Weird little envelopes.

Exactly.

Coin collectors, jewelry makers, drug dealers and innumerable others are familiar with the generic type. Not black ones, though.

You surely don't think office supply outfits are making them for the mentalism market, do you?

Who do you suppose is buying them?

...if I had to pick an average uk envelope, ours would be white with the textured inside, they're pretty thin - I know scott creasey has envelope work on them...C6 size is 114mm x 162mm and ours open along the longest side/edge, and a business card in the uk is 85mm x 55mm...so almost double...

As I said, most of the time I have seen them in the real world it has been when I was working in the service industry and we used them for tip-outs. Other than that, I have never seen them in the wild, not have most people. Of course, they are used, but by a small and niche crowd for certain purposes. It's not something people carry around in their breast pocket. Therefore, any time you introduce them there is the chance of someone thinking "Wow, what a weird little envelope." This is true regardless of color. The only advantage I can see to certain colors over others is for visibility from the stage. If you are working with a black backdrop, for instance, black envelopes would be a terrible idea.

I'm leaning towards getting a couple of orders of black coin envelopes with my logo printed on it. Look a little more "classy" to me than the standard fare, and would make sense as to why such an unusual envelope being introduced. It would also make my psychometry routine a bit easier

...just to highlight the pernickerty-ness of things, for me, printed text on a black envelope *would* look too unusual, ha!

It would also make them look "special," which is exactly what you don't want. But you haven't answered my question- why do you think office supply companies keep manufacturing these and who is buying them?

I think you are totally wrong in your assessment that most people aren't familiar with generic coin envelopes. What data do you base that on?

I think I know what I'm talking about.

Yes, it would make them look special, which in the context I have planned for them is actually exactly what I want. But that's actually off topic and an idea for a very particular performance.

I did answer your question.

Most commonly, it seems they are being bought and used in the service industry.

I think you are wrong in your assessment as well. I base my data on the fact that aside from when dealing with paying tip outs I have never seen a single person remove a coin envelope from their pocket.

I also think I know what I'm talking about. I think it's obvious we both think we know what we're talking about, otherwise neither of us would be talking!

Whatever. It's interesting that when mentalists are paying me hundreds of dollars for my advice, they take it a lot more seriously than when I post it here for free.

Just because I disagree, does not mean I haven't considered the advice. Am I not allowed to disagree? Of course I am. That's the nature of conversation.

You have one point, which you have found to be valid.

I have one point, which I have found to be valid.

Hopefully, the OP will read the discussion and come to his own conclusion and his one point that he finds to be valid.

Where is the problem?

It's hard to deny Bob's understanding of this. If I am giving someone a keepsake of the performance or something to remember their experience with me, I understand it can read as "special". If it is anything that relates to effect or especially "method" it should definitely be beyond suspicion. Anything that calls attention to itself even in the smallest sense creates subliminal unrest in the spectators minds.

Exactly, Ray.

I think what we are seeing here is an example of mentalism slowly morphing into "mental magic," where specially printed props and odd looking accessories are very common.

I don't use anything in my act that doesn't look like it came from an office supply or drug store. And certainly not anything that looks the least bit "special."

I don't know how what I wrote could be interpreted as mental magic. But, if it is that's fine.

Regarding the specially printed envelopes: Again, as I wrote above, that is a consideration for one particular performance.

My contention is that since the particular envelope style that we use (Coin envelopes) are relatively uncommon, at least in my geographic location, that color does not matter as much as regardless of color there is the potential for an audience member to think "That's an odd envelope". Granted, I don't think that occurs because an envelope is an envelope and nothing more, but Brown, Red, Black, the color doesn't appear to have much affect on how it is perceived, from my experience. As long as you avoid white, as even with some of the "better" envelopes they are not opaque enough and writing can be seen through. White envelopes also just shout transparent, even if they're not.

I have personally all but stopped using coin envelopes because of how out-of-place they seem.

The black coin envelopes are very popular with cannabis purveyors.
"Check out these cool envelopes. Do they smell still? Here lets put your paper in here."

I had the same thought as Bob about the black ones, but I got some to play with because they're perfect for a Larry Becker idea that I've done some work on. It could be played as a special test conditions experiment. Perhaps black even facilitates the RV process.
But not for 4DT.

really? over here its just in sealable plastic bags...

so I've been informed, naturally...

Not that I know from first hand account or anything, but it seems like the cannabis salesmen tend to use either plastic jewelry bags or sandwich bags.

No, for fancy hash, oil, and what's that stuff? Oh yeah dab. They're in little bags inside the envelopes.

Look a little closer:

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Extract-Enve......nvelopes

I wanted to say - oddness notwithstanding, these black envelopes are very nicely made.

Also, although the blurb for the #1 envelopes say its 80# paper and the #3 say it's 24#, they both appear to be the same exact paper.

You said it Iain! UK Pay Envelopes (does anyone actually use these for pay ) are woeful quality! Since the quality in/from the USA is so much better, perhaps an enterprising UK dealer might import these & sell them in more realistic quantities (from the usual 500) - a fair wee profit here

What kind of envelopes do coin dealers use in the UK?

Https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coin-Envelopes-......05J3HSNA

Mostly...😊