Ever wonder why magicians all like to use Bicycle Cards and Half-Dollar coins? And for the matter... sharpie markers?

Beside the fact that most gimmicks are made for those brands and they are indeed of better quality, could it be due to the "celebrity effect"?

When I was younger, I love to buy the model of football boots that my favourite player is wearing. Somehow, it makes you feel like you can be as skillful as him when you put them on.

Does Bikes and Half Dollars make you feel more like a magician? Or does any one of you think otherwise?

For half-dollar coins, I think it's because for western people, the size is big enough to get a visual effect. And also, it's their regular daily coins back then.

While in euro they use the same thing too. That's why we have both famous items, one is american the other is the european :P

And of course, after that, maybe it's the "celebrity effect" just like you said, because every magician use it, it got popular, and got ga**s made etc. etc.

So, we use them too loorr :P

As for

If you answer yes, then you might as well give up to being a magician :P

A magician must be able to use anything to create amazement ^_^

I certainly feel if I can use (let say for example) an ugly little rocks on the street and can make 'magic' happen, then I will feel more like a magician ^_^

We use bikes and halves because of the gaff. Period.

If it's for the celebrity effect of to make us feel important, we would use tally ho or bike tiger or ghost.

We use regular bikes, not jumbo index or any thing else. i think the reason is obvious enough.

ZiAn

Hi,

I wonder that too. Well, firstly I believe that in US. Bicycle decks are very common, firstly it is produced by US Playing Cards and it's relatively cheap. In US, 2USD is like $2 in Singapore. If will to talk about standard of living,etc.

Therefore, bicycle decks have become common in US. When DVD/tricks/performance video/etc are released from the US, most magicians use bicycle deck because there are relatively available and cheap in US. Over here in SG, we can`t get Bicycle deck anywhere. However, we can get decks like EAGLE brand, or Aladdin. These decks available in here become common, or some other brands like WASPS,TIGER. which cost around $1.50-$2.50.

I think probably the influence from the US, therefore many of us uses bicycle decks and not only that the quality of the cards are better. Of course bike and halves don`t make us feel more like magician however during shows/performance it make the show more professional.

I've heard many comments from magicians from the US that "bikes are easy to recognize". In Singapore, Bicycle is like the unknown brand. Ask any layman for a brand of cards, "Royal Washable 100% Plastic" springs to mind.

- Thad