Appearing Business Cards (Celebrity Pack) by Sam Gherman – A Review

This is the Ad Copy….

Imagine the following. Show an envelope to the audience, and announce that you have a prediction written inside. You hand a business card to a spectator. Tell them to imagine that a celebrity’s name is printed on the card, and that you’ll send them that name with your mind. When they have a name in their mind, they let you know. The card is placed in your hand, and it never leaves the sight of the audience. Volunteers are invited to examine the blank card – they will find nothing printed on it (the card is NOT switched – there is absolutely nothing written on it). Yet, the spectator accurately receives the celebrity’s name, announces it, and when the prediction envelope is opened, the names match!

This is but one use of these amazing cards. Your imagination will come up with other effects that will astound your audience.

This 36-card pack comes with 3 x of the following 12 cards:
Brad Pitt
Michael Jackson
Tom Hanks
Frank Sinatra
Leonardo DiCaprio
Ben Affleck
Tom Cruise
Beyoncé
Marilyn Monroe
Julia Roberts
Madonna
Bill Gates
How does this work? There’s an amazing secret that you’ll find out when purchasing this set. These cards do the work for you.

They are printed on 100# (270 GSM) eggshell white cover stock.

NOTE: This effect is designed to work for indoor performances only, and you will need to purchase an inexpensive item.

“A great product and perfect for workers.” -Paul Romhany, *Reviews Vanish Magazine”

My Thoughts:

This is NOT your typical ‘trick’. This is perhaps more of a method and a prop. Regardless… I like it. I like sudden magic. I like magic that actually LOOKS like magic. With Appearing Business Cards you get a stack of 36 business cards on heavy stock that are imprinted with the names of twelve celebrities. You can see the twelve names in the ad copy. They also make sets titled Prediction Pack, sort of like a magic 8 Ball; City Pack, with the names of twelve different Cities around the world; and ESP Pack, which includes Zener Cards.

The thing about Appearing Business Cards (ABC) is.. you create your own magic. Yes, there are a couple of brief effects included on the eight minute instructional video, but ABC frees you to use your noggin’ for something other than a hat rack. I’m not sure if other reviewers disclose the ‘secret’ behind ABC.. but I will.. as I feel it’s necessary. I wouldn’t try to sell you a prop and not tell you what the prop is for.. and how it works. Knowing how it works is paramount to knowing if you can use it in your act.

ABC is imprinted with twelve different names. When you open the pack you will see all twelve names on different cards. The ink is thermal in nature and disappears with Heat. Sort of the opposite of what you would expect.. but similar to Frixon Pens. To operate properly, you need a heat source of some sort. A small hand warmer is recommended. The instructions show a hand warmer placed in a wallet, along with the cards, and everything is ready to go upon removal of a card. You can purchase hand warmers similar to cigarette lighters on Amazon, or the single use hand warmers for about .50 cents each that last for a number of hours. Experimentation will show you how long you have after the card is removed from the warmth before it becomes visible. Holding the card in the hands slows the process.. and placing it on a metal surface increases the reveal time.

There are so many possibilities. A good friend uses a small flippable tablet imprinted with the names of all the celebrities that has every other page short-cut to allow a name to be forced. You can use your imagination and create the perfect scenario for you and your routine. Spectators love watching a name appear from nowhere.. particularly if it’s a name they think is their totally free choice.

The instructional video isn’t top-of-the-line, but it serves the purpose. It could have been an audio file considering there is really nothing to show.

Yes, the cards can be used over and over. You should get many uses from a single pack. The only no-no is.. you can’t leave the cards in sunlight. It does something weird to the ink.

For fifteen bucks.. I recommend Appearing Business Cards. All you need is a small investment in a heat source and ample imagination.

$15.00 From Murphy’s Magic and their Associates…
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=63807

Review by Rick Carruth for the Magic Roadshow..