I recently saw a trailer for a trick where a five dollar bill has a cut in it that allows you to fold the bill so it looks like two fives, but when you unfold it, it turns into a ten dollar bill. I didn't catch the name of it and now can't find the promo video. Anyone know the name of this? Thanks.

I haven't seen that effect published for sale, but the two components are available:

The effect with a slit in the bill, to make it look like 2 bills at 90 degrees to each other(when refolded) can be found in Fulve's Self Working Paper Magic p23, or Magic with Every Day Objects (by Schindler), p190. Not the same, but Paul Harris' Buck Naked (Art of Astonishment) makes a single bill look like two w/o a slit.

To turn the "fives" into a ten could be done by various methods (a switch, a 2 dollar window method..)

Either way, it does sound like a cute way to combine the two methods.

John

The effect you're looking for is called Volunteer Swindler by Hiro Sakai

Todd...

The local magic shop in my town has exactly that trick. He puts it out under his shop’s brand. The way he sells it is that an One changes into a Two (double your money. It can be made up into a 10 changed to a five but with two fives inside of the fold. One starts with a bill completely opened and folds it ½ to the right, remaining ½ to the right, down ½ to make the smallest packet - then, when unfolded it has changed. I have a feeling he has incorporated a fold from another trick he has seen with the changed bill rubber cemented to the back - in a folded condition - of the originating bill. This change could easily start with the two 5’s shown and they then be folded down and unfolded revealing a 10. There is no slit involved as in the effect you initially described.

I can purchase one for you and send it to you if you would like. It is no trouble to see how it is constructed and make up the 10 to two fives. Just let me know.

Rhett Bryson

Todd:

The slit in the "Volunteer Swindler"'s bill is the same as I was referring to (in case you wanted some instructions on that).
The flash transformation was impressive.

John

I posted this on the Perverse Magic thread of the Genii Forum on May 1, 2012:

For Perverse Magic I would borrow a $5 and say I will change it to a $10 and instead get a $1 bill. I would look confused and then upset as I give the spectator the $1 plus four singles from my wallet.

Hiro Sakai's "Volunteer Swindle" was originally published in the February 1999 issue of Genii magazine, under the title "The Fishy Five".