talkmagic.co.uk

Hi
I'm sure everyone who knows some coin magic is immensly tempted to use the sleights they've learned on an unsespcting shop worker at the tills. Should I resist these temptations? I suppose it depends on the context... Just curious about what others think
Thanks

I have an opinion. Don't do it, even if you do it in fun and everybody walks away laughing. You are still making the cashier look like an idiot. I don't know anybody who wants to feel that way. Unless you ask them if they want to see a trick first. But just to mess with them? Not a great idea.

Magic is only magic when it is done for entertainment. Anyone using magic techniques to really scam someone is not performing magic, they are a performing acts of thief or fraud.

Do it for entertainment, (false transfer, empty hand, coin behind their ear etc.) but make sure you give the right coins at the end.

Many places have CCTV and you could end up with egg on face.

I will often show one hand empty cover it with the other and produce the amount needed, coins or notes or swap an i.o.u for cash but thats about it.

ok maybey i'll show a pound coin but actualy drop a copper in there tips pot if the service has been substandard, guilty as charged.

Yeah, I'm sure it is tempting but I would probably avoid it. Bmat is right, the cashier doesn't really have a choice in that situation, they are stuck at work and it could make them feel a bit stupid.

Unless you ask them first and they are not busy, of course. Then it might perk their day up. Don't just go ahead and do it though.

I wonder if they would take your money if you did extreme burn? That's not putting anybody's ego at stake in this case, since your paying at the end. Then again the trick would rely on them thinking you cannot pay, which would put their back up before you turn paper into money, and might turn the whole thing to c*** (not the best). Maybe better to buy something worth ,say, GBP 7, then realise you only have a fiver on you, and turn your bill into a tenner, then pay. Wouldn't try it on a night out in a club though. (in which case you'd have to turn 20 into 50 knowing you English lot )

I wasn't planning on robbing anyone! xD I don't really get to perform coin magic often it normally is just when someone drops a coin or something and I go to hand it back and it vanishes.

i make my change vanish sometimes. it normally depends on how bored i got in the queue.
can be good fun to walk away with them confused.

Many UK retail establishments no longer accept American Express cards, it might be mildly amusing to buy a lot of stuff from those places and when the checkout operator announces the total, produce an Amex Card but in between their horrified expression and their announcement that they can't accept it, you do a swift 'colour change' and turn it into an acceptable card.

There again, it might not be all that funny..... depends on the establishment I suppose... forget I spoke, OK?

I do it all the time...but then I'm on the other side of the checkout, so I can get away with it.

We sell mood rings and I love telling them that the rings are special and if you squeeze them hard enough they disappear and then find them in strange places (pen lid is my favourite just now...).

Almost feel bad when they walk out with a red face from trying to squeeze it so tight. Almost...

Don't even get me started on how much fun I have with a squeaker. I told a group of kids that if they could find the squeaky one of these they could have it for free. They spent ages raking through the box. Again, almost felt bad...

evil...