How did Magician Troy Push a Coin Inside a Playing Card

After magician Troy pushed a coin inside a playing card in his magic TV show, we are getting a lot of questions about the magic trick technique.

When John Webb Carter invented the C2C technique back in 2006 the magic shop released a book for magicians that detailed exactly how to perform the magic trick in close up walk around conditions. It was a huge hit amongst magicians that perform in walk-around close up magic conditions. Many magicians focus on card magic tricks, as coin used a different skill set. Signed coin in signed card acted as a perfect bridge to move from a card magic routine into a coin magic piece.

Here’s the demo video for signed coin inside signed card back in 2006

Here’s some of the questions he have received about the magic trick and magician Troys performance.

Does magician Troy use duplicate playing cards or duplicate coins in order to perform coin in playing card?

You only use a normal ungimmicked coin which you can borrow from the spectator and they can keep at the end. It’s usually a stronger magic trick if you borrow the coin. The object doesn’t actually nedd to be a coin. We have had great feedback from a magician that uses a mobile phone sim card that he demonstrates putting into the deck, just like he does with his phone. The playing card used is the one that the spectator selects and signs.

Can the coin and card can be kept as a souvenir?

YES! You should do that! The spectator will often take the playing card out of their wallet or purse and describe the magic trick to their friends. A momento like the playing card is a great advert for your services and magic!

Does magician Troy switch in gimmicked props?

Signed coin inside signed playing card was designed to be used in surrounded close up magic conditions. That’s how magicin Troy likes to do his magic too. You don’t need to switch in any extra props or gimmicks. It’s all contained within your deck of playing cards.

Is the coin really inside the card or is it just an optical illusion?

Magic on TV can sometimes use optical effects or camera tricks. Magician Troy doesn’t use that for his presentation of coin inside playing card, and you don’t either. The coin really is inside the playing card. You cut the coin out with a pocket knife, or the card is ripped open to release it. The spectators can feel the coin in the playing card before it is cut open.

Is coin in playing card repeatable?

Yes! You ruin one playing card each time you perform this magic trick, but that is the only additional cost to perform it. You can use any normal deck of playing cards.

Magician Troy doesn’t have to worry about repeating a magic trick on his TV series. He can do several takes that result in a single performance. Real work close up magicians, need to be able to repeat the magic trick many times each booking. That’s the way signed coin inside signed playing card was designed to allow. A few moments before, they were holding both items then WHAM! The coin is GONE and really does become impossibly buried INSIDE the spectators signed playing card!

You can learn more about C2C Signed Coin Inside Signed Playing Card here

What the Lego Movie Teaches Magicians About Performing Close Up Magic

by Dominic Reyes Leave a Comment

By Dominic Reyes

Have you seen the Lego movie? I took my kids to see it a few days ago. They absolutely loved it. I asked them to give it a genuine score out of 10, and they all agree it was definitely an 11.

I enjoyed the film just as much. I was a huge collector of Lego when I was a kid. Then life got in the way, and I grew up. But I kept all the Lego in a big box so that I could pass it onto my kids one day. Now I'm a dad, took all the lego down from the attic and dusted it off. However, I noticed that my kids preferred getting new box sets and building those kits using instructions, rather than going through all the random Lego I had, and creating their own models from their imaginations. That got me thinking about magic..

When Lego first started.

Lego has always been about being creative. We all remember having a pile of Lego, and trying to build things. But over time, the way Lego has been sold has changed. Modern Lego sets are now divided up into themed worlds. You buy kits that show you how to make a really cool spaceship, or pirates boat, or city construction sites. Each kit comes with a huge set of instructions which show you how to make the item on the front of the box. Most people tend to go slowly follow the instructions and build the model. At the end, they have an intricate model that matches exactly what's on the front of the box. That's where it stops. The completed model sits around for a while being admired. Slowly over time pieces break off before the model is finally disassembled, and all of the parts thrown into a box with all the parts from other sets. A new set is purchase, and the building begins all over again.

That's so much like the way many magicians purchase magic. They look through magic shop websites, watch some demos, and choose magic tricks that fool them. When the package arrives, they rip it open, quickly examine the props, and start work on the instructions.They learn how to do the basics of the magic trick, perform it a few times, then add it to their collection of old magic tricks that are gather dust.

Should magic really be about collecting new magic tricks, following the instructions in detail, and then moving onto the next trick?

The enemy of Lego is glue.

In the Lego movie, the ultimate weapon the bad guy uses is glue. He plans to fix and freeze the entire Lego world into a perfect model that can no longer be changed or tampered with. Even Lego recognises that this urge to stay within the lines, follow the instructions, and copy exactly what's suggested, is not a great use of their product. Lego is about creativity, and so is magic. It's about using the props to create the impossible. It's about expressing your imagination without the limits of what should, and should not be possible within the laws of physics. There's no need for you to learn a magic trick and feel that is set in stone. Change all the things you don't like about it. Play around with the timing, build your own presentations, and fuse tricks together to create even more imaginative pieces of magic.

Reimagined props.

I watched my eight-year-old building a Lego model. I think somewhere along the way, he had gone slightly wrong and now couldn't find a piece that the instructions told him needed to be placed on top of the Dragon he was building. He actually seem to be in a bit of a panic about it. When I suggested that he just choose a different piece, he looked at me as if I was mad. I see exactly the same thing with magicians that come into the magic shop. When they purchase a magic trick they will often buy exactly the same playing cards that are used by the magician in instructional DVD, even though any playing cards would do. Some even buy a close-up mat that matches the one used in the DVD just so everything is 'perfect'. It doesn't have to be that way. You can use any props you like. You can change them, paint them, swap out a few to something entirely different. The more you mix around your magic, the more you will discover your own style that is just right for you.

Magic is what happens when you DONT follow lifes instructions.

Create your own patter.

In the Lego movie, everybody sings the same song every day. They all watch the same programs on TV. Their whole lives are planned out, and they follow a set of instructions just like the Lego kits. You don't need to follow the instructions. In fact, most magic creators products will suggest that you create your own presentations. Everybody is different and everybody performs magic differently. Try not to clone the patter that you hear on a magic DVD. Build your own presentations that fit the other magic tricks are you doing, and your magic performing style.

Don't follow the crowd.

Lego release new box sets all the time. They create new themes and heavily promote the collections in all the toy shops. Kids pick a theme they like, and choose the models that build within that theme. It could be City Lego, Pirate Lego, Ninjago Lego. It's cleverly marketed so that there's a desire to collect all the Lego models within that theme. Magic marketing works in much the same way. One month everybody wants to push a coin inside a bottle. The next month we are all mad about creating smoke from our fingers, then it's on to mind reading wallets. It goes on and on as new trends dictate the most cool and sought-after magic tricks for magicians to master.

Rather than going after the latestand most hyped up magic trick to be released this month, forget about following the crowd. Just because something is new, doesn't mean it's any good. It's quite possible that the majority of people can all follow each other into making the same mistakes.

A much better way to choose magic is to sit down and imagine what you would do if you could really do magic. Would you really push a coin inside a bottle? Would you spend your time turning a red playing card into a blue one? Many magic tricks are technically clever, but lack any thought as to whether the effect is actually pointless.

What would you do if you could really do magic right now?

Fantasise about the magic you would create. If you were going to demonstrate that magic to your friends, what would you do to show them you really did have magical powers? Look for magic tricks that are as close to this ideal. Even if you are creating the magic you've dreams about in a smaller way, that's still fine. You might not fly around the room, but you could demonstrate that something can be made to fly. It might b impractical to teleport, but you could demonstrate that it's possible with some small objects. Pick magic tricks because you actually want to do the magic they demonstrate, not because it's cool, or because its just been released.

What Lego really is.

I think Lego is one of the greatest toys ever invented. It's designed to give kids a push to create things from scratch in a structured process, Yet at the same time, it slowly suggesting that they let go of instructions and become creative. It shows kids what can be done if you become an expert, but also hints to them that there's just as much fun being a beginner. Kids might break up their models and throw all the Lego into a great pile before seeking the next kit to buy, but that pile of Lego is always calling out of them to come and play, and see what else they can make.

Your magic drawer, box, or corner of the room may be full of discarded magic tricks and props. That's just like the lego box. It's full of building blocks that you could use to put together something new and unique.

Can you recommend any movies that have a useful message for magicians? Let me know in the comments section at the bottom of this page.

Ben Hanlin Tricked – What Magicians Can Learn From the Magic TV Shows

by Dominic Reyes 2 Comments

What Magicians can learn from Tricked with Ben Hanlin

Before Tricked, Ben Hanlin began making waves in the magic world a few years ago with his You Tube channel MagicBoy TV. He traveled up and down the country tracking down celebrities using the power of social networking sites and nothing else. It was a great example of how the world is changing in this era of modern technology. Ben Hanlin then was cast as part of a very popular TV Series called Breaking Magic. Upon its success Ben has now risen to greater heights and has been granted his own show – Tricked. He is a great magician with bags of charisma, but don’t let that fool you, he also has a cheeky, more sinister side that can show its face!

The Style of Magic

Ben Hanlin Tricked is a cross between a street magic show and a hidden camera show. Ben Hanlin travels around posing as different types of people, whether it be an interviewer for ITV2, a crew member at a photoshoot or a security guard and then shows unsuspecting members of the public magic tricks. Sometimes it is revealed that they have been part of a hidden camera magic show, sometimes it isn’t, the members of the public are just left to figure what just happened out themselves!

Expect to see lots of great close up magic in Ben Hanlin Tricked that isn’t your standard card tricks and coin magic. For example in Episode One Ben Hanlin pulls a full 1 litre Vodka bottle from someone’s shoe!

How Can Watching Tricked Be Useful for Magicians.

Ben Hanlin – Tricked has many lessons to learn from watching it. Ben Hanlin is a naturally easy going character, and he instantly sets the spectators at ease with his personality. He smiles and makes a lot of eye contact; he laughs and has fun, and he is also very talented and creative. All of these points shine through when you watch Ben Hanlin – Tricked.

The magic tricks in Ben Hanlin – Tricked is well thought out and takes some planning, do not dismiss every magic trick you see on TV as a TV trick or using stooges. Some performances on TV do of course use stooges. However, a lot more thought is put into these things than just using a stooge. Try to think of ways that the magic tricks in Ben Hanlin – Tricked could be achieved without stooges and actors (as they really aren’t stooges and actors!). This is how you can really benefit, challenge yourself to come up with your own methods for ideas, use these ideas as inspiration to come up with your own magic tricks, this will help you become a more individual performer and help you break away from the magic tricks that everyone does and be more unique.

We here at the Merchant of Magic believe that watching any performance can help you as a performer. If you watch a bad performance, you can see what is wrong and make sure you do not fall into the same trap. If you watch a great performance, you can learn form how they have performed and utilise what you have learned in your own set of magic tricks.

The Use of Celebrities

Ben Hanlin – Tricked uses celebrities in a way to gain attention from not only the viewers but from anyone involved. If you can get in front of important people, you must be someone important!

However, this does not mean that you cannot use this thinking to your advantage. Maybe you live in a city near where there are celebrity hot spots like The Ivy, or Annabels in London. There is nothing preventing you (apart from security!) from trying to either get into one of these venues by showing your skills of entertainment. Alternatively, you could simply wait around outside entertaining people until someone famous ventures outside and take your chance at amazing them. Be sure to have a camera with you though!

If you do not fancy doing this why not take that style of thinking and apply it to the most important person at your gigs. A company CEO or the person whom the party is being thrown for for instance. This will attract a lot of attention to your magic and also create a lot more conversation about it. When a company has a party the magician can be talked about for a short while the day they get back to the office, but if you perform a magic trick on the company CEO it will be talked about for years!

You can catch Ben Hanlin – Tricked on ITV2 at 9pm on Thursdays. The Merchant of Magic gives Ben Hanlin – Tricked two thumb tips up! Its style and substance are both right up there, and the magic is all very good and inspiring. It is always good to see magic on TV, and when it is presented by someone as entertaining and likeable as Ben Hanlin it makes it all the more enjoyable! Well done Ben, roll on the next Episode!