For those who have used both of these, how would you compare them? Which do you find more useful? More versatile? I have both in my "drawer of stuff," and want to spend a bit of time with one of them. Which would you choose, and why?

I have own both, and worked on Fickle Nickel and it is the best of the two, effect wise in my opinion. The problem with Fickle Nickel it is severely angle sensitive. Meaning unless you are up against a wall, it shouldn't be performed.

NUCI, NUD is in my opinion, has never been proven with a live demonstration or video to work. It only comes with a few seconds or minutes of explanation currently. I ordered it when it 1st came out with text instructions. Just could not see how it would work, this is one effect that a video is sorely needed. Liken it to hank ball manipulation. I have not mastered the hank ball either.

Before I purchased it, I even contacted Jeff by snail mail, no internet back then, and asked about it's possibilities, the advertisement, really sold it, and I needed to verify it. I did get a response, not learning more then the ad stated. I went ahead and ordered it. I have yet to learn it.

This is also very angle sensitive, so your choice of position and venue are important. I would say, this is one of those tricks, where you see a guy demonstrate a trick the Svengali deck, and you get home and say to yourself, "what?".

Neither work the same, one is IT, and the other is a loop, you can use any coin with Jeff's trick, and you must use the supplied coin with FN.

I have only performed FN once, mainly because of the set up, and the possibility of it getting in the way of everyday life movements. I have never performed NUCI, NUD as I don't know the way to do it, even after studying the instructions.

My conclusion, is if you like working on tricks, then NUCI, NUD is more versatile and can be used in a number of different ways. FN is only the vanish and reappearance of the nickel, and the only other thing you could do with it would be the walking nickel, akin to the Wonder Mouse trick.

Hope this helps you.

Thanks for your thoughtful and thorough reply, Bill. It looks like Jeff has teamed up with Meir Yedid to address some of the issues you noted. Here's a link with a video:

https://www.mymagic.com/p/money-magic/no......-stewart

That does look good.

A quick update on the Meir Yedid "special edition" of Now-U-C-It Now-U-Don't. The "special" part of this (compared to an earlier release) appears to be the shiny silver foil bag things arrive in. The DVD is basically the same content released earlier on VHS, and the booklet is the same content with a new cover. Still a fun gimmick, but one that would benefit from expanded video instruction.

NUCI, NUD while angle sensitive, is a smooth effect if performed properly. With little practice, you can accomplish what is seen in the video. I used it years ago, this thread reminded me to revisit this clever work. Thanks.

If you have a drill and some fine i.t., you can build your own gimmick.

Funny thing about me...I prefer purchasing from the creator. Odd...I know. But there you are...!

Doug

I believe I can intuit an answer from the above thread, but just to be sure...with Now-U-C-It, Now-U-Don't, once you make an object appear, can it be immediately handed out for examination?

Josho -- No, the object cannot be handed out for examination.

Thank you, Doug!

Wait, I don't think that's right. I don't really use this much just because, frankly, you can produce anything you'd use NUCI for by sleight of hand without having a gimmick to worry about, but if you use those little glue dots you can find at any craft store (e.g. Zots) to hold the coin (or whatever) to the gimmick, it can be peeled off without leaving any noticeable residue and be handed out. Though, of course, then you've got to work on making the removal look natural and concealing the gimmick while all this happens—at which point, again, you're not really saving yourself any trouble over just having used sleight of hand in the first place.

Well then, Normative, I guess I'll amend my earlier answer. The object can be handed out for examination if you find a a way to surreptitiously remove the gimmick and any residue it leaves behind. But this it not part of the normal use of this prop. (I suppose a mirror box can be handed out for examination if you remove the mirror.)

I would say most effects can be duplicated, effect wise, but certainly not as cleanly.

Best

Steve

Steven-
No real disagreement there; that's what makes me pull it out on the occasions when I do. It's a question of marginal benefit: Does the cleaner production create enough difference in impact to justify carrying around one more piece of apparatus to keep track of and practice? Most days I come down in the negative, but that's a personal judgment call, and every now and again I'll decide the extra oomph of the fair both-hands-empty display it gives you is worth it.

Doug-
Hah! Well, fair enough, though I think my "abnormal use" isn't *quite* so impractical as de-mirroring a mirror box. On the occasions I do use it, FWIW, that's exactly what I do: use it for an initial production (and maybe a little bit of business immediately following) and then pull it off and hand it out. Mostly because I usually produce a coin with the intent of doing something else with it, and most of the follow-up routines I'd want to do are going to require getting the gimmick out of the way anyway, . Though even if I wasn't going to do that, if an effect makes enough of an impression that a spectator actually asks to see the coin—essentially saying "I can't believe you could have done that with an ordinary coin!"— I'll take that as a compliment I want to justify by at least being prepared to drop it in their hands with as little intermediary fuss as possible. Anyway, if you do use a NUCI regularly, maybe give the Zots thing a shot; they're cheap & you might decide you like the abnormal option.