A resource for mystery performers who do money effects.
Back in the day I saw Gregory Wilson’s Hundy 500 and was so blown away I bought it and started to put together the trick. Went to the bank and got 5 one hundred dollar bills…
Well, no.
We didn’t have an extra $500 sitting around for me to turn into a magic trick. I thought about using $20 bills instead, even though it wouldn’t have the same impact, and while we honestly didn’t have even an extra $100 those days, I did it anyway.
And then we needed to pay a bill, or buy groceries, or something, and I had to “spend the trick.”
Fast Forward A Bunch Of Years…
I focus on mentalism now, so Hundy 500 doesn’t fit me, but if it did I’d set it up using Prop Money.
When you see a bag full of money on a TV show or movie, prop money is what you may be seeing. Or if you’re watching rap artists throw money around in their latest video, that is probably what they’re using.
It’s fake money that looks very real. So real that I make sure to keep it away from my real money. You can feel a difference between them, but I don’t want to take any chances! 🙂
When I was working up a routine I call Dollars and Sense I hopped online and ordered a stack of $20s, $50s, and $100s and that will probably last me for quite a while. From the audience’s perspective they are real US currency, but if I want to flash a stack of hundreds, it’s not going to break the bank.
If you have routines that need money and fake money will work for it, check this stuff out. Inexpensive and better (safer!) than carrying around wads of real cash.
If you use my affiliate link for PropMoney.com (or the discount code JAYJENNINGS at checkout) you’ll get 10% off your order.
Use this link: https://propmoney.com/JAYJENNINGS
Even if you don’t need it for magic and mentalism, they sell a pack of different denominations that can be used when you’re playing Monopoly! Your friends will freak out when you pull out the game and plop “real” money down to play with.
Just something else I was thinking about today — when you do a Bank Night routine and the helpers all lose, what if in the “losing” envelopes was one of the fake $100 bills? They are cool enough that even though fake, they make a great parting gift. Just warn people not to try and spend them!
Also, if you want to spend a bit more, you can order custom bills with your face on them. And contact info, etc. At the time of this comment it starts at $125 for 200 double-sided bills, which isn’t too bad ($25 for every stack of 100 bills after that). Cheap enough to use as business cards if you want.