Magic Wallet Guide
The Magic Wallet Guide is a one stop, compare and contrast, review of most of the magic wallets currently on the market.This is the most comprehensive guide to magic wallets on the internet. If you are looking for a card to wallet or a peek wallet, we review it!
Get your scrolling fingers ready…
…this is a long review!
It is really impossible to give meaningful grades to wallets. The reason there are so many magical wallets on the market is because there are so many different styles of wallet in the market. So the key to this guide is to first give you a clear look at what a wallet looks like on the inside. So the first thing you will see is a picture of the interior of the wallet. Then you will get a write up that includes the following headings.
Wallet Functions: What is this wallet designed to do? Card To Wallet, Peek, Index, Switching, all of the above?
Ease of use(Magic): How functional is it for each of its magical features.
Ease of use(everyday use): Is this a wallet that can be used as a day to day wallet or is it best reserved only for gigs and performances?
Overall thoughts: A summary of the Authors thoughts on the wallet.
This page is separated into three main sections based upon the basic type of wallet. Here is a list, in order, of the sections and which wallets are reviewed in each section. Next to each wallet on this list is the name of the reviewer. The section markers are outlined in Bold red so you can easily find them as you scroll down the page.
Secretary Wallets
BKM wallet reviewed by: Erik Ostresh (Custom-Playing-Card.com founder)
JOL (Jerry O’connel) Small Plus wallet reviewed by: SooWee Ong (Semi-Pro Magician from Australia)
Mullica wallet reviewed by: Erik Ostresh (Custom-Playing-Card.com founder)
Hip Pocket(Bill-Fold) Wallets
F1 Nitro wallet reviewed by: Roy Foust (semi-Pro magician from U.S.A.)& Erik Ostresh (Custom-Playing-Card.com founder)
Infinity wallet reviewed by: Erik Ostresh (Custom-Playing-Card.com founder)
Mirage wallet reviewed by: Josh Janousky (Semi-Pro Magician from U.S.A.)
Real Man’s wallet reviewed by: Dovie Kivman (Semi-Pro Magician from U.S.A.)
Triple Threat wallet reviewed by:Erik Ostresh (Custom-Playing-Card.com founder)
Business card & Miscellaneous Wallets
Stealth Assassin reviewed by: Yano (Semi-Pro Magician from Japan)
Comedy Mini Wallet reviewed by: Erik Ostresh (Custom-Playing-Card.com founder)
I want to thank all the reviewers who were kind enough to allow me to use their reviews to help flesh out this guide.
Special Thanks to Akirafist!!!
To those who don’t know Akirafist, he has become a standard by which other magic reviewers compare themselves to. He was one of the first to start doing really well written, well organized, and detailed text based reviews and he was also a pioneer in making video reviews that were both informative and fun to watch. I was learning from, and laughing along with Akirafist reviews long before the Wizard Product Review was even on the drawing board. We were fortunate that Akirafist was kind enough to let us edit together most of his video wallet reviews. In this video review he covers almost as many wallets single-handedly as the rest of the reviewers covered as a group!
Secretary Wallets
Secretary (Breast Pocket) wallets are wallets that are designed long enough so that a bank note does not need to be folded to fit in the wallet. They often come with a smaller checkbook wallet that fits inside them. These wallets are generally carried in a breast pocket of a suit jacket and rarely fit easily inside pants pockets. These wallets are still popular among business people and in the Western United States but for some performers with a more casual style they may look a bit out of place. However, the size of Secretary wallets generally make them easier for both palm and no palm loads and are therefore generally recommended to beginner magicians.
BKM (Balduchi/Kaps/Mullica) Wallet
Going Rate: $45.00 – $60.00
BKM stands for Baldicci/Kaps and Mullica whick pretty much tells you what functions it has. It’s biggest disadvantage is its size…it’s biggest advantage is its size!
Wallet Functions:
Just like the Mullica it has an inner checkbook wallet with a Mullica insert in it. They did make a modification to the original design that allows you to hold the checkbook a little more freely. I actually didn’t like their “modification” as it traded a subtlety that I did like about the original with a subtlety that I wasn’t to thrilled about. I can’t really go into detail on these subtleties without exposier…sorry you’ll have to take my word for it. As stated in the previous review the Mullica insert can be done either from the palm or no palm. The Balducci/Kaps insert is really slick. This will allow you to get a card into a zippered compartment. You must be able to palm to take advantage of this feature but I think the zippered compartment is a little more exciting than the Mullica.
Ease of use(Magic):
As above the Mullica is pretty easy. The Balducci/Kaps is pretty easy if you can palm. Again the secretary wallet style means you will have plenty of cover if using the Mullica function. The best overall aspect of this wallet is it’s overall use as a “Magicians toolbox.” This thing has tons of room to carry around extra gaffs and such. If you will look at the photo you will see some Ouija cards sticking out of a small zippered compartment on the side. This is a non gaffed coin compartment that I made great use of. Let me just add up all the stuff I have carried around in this wallet to give you an idea. 1. My ID, membership cards, credit cards ect. (total of 7). 2. Greed Gimmick. 3. Three Ring Circus gimmick. 4. Fan 2.C. gimmick. 5. Extra Joker in a ziplock bag for Witness(Deuce Bag.) 6. Cards for Juke Jermay’s Emotional Intellegence effect. 7. Up to $400 in $10 denomonations. …so about 40 bills. So as you can see this thing is a warehouse for “pack small play big” effects.
Ease of use(everyday use):
Well this is the big tradeoff. It has the same size requirements as the Mullica and more. This thing is 19 cm X 11 cm…about an extra 1.5 cm in length and width as the Mullica.
Overall thoughts:
If you are willing to lug this thing around it is a heck of a nice tool. You will really love the cleverness of the BK part of the equation and you can pack a ton of magic in here. I’d recommend this one to anyone who is willing to deal with a secretary. Even if you can’t palm yet you still get the no palm features of the Mullica and if you can palm you can do “multiple card to pocket “ routines. Unless you really want the high quality leather the Mullica offers this is a much better buy overall.
The JOL small plus wallet; Jerry O’connell
Going Rate: $85.00 – $125.00
Wallet Functions:
The wallet is constructed beautifully with excellent quality leather. It can perform the following effects: signed card to ID case in zippered compartment (palm) ring or other small object to sealed envelope in zippered compartment (palm) signed card to zippered compartment (no palm) ring or other small object to zippered compartment (no palm) Confabulation routine (using wonder unit, that’s provided) Peek wallet Holdout to load cards into deck.
It also has space for 2-3 of your favourite packet tricks. I have 3 card monte in the outer pocket of the wallet. shown here.
The wallet comes in a bundle that includes a DVD that includes instructions on all the features. It also has files to make your own envelopes, letters for the confab routine. It comes with a booklet detailing all the instructions. and it also comes with the ID case and the wonder unit.
Ease of use(Magic):
I won’t consider myself a pro at all when it comes to wallets. My previous experiences has been the jardonnet wallet and the hip pocket bombshell. Both purchased because I wanted a small wallet. But the JOL always popped up as a great wallet. and I HAVE to say that I can’t get over how good and easy this wallet is to use. I predominantly use this wallet for ring to sealed enveloped in zippered compartment. the load is extremely easy and very very fast. this also applies to the card to id case in compartment. the load is fast and can be done in the action of taking the wallet out of the breast pocket. I was e mailing Jerry himself and he was the one that suggested that I can even do the ring to zippered compartment using the no palm feature. although it can’t come out of an envelop, the spectator can be holding your wallet the whole time which makes the effect just as strong. the no-palm feature is equally fast to load. I think Akirafist has a vid of him doing a really quick review of it and it shows him loading it. don’t have the link…sorry. but, easy to load, and very deceptive. The DVD that comes with the wallet shows all the features and how to use it with all the subtleties. I personally haven’t tried the confab routine with the wonder unit or the peek function. but, the peek function is VERY easy, and as eotresh mentioned earlier, your patter and routining has to justify putting the card in the wallet in the first place. The holdout feature is ok. I don’t use it at all as I’m using the wallet for the other functions. Its just easier for me to load using other methods.
Ease of use(everyday use):
this is probably the biggest downfall. it is large. 6×4 inches. I have tried carrying all my stuff in it for everyday use. It does have a few slots for notes, 4 CC slots (the large plus has 6CC I think). but because this was the small plus, my notes had a difficult time fitting in the slots and had to be folded which defeats the purpose really. I think the large plus would go better here in terms of storing notes and CC. I tried to use it everyday, but it just got silly and I reverted back to my wallet.
Overall thoughts:
FINALLY! I have a CTW that I’m happy enough to use in my act and strolling. The ID case is perfect for strolling as it resets almost straight away. Its constructed beautifully and smells of high quality leather. it has multiple features and have something for everyone here. Some people will not like the size, and some will also hate the outside pocket. I’ve heard people commenting that it doesn’t look “real”. I know the JOL billfold has a similar design and some are not too keen on it. But, when I go into an act, they dont’ know what wallet I carry anyway, and when I open the zip, and then take out the envelope/ID case, they don’t really give a damm what type of wallet it is!!! The last disadvantage is the cost. yes….its probably one of the most expensive wallets out there, But it is worth every penny and heck, you do get what you pay for!!!
Jerry O’Connell London, Plus wallet – By Jerry O’Connell.
Mullica Wallet
Going Rate: $45.00
Well this is the tried and true secretary style wallet with one of the most common loading gaffs, the Mullica Insert. The card comes from inside a checkbook wallet that is inside the secretary wallet.
Wallet Functions:
There is pretty much one function, pulling a card out from inside the inner wallet. Obviously the Mullica insert is the gimmick used. Mullica inserts, in general , can be used as “no palm” or “palm” wallets depending on your preference.
Ease of use(Magic):
This is probably the easiest CTW method. The large secretary style wallet will give you plenty of cover whether you choose to perform your CTW with or without a palm.
Ease of use(everyday use):
Hrmmm…It is a secretary wallet. That should give you an idea of how it fits your style. Obviously for a formal performance(wearing a sport coat) you should have no trouble with this wallet but for casual day to day use it depends on your clothing choices. Where I grew up (the mountain west) it was quite popular for western style dresser(rednecks) to wear Levi 501s with a western style secretary wallet hanging ½ way out their back pocket. (Everyone has guns in Wyoming so we don’t worry about pickpockets to much) If that is your style you will have no trouble with this wallet once you find some tassels to put on it, for the rest of us blue jeans are out. Personally I wear a lot of cargo pants and I find that many of those pants also have deep front pockets that will fit a Mullica. Total size: 17.8 cm X 9.5 cm
Overall thoughts:
This is a very easy wallet to use and a good place to start if you are looking for a good CTW. If you wear sport coats or pants with deep front pockets this can also be a a practical every day wallet. This doesn’t have all the features of a lot of wallets so I would only recommend it for beginners who fit the clothing requirements previously stated. One last thing to note-my Mullica came with the best quality leather of the three wallets I own. It is genuine leather not the nagahide (sp) imitation leather of the Triple Threat and the BKM….of course if you are a vegan that would be a reason not to buy this.
Hip Pocket(Billfold) Wallets
These wallets are the most common style of wallet you are likely to see. These wallets are usually bi-fold or tri-fold and are designed to fit easily in your pants pockets. Magicians tend to prefer them since they fit a wider variety of clothing, and thus character, styles. The disadvantage is that they are usually harder to load than secretary styles, especially for the no-palm types.
F1 Nitro Wallet
Going Rate: $115.00 – $145.00
Another amazing wallet by alakazam! This is the wallet that I carry all day. It just fits my style. I however do not feel that It would be fair to consider this an every day wallet as the Bill compartment has been partitioned off but there are plenty of places to carry my ID and credit cards.
Wallet Functions:
This is a palm and no palm card to wallet that has the card emerge from a zippered compartment in the wallet. This also has 2 peek functions, Out To Lunch, and many other uses.
Ease of use(Magic):
This wallet can load from two different places. One would be best for palmed card to wallet and the other for no palmed card to wallet. You can do a Kaps style insert and a Mullica style insertion with this wallet. This is probably one of the easier loading wallets I have seen. As you can see in the photo, it is a little larger than the Triple threat witch will make it easier to avoid flashing during a no-palm load.
In addition to the basic structure of the wallet itself, the F-1 Nitro comes with another gimmick that makes the Card to Wallet feature even faster and easier. The gimmick does all of the work! I am finally able to load right under the spectators nose and the load is so fast that I do not believe any spectator would even remember the deck being anywhere close to the wallet.
Ease of use(everyday use):
This should be okay for a day to day wallet but the main compartment of the wallet is partitioned so that you would have to fold your bills in half to use. There are 4 credit card/ Id card slots on the left side of the wallet and 3 slits on the right side that are a bit tight for credit cards but should hold business cards just fine.
Overall thoughts:
In my opinion it is a great wallet that fits my style, however I must mention that it comes with a little something that has to be added to the deck. This may be a turn off for some, but for me, I am loving this wallet. In 20+ years I have never used anything this easy and clean.
Infinity Wallet
Going Rate: $100.00 – $140.00
The Infinity is close to about as perfect a wallet you can get if you are a generalist magician who does a little crossover into mentalism or mental magic. It is really a Swiss Army knife of magic wallets that is intended to not only for use in magic but also to be a fully functioning magic wallet as well.
Wallet Functions:
This wallet has three main features. It is a palm only card to wallet with a reveal inside a snapped shut ID case, it is a peek wallet for mentalism, and it has shogun feature which serves as both a switching device and an index.
Ease of use(Magic): The CTW feature is essentially the same style as used in the “Real Man’s wallet.” It is a palm only load and it helps, though is not mandatory, to do a minor set up prior to performance. This set up can be done pretty easy and takes just a moment of fishing around in your pocket. Perhaps not something you want to do in the middle of a set but something you could do as you walk from table to table in a walk-around set. The load itself is one of the easier and faster on the market.
The peek feature is a nice one but to be totally “burnable” it will require that your wallet is set up in a certain way. One possible complaint is that the peek feature does not double as a double writing/ nail writing feature. Overall an “OKay” peek but certainly not the best among magic wallets.
The Showgun opens up a ton of possibilities for magicians and mentalists. It acts as a switching device and an index. For the mentalist/mental magician it can index effects like Kolossal Killer and Heirloom, and for the magician it can be used to store a lot of small flat items such as packet tricks, loops, flash paper, etc.
Ease of use(everyday use):
One of the best parts of this wallet is that it is a fully functioning every day wallet. It is not giant, like the secretary wallets, and the billfold compartment is not partitioned like some hip pocket wallets(F1 & Triple Threat). The irony is that I have found that the snap shut ID compartment(originally intended to serve as the CTW reveal) is actually a handy feature on an every day wallet. When I need to show my driver’s licence for any reason I just pop it open and I am good to go.
Overall thoughts:
While I am sure professionals will love this wallet, I think that, in some ways, the demands of what amateurs and semi-professional magicians is actually more stringent where magic wallets are concerned. Semi-pros and dedicated amateurs need a wallet to be fully functioning as both a magic wallet and an every day wallet. They rarely have the luxury of having a wallet dedicated only for performances and then a separate one for every day use. The need an all in one package and the Infinity comes closer than any wallet on the market to provide this. Perhaps a full time mentalist may want to opt for a Stealth Assassin, and a full time magician may want to opt for a JOL, but if you are looking for a wallet that will do a good job for both and function as an everyday wallet that fits in your back pocket, the Infinity is the best you can get.
The Mirage Wallet by Mark Mason:
Going Rate: $38.00 – $55.00
Wallet Functions:
The Mirage Wallet is an amazing gimmick that will allow you to perform a no palm, signed card to wallet. The signed card ends up paper clipped inside a pocket in the wallet. One note about this is that the gimmick comes in either Red or Blue backed bicycle card so if you use a specific deck this may limit you. However, the instructions do include a note on modifying the gimmick if needed.
Ease of use(Magic):
This wallet is EXTREMELY easy to use. Like mentioned above it requires no palming, and as long as you can control a card this will be insanely easy to use. One feature that is really nice is the fact that it is paper clipped inside the wallet. Because of this, you can do a variation of Sankey’s “Paperclipped”. This is perfect for someone like me because I love that effect, yet my mercury fold kinda sucks. One slight note about this is that you kind of have to “break in” the gimmick. It took me about a week or so after I got to figure out how to make it work perfectly every time. As a side note their are two versions of this available; one comes with the wallet and written instructions, the other comes with the wallet and a DVD. I didn’t get the DVD so I can’t attest to how helpful it may be.
Ease of use(everyday use):
I chose this wallet because it was of the “billfold” style. It is about 10cm x 21cm (4in x 8 1/2in) which makes it SLIGHTLY bigger than your standard wallet (not enough that it would make a difference). I use this as my everyday wallet, however it is lacking a few things. Because of the gimmick it only has 3 credit card slots and no pockets which may be a problem for a lot of people. One solution I have come up with is to use the plastic insert that comes in most wallets. I just took the one from my old wallet and transfered it over which gave me a little bit more room. It is made of real English Leather and is of a high quality.
Overall thoughts:
For my first ever ctw I think this is perfect. It fits my style, its easy to use, and I can use it as an everyday wallet. Priced at around 15 bucks (for the wallet only) you can’t go wrong!
The Real Man’s Wallet
Going Rate: $25.00 – $55.00
Wallet Functions:
This is a billfold-style wallet used for the Card to Wallet effect.This is a palming wallet so you need to be able to palm cards, guys. The loading function is unique so that the card is loaded directly into the pocket it comes out of. The card appears behind a plastic ID window which is behind a flap which is held by a clasp. There is one ID pocket, two inside pockets, three credit card slots and a nice bill pocket.
Ease of use(Magic):
I’ve had this for only over a week so I can’t really give a true and honest opinion until I’ve used this for a while. The loading takes about five seconds. I’m sure after lots more practice, I’ll be able to do it 2-3 seconds. The ease of loading depends a lot on the amount of space in your pocket, so I don’t think it’s easy to do in tight jeans.
Ease of use(everyday use):
This is like they took a wallet and decided to gaff it, not the other way around. It’s a bit bigger than your standard wallet but that’s okay. It looks completely like a wallet and not a prop or gaff. Currently, I have in my wallet: Some money, CTW (duh ), a Metrocard and Paul Harris’ Reality Twister.
Overall thoughts:
I really enjoy this wallet. It’s fun to use and it looks like an ordinary wallet. Plus, it’s real leather. I highly recommend this.
Triple Threat Wallet
Going Rate: $40.00 – $70.00
Well this is my first “billfold” wallet, at least as far as magic is concerned. Right now I’m in the process of getting used to this wallet but I am beginning to see that this wallet could be a real worker.
Wallet Functions:
As the name implies this wallet has three functions in total. First it has two slightly modified Mullica inserts, one to a buttoned flap in the main wallet, and one inside a buttoned compartment that is in a small business card wallet that tucks inside the main wallet. Second, in the business card wallet, in the same compartment as the card production, there is a peek function that can be used for mentalism routines.
Ease of use(Magic):
This is a trickier wallet than either of the two secretary styles I’ve reviewed(Mullica or BKM). Both Mullica features can be used palm or no palm though I would recommend palming for the card to main wallet and not palming for the card to interior wallet. Either way the smaller size of this wallet will give you less room for error. It has actually proved quite tricky loading this wallet in small sized pockets as it’s best load direction is along its length not its width. You can make a modification to the wallet that will make this a bit easier but expect some fumbling around when you first get this. PRACTICE! As for the peek function, it should work pretty easily. The only real trick is having a good excuse to have something written down and then placed in “your” wallet. If you can find the motivation for this in your patter the mechanics will be pretty easy. What this function is likely better suited for is in conjunction with a swami gimmick. Ie. Make a prediction, slip it in your wallet, ask for a bunch of numbers, add them up, and low and behold you got the number! Making this feature work will depend on your patter and presentation.
Ease of use(everyday use):
Well the wallet will fold to billfold size which should be familiar to most of you. The one and only beef I have is the fact that the “coin pocket” that cards appear from in the main wallet actually folds over ½ the billfold area. This gives you two options, fold the bills in half and keep them to the open side of the wallet or unsnap the coin pocket cover each time you pull out some cash. It is a minor inconvenience but still worth mentioning. Other than that this wallet should work fine for every day use for anyone regardless of clothing style.
Overall thoughts:
As stated I’m still getting used to this and would not recommend this as a first time wallet but for those who know what’s up this can be a very powerful wallet. When you see the design you will realize that this is not just a “loading” wallet but an “unloading” wallet as well. Where does that come in handy? Imagine this…Earnest Earicks’ Bureau D’E’change. A card is selected and placed in the pocket. Four kings are shown on the bottom of the deck. With a magical gesture the selected card appears on the bottom of the deck and the kings are in the pocket. Now that’s a pretty good trick. How much cooler will it be if you replace “pocket” with “buttoned compartment inside a wallet?” Reputation maker right there! That is the reason that, even with its shortcomings I have high hopes for this wallet.
Business Card & Miscellaneous Wallets
Business card wallets are usually only large enough to carry a stack of business cards. Some of these have been adapted with the magician in mind. Generally when gaffed for magicians these wallets are used a peek wallets.
Stealth Assassin (SAW)
Going Rate: $125.00 – $175.00
Wallet Functions:
I believe that, on the whole, the SAW has everything a mentalism wallet needs. Peeks: It has two peeks. The Sight Unseen Comparison (SUC) and the peek used in the original stealth (sorry, not sure on the name of that one.) Both the peeks work great. Out To Lunch (OTL): The SAW OTL is not so well made as a standard OTL. It doesn’t use the same band as other OTLs but, by all means, it works. However, it doesn’t compare to the “Stockholder.” You will also need some sticky stuff to use the SAW’s OTL. Billet Index: I don’t really use the indexing much however, depending on the size of the billet, I’m sure it could fit 8-10. Load/Steal/Switch: Perhaps my memory serves me wrong but, I don’t recall the DVD teaching much about switching business cards. It only teaches switching with billets/coins. The switches taught with business cards can be done with any wallet. Loading isn’t anything special, nor are the steals, it is just the basic SUC really. Swami: You can easily use the SUC for swami writing. New Features: The newer produced SAW are alittle different to the old ones, the SUC section now has a pocket and there is a place that is glued shut so you can’t use it quite like in the video. The m****** are glued to the wallet.
Ease of use(Magic):
Everything is easy to use, (the secret compartment, SUC, OTL, index, peeking, swami, and the stealing), however, I think it requires quite a bit of skill to use it properly. To be more clear, I feel that in a presentational sense the SAW can difficult, however, I don’t believe any of the mechanics are hard to use at all.
Ease of use(everyday use):
Wallet Size: The wallet size is average, nothing too big nothing too small. It will fit in you front or back pockets easily. You can carry plenty of business cards and credit cards but, you can not carry coins in this wallet.
Not really a wallet!: To me this isn’t an everyday wallet. It’s design is really a business card wallet. It could be used as an everyday wallet but, the way the bills are carried isn’t the most normal thing I’ve seen. I have another wallet that carry bills in unique a way but it has a clip. The clip has a purpose compared to the SAW which carries bills in a way that most people wouldn’t carry bills.
Overall thoughts:
Material of the wallet:
I would say it’s Okay. The leather is nothing like my other wallets that I use. The leather doesn’t feel very high quality however, it does look like a normal wallet to the spectators.
The Construction:
The wallet is well designed. It has quite alot of pockets for credit/business cards. The pockets are all around a average business card size. That is not so good for me since my purikura pictures are much bigger. The m****** are strong enough and work well for the secret compartment.
Instructions (DVDs)
The SAW comes with two quality dvd’s with over 2hrs of teaching that teach you how to use SAW throughly. The material provided is definitely strong material that you can, and will, use.
My Opinion:
I feel the SAW isn’t really an everyday wallet. To me it the design feels more like a business/credit card holder. So if you need an every day “cash carrying” wallet, and you only need a wallet for 1 or 2 functions, then I would suggest you buy a cheaper alternative. However, if your a mentalist and if you have plan to use, or think you might use, more of the features then, I’d say theres no other better “mentalism wallet” on the market. It really has everything, and does everything, a mentalist would need.
In summary here are some of the drawbacks of the wallet that made me downrate it
1. The OTL doesn’t allow for a fast reset cause it needs “sticky stuff.”
2. Its not really a wallet wallet to me.
3. The pocket sizes are only business card size
4. The new SAW has a part glued shut.
5. The material isn’t the greatest, but it works.
Comedy Mini Wallet
Going Rate: $11.00 – $20.00
This is pretty much just a gag but a creative magician should be able to figure out a few more magical uses for this other than just as a gag.
Wallet Functions:
It is tiny. That is it! It is about 1/3rd the size of a standard wallet. It is a tri-fold style which is too bad since most hip-pocket style magic wallets are bi-fold. That isn’t a huge deal because if you use it for a magical switch(shrinking or growing wallet) whether it is an exact miniature match to your standard wallet will probably be forgotten by the audience. They will just be shocked to see the miniature wallet.
Ease of use(Magic):
There are no gaffs, slides, peeks, or other magical gimmickry on this wallet. It is just small. That said it would be fairly easy to cut yourself a little slide of some sort so you could load small coins or torn card corners into the ting button coin purse. The billfold section is divided in two but if they were going to go through this trouble I wish they had made it a switch feature instead.
The most obvious use for this, other than just as a gag, is in a shrinking/growing wallet routine. I have found that if you start with the mini wallet, a growing routine isn’t to difficult in conjunction with a Toppit. The mini wallet will fit in Jeff Kaylor’s TKO. What I do is show the mini-wallet it my right hand while I secure my regular wallet in my left while it is behind my back. I then slap both hands together. The mini-wallet is small enough to be completely covered by my right hand. You can then turn the wallet open and open it. While showing the open wallet you have enough cover to slide the mini-wallet in the TKO. You can then show the other side of the wallet and you are clean.
Ease of use(everyday use):
This would be a fine wallet if you could get by on toy money. It is actually pretty high quality leather. But obviously there is NO practical every day use for this wallet.
Overall thoughts:
All you get with this is the wallet. you will have to get a scanner, scan your IDs and credit cards in order to miniaturize them for the wallet. You can then laminate these for the mini-wallet. So once you get this you will need to put a little work in to get the full effect of this gag. From there, you routines are entirely up to you.
The routine I am using now is basically Angle Zero. So the torn corner appears in the mini-wallet inside the little coin pocket. I then to the growing wallet move described above to finish off the routine.
This is a fun little item with a lot of potential if you are into comedy magic. Taking it from merely a gag to a gag with magic will take some clever thinking and I wouldn’t recommend this unless you do Toppit work. However, this thing sells for between $10.00 and $15.00. That is a great price considering the potential of the item and the quality of the material.
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