Hey guys,

a magician friend of mine started (but didn't finish) making a list of tricks that would fit in an altoids tin. he was going to have 25 in there at once, but I don't know how this'll go. I was just curious about what you guys could come up with. what things could you fit in an altoids tin (all at once) that would perform a variety of tricks?

Thanks in advance!!!

Of course a tt.

Well if its like that then some sponge balls or rabbits would fit. WHY though it seems like and odd question.

Yeah, I know, but people who know me in depth say that I'm an odd person.

Plus the fact that I like the idea of pulling out what looks like altoids and having a good 25 tricks

If you're going strictly for the quantity of tricks that fit into the tin, that seems more like a puzzle than anything else. If you fill it up with 100 boring magic tricks, what was the point?

A more interesting question might be - What are the 10 or 15 most entertaining and interesting effects that pack small (i.e. fit into the Altoids tin) and play big (as in visually stunning magical entertainment!) for your audience?

Here are a few effects I would place in the box:

Skinner's 3 Card Monte
Sankey's 3 Ring Circus (linking rings)
Paul Harris' NightShades
Card Warp
Sponge Balls
Mismade Bill
CMH
Presto Printo
A Mini Bike Deck
Scotch and Soda
Coins Thru Silk (Ammar)
Center Tear
Thumb Tip
Ring and String

Another idea - It might be fun to have a duplicate Altoids tin that gets switched in during your mini-magic show. This could be used for an ambitious card finale or???

That's a good idea, sd, and your right, it might be a puzzle, but 25 is just a rough estimate. Obviously I want the tricks to be interesting. Another thing I could pack in would be a couple of rubber bands, you can do loads with those. Thanks for the help, guys!!!

It also might be cool to use a few Altoids for an opening effect... one in the hand, two in the pocket, or, maybe gimmick an altoid to function with a chop cup. You could also do a shrinking/growing Altoid thing if you can make a giant and mini Altoid. don't forget they also have a smaller altoid tin AND a giant tin (at Cosco)that could be worked in. Just brainstorming....

25 all at once is a bit much.
It would be better IMO to have a few items that you can do the most tricks with.
In other words, versatile props.

A couple of copper and silver coins.
C/S coin.
A coin [.
Swami.
Pencil stub.
IT.
Elastics.
String.
TT.
Three nested thimbles.
A piece of foil.
$2 bill.
A wad of poster tac / FunTac.

Even bridge size cards are too big for the Altoids tin I have here.
If you carry a deck you could add a double faced and red/blue backed card and double backed card and regular card w/ different back color to your wallet.

Maybe add a few paper clips to the tin and stick a BIC pen in a pocket.

I'm not going to say how many, or which tricks, you can do with these things but research will reveal that it's a lot.

That's a good idea. my friend wanted 25, bur I think you're right, and I need a little I can do a lot with. I like your lists. smokeandmirrors, I also like your idea about putting rubber bands in it. thanks for all the help, guys!!!

25 Sponge balls!

How about gimicking the altoids tin with a f*** so that it works as a card box

In Kenton Knepper's Little Book of Wonders, he shows how to rig an altoids box to work like an Okito box. Also, as far as the original question, one of the items you could put in the box is one of those fortune telling fish that curls in your hand to reveal the fortune, etc. It takes up no space whatsoever. You could also add a velvet cord (as in Gregory Wilson's Ring Leader). Then, borrow a ring and do a 3 or 4 minute show right there. Add a balloon for Tonsil Tickler (if you can blow it up without using a pump...the pump definately won't fit into the tin). Add a sun/moon coin and do a Time Machine routine. Finally, include one burnt card for Greg Arce's Scorched (he was kind enough to describe this on the Café). With these kinds of items, you probably couldn't fit 25 in the box...but you would get a lot of show time.

How about mouth coils? with a warning label and over 18 on the side to play it safe.

Coils, sponge balls, cards perhaps?

Rubber bands.
Loops.
Magnet.
Wonderland bill.
Peace.
Parson

To the many lists, I'd add: One or more balloons prepared to do the balloon swallow and maybe some unprepared balloons to make a balloon animal for a kid or a guy's date.

Mike

Anyone else out there ever consider just how much magic can be contained in an Altoids Tin? What would you include? Any ideas how to incorportate the container into closeup effects?

Oops.. mis-spelled incorporate in that last post. Sorry bout that!
b

Speaking of odd ...my first thought was that if you put in coins and a deck of cards your going to have hundreds of tricks that are possible.

I keep a loop, color monte and various coins in my altoids tins. Linking certs is another one that I keep in there from time to time along with regular certs.
There is a lot of room in those things.
Mobius