is what I gathered from the things I've read and in discussion on the issue. I could be wrong though.
Another thing is you can have a two thirds of a bill (a third is missing) and still spend it. In fact I think it's actually you have to have more then half a bill. You can take a bill to the bank that's not whole and exchange it for a whole bill as long as there's more then half of it left. I've done this with a $20 bill before. About a third of the bill was cut off and they exchanged it. So, this is just another option that came to mind. A third of a bill folded in half could look like an entire bill folded up. Ron Jaxon |
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magicleo New user 63 Posts |
I know a version of this trick that uses real money but does not end up harming it. PM me if you would like to know more.
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Julie Inner circle 3936 Posts |
Brad has the right take on this. Another option is to take your $20, $50 or $100 and switch it for a $1 bill. The back of the one will look like the larger bills and burn at the same speed!
Julie |
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Jerrine Special user Busking is work. 629 Posts |
Julie is right about Brad & Jerrine having the right take on this.
Oh wait, she said nothing about Jerrine. Go ahead and burn the $20-$50-even a $100. Just add the cost to your fee. Let people see Andrew's face crinkle and burn. The back of a one looks like the back of a one,and so on and so forth. |
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Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts |
This is an interesting question: Is the trick made stronger by burning a bill of a larger denomination? The answer is no. Here's why: In an effect like changing a one dollar bill into a hundred dollar bill the change into the larger denomination IS the point. Changing a one to a five is nice, but the change to the large bill is just that much better.
But, borrowing a bill, destroying it and then having it magically show up in some impossible location is not made particularly better by having a bill of greater denomination. Translocate and restore a one or a hundred the effect is not essentially the same it is EXACTLY the same. The destruction of the bill I outlined above is made POWERFUL and EFFECTIVE by the certainty that the audience has that you are in FACT destroying the very bill of which you just noted the serial number. It's the openness of the act of burning that immediately follows that is so compelling. The beauty of the method is that the bill found later actually does have a legitimate duplicate of the serial number and it is obviously so, thus the numerical value of the bill is not an issue. Don't misunderstand...there 'might' be a 'slight' edge in shock value to burning a hundred, but I don't think that it's worth the extra expense, even if one could easily afford it. I have don't the one dollar version enough times to formulate that opinion that it's the destruction of ANY money that's shocking. There is also this: I firmly believe that a hundred dollar bill would work against you and for this reason....I think that most folks simply would not 'buy' the fact that you are destroying a REAL hundred dollar bill!!! A one? Sure, why not. Shocking, but believable. A hundred? No. And, here's the thing....For the trick to work....they MUST BELIEVE THAT YOU REALLY DID BURN THE REAL BILL! Without that firm conviction on the part of the audience you have a single shocking moment, but not much of an effect later on. Best,
Brad Burt
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Jerrine Special user Busking is work. 629 Posts |
Before I was in the know and saw a burned bill bit I assumed that a switch was made and the Magician was willing to burn one of his bills and then later switch in mine, serial number noted or not. Would he burn his one? Sure. A five? O.K. Ten? Maybe. Twenty? MMMMMMM I don't know. Fifty? I don't think so. Hundred? No way man.
I'm not saying that it makes the bit stronger with a larger bill, I'm only saying what I thought about method back then. I've never had anyone doubt that the fire coming off the bill was real and it's ashy remains were in fact burnt, and that it was the bill they handed me. If there were that doubt, I would go back to the drawing board or my rehearsal room. After all, that is what the bit is all about. |
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Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts |
[quote]On 2007-07-08 02:36, Jerrine wrote:
Would he burn his one? Sure. A five? O.K. Ten? Maybe. Twenty? MMMMMMM I don't know. Fifty? I don't think so. Hundred? No way man. [quote] Exactly my point above! If the audience doesn't buy the burning of the $100 as a FACT then the reappearance later is just not that amazing. Folks will not hesitate to believe that you REALLY burned up their ONE dollar bill. Thus when it magically reappears intact you have a real magical happening. Doubt on the part of the audience is the greatest threat to both the AFFECT and EFFECT of any particular magic routine. It's as the audience 'believes' what you assert is happening that the EFFECT of the routine grows and grows and produces the greatest AFFECT upon the minds and emotions of those watching. Best,
Brad Burt
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Jerrine Special user Busking is work. 629 Posts |
I'll try once more to make my thought clear. Written word often fails me.
I believed that there was no way he would make a switch and then burn HIS (Caps for emphasis not yelling)$100 bill. Mine sure, but HIS no. Who in their right mind would burn their own money regardless of denomination. Seeing the bill burned and ruling out it being HIS bill it must be mine, after all that's what appeared to happen. Now with the thought that it was indeed my bill being burned not a switched bill the restoration is quite amazing and magical. Brad and I have different views on the psychology of this bit, and that's O.K. but we can agree that a real bill needs to be burned. Just did an informal poll of people I could readily obtain, neighbors and a few people I called around the country. I'm too curious that way. The question was: "A Magician borrows a $1 from you, notes the serial number then burns the bill before you and then restores it and the numbers match. Then a week later you see the same Magician do it to someone else with a $100 bill. Is one more magical than the other? If so which one?" Everyone thought the $100 was stronger. When I asked why the reply had nothing to do with a switch. They all said there was more interest(emotional involvement)in the bit using a $100. Would this hold true for everyone? I can say without reservation, no. Ask around and see what response you get. This could get interesting. |
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Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts |
This is a great interchange. Jerrine...try structuring your question or add a question this way: "Do you believe that someone would really burn up a real one dollar bill or a real hundred dollar bill to get the exact same magic effect?"
I have found over 30 years of asking such questions as yours and mine to determine what folks will believe, accept, etc. that questions don't always tell the truth of the matter. Much depends on the form of the question and the underlying presuppositions of the questioner. The question asked whether it would be more powerful if a one or hundred is burned happens in the minds of the questioned at exactly the same time. Even trying to add a time factor in doesn't really work because the time is non exsistent to the person being questioned. The way to test would be to do the trick for someone with a one dollar bill and ask them nothing at the time. Two weeks or more later do it for them again and do it with a hundred dollar bill and see the reaction. Wait a week and then ask for an assessment. Now, reverse the order with someone else and see if that has any affect upon the outcome. The problem is of course that most folks have not the money to do the testing, etc. My theory (and it IS a theory...I admit it) is based on the following observations: #1- Doing the effect as I have described has proven to be incredibly powerful in performance. Folks love it. #2- In doing various routines where a larger denomination bill was supposedly destroyed, but not in full view of the audience....this is where I am having to extrapolate...I have noticed a certain cynicism in the audience reaction. They just tended to 'buy' the destruction of the smaller bill more than the larger. Frankly, I find this stuff fascinating on a lot of differing levels. Good stuff,
Brad Burt
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Jerrine Special user Busking is work. 629 Posts |
Brad,
I knew the question would matter so I posted it for others to comment on and perhaps suggest a better one. As you say the acid test is performance but finding the people/money/time to conduct such an experiment would be troublesome at best. When I do burned bill it is actually two bills used, one from two different people, and then only half of each bill is burned and later restored.(I hate Rules by Brother Paul)Both bills never leave sight and are the focus of attention at all times. You stated "where a larger denomination bill was supposedly destroyed, but not in full view of the audience". Perhaps our presentations are different enough to change the psychology involved, perhaps not. I too enjoy such journeys into the mind of the spectator. Not only are different ways of thinking explored but thinking is stimulated. Thinking, the root core of strong magic in my book. (That book has not been written yet and most probably will not be published even in ebook form) By the way I do enjoy reading "Enhancing Your Ability to Work Wonders". |
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