Phil Goldstein's "A Very Good Hand" (Card Cavalcade). Cop out the Ace of Spades at the end.

Sorry about the error on Call of the Wild. Haven't done it for a couple months but keep meaning to dust it off. Always worked great for me.

As far as the story line I assume you are referring to the Contray Queen. Its a simple effect with three cards representing society and hollywood fame. How people chase fame and immitate what they see... in the end they give up but the modest star has one last suprise for them. Meaning to get a video up someday... who knows...

JS,

I totally agree about Duplicity, it's a real winner all the way around.

It's got everything in it, good storyline that's a nice interplay between the magi and specs, is very fair and completely examinable in the end. Just a wonderful effect and one of the "Gang of 3" card effects that this coin-guy carries almost daily. I like it because there's not a lot of counting, turning over, shuffling, etc., to it.

Sometimes you see some of these packet tricks and there's so much counting and twisting and turn around/turn overs, bottom to top, etc., that the magic IMHO is greatly lost more to confusion than true amazement to the spec. People just have to know that you're doing something to make the cards change like that behind all that movement before you see the magic.

Anyway, Duplicity doesn't have a lot of that stuff and still plays powerfully well. Same for Dr. Daley's Last Trick (which is another examinable one in my wallet), it's just perfect.

And here's an example of what I mean. Don't get me wrong, it's a great trick and done very well but.... :/ Hey maybe it's because I'm more of a coin guy...I sure hope so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rljnELsmEhs

@Mb217,
I USE to think people did not like TWISTING, but so far they love it even all the twisting in ROYAL SCAM. If you do this trick right, you do NOT just place the bottom card to the top like I have seen some do on youtube. I feel it is a good idea for everyone to know a good examineable gambling trick. It is a great feeling when you can plop the cards on the table and walk away clean like you can with Duplicity.
For the record, I am not a fan of NFW because I feel there are tricks just as good with normal cards and those with gaffs blow NFW away like bicycle made for 5, hold it buster, and Call of the Wild.
On the other hand, card guys should know some good coin tricks. People love tricks with money. I even did a show where 10 kids signed a quarter before it vanished and ended up in the little money bag after doing GP.

My favorite packet trick is Doc Daley’s last trick. I use Greg Wilson’s presentation of it called weighted aces.

Other favorites are The Asher Twist and Color Monte.

Yeah JS, you all should know some coin stuff as well. I've always thought that every young man should know a good Coins Across effect...it actually should be a rite of passage, as should knowing a good card trick as well.

I don't mind the "twisting" but when it's happening every few seconds it can get a bit dimming IMHO...It screams that something is up, with gaffed cards or even regular cards, but that's just me.

I like NFW and the way I present it in my Gang-of-3 packet tricks, it being a gaffed trick is lost to the specs, as I present Duplicity in the 2-spot and finish with the Daley Trick, which is brought out as the 4 aces from NFW. Both Duplicity and The Daley Trick are examinable so the fact that NFW is not examinable isn't even an issue and very well cleaned up by the Daley finish. Works well.

I actually like NFW a lot as it is very magical. I present it much like the way the pro does that first hawked the trick. I like to do it quickly with the same sort of patter, so I just learned it that way. The trick has very minimal twisting if that and the result is stunning and really locks the specs in for more to come. But to each his own, and do continue with the coin magic. I actually have a download out of short amazing coin tricks that take a little practice but can be done fairly easily...It would break up all the card work you guys do here. Hit my "ShortPockets" link below and check out the video. There's even an effect included that uses a card with a coin. Am I meeting you half-way or what?

-Mb

Mb,
what? Just kidding. How does this sound for an trick with normal cards. You were dealt the 4 aces and a 5th card you didn't care about. The spectator selects ( forced) the 10S but it is kept facedown. Before it is cut, you show 4 aces face up 1 by 1. You noticed the guy on your right was peeking at your cards, so you told him watch closely. You then make each ACE turn over, 1 by 1. He then told you that was impressive, but the guy on his left has a full house, 3 aces and a pair of 9's. So I asked what ace he didn't have. You now count the cards and the AS is face up. You wave it over the other cards and display A to J in spades. He then asked me why I didn't just change them into 4 Kings, Queens, or Jacks. I replied, I didn't need to.

That sounds pretty good JS... Is this something you can do already or are you developing it? It sounds like a winner if you can make all of that happen... Without a mess of "twisting" that is. Good storyline already...Now get to building it so I can try it out.

MB,
I am on it! I'll PM you the method. Yes, there is some twisting but with motivation. In fact, when they ask, why not 4 of a kind you can patter how that wouldn't be fair and no matter how much skill you use in POKER, some times you need luck. And I guess today just happens to be my lucky day( show 10 S)

It's sounding better every minute JS... Glad to be able to do a little of this stuff but be gentle as I am just a lowly coin guy in this land of cards.

Hi MB

I understand what you mean. This is a really beautiful effect and if you could eliminate some of the twisting and double displays then this would be fantastic. I think that as it stands it is best down to music with some nice choreography "Sorry about the spelling"

Thanks for posting the link

Just a side not about Color Monte...

Arthur Emerson is a member of my local magic club. He said that at last count it had sold somewhere in the neighborhood of 500,000 copies. That makes it hands down, with no competition, the greatest selling packet trick of all time. I can't remember exactly but I think Art said they released it around 1968.

That being said I perform it regularly and have never had a layperson say that they had seen it before. It really does kill. When you lay out the $14 card it is always a WTF reaction.

I failed to mention WHY I like a Goldstein's "A Very Good Hand" from Card Cavalcade. It is an easy, impromptu mini-AC with a shocking color change of the whole packet at the end. Lean back, cop the odd card (AS), throw down the packet and the specs will be amazed.

John Luka - Michigan Monte - check it out, you'll be a convert, garanteed!

A version of the mystery cards from Bther Hamman.
slow, increasing and the mystery cards are shown at the end

Oops : not examinable!

QUeens out of control without a doubt!

I think for a simple enough trick, Dr. Daley's Last Trick is hard to beat. It's completely examinable upfront and afterwards and is instantly quite amazing with some good presentation. You can tell how truly great it is in how many times it has been presented/duplicated by others...The flattery is staggering.

It's such a simple enough effect but does take a fair amount of finesse to present well. If you only had one card trick to do, do this one. It's a real winner and has been for some time now. Truly a classic.

Robert Neale's "Fly Sport" from Life, Death, & Other Card Tricks.