With the unfortunate situation of bank notes being transferred to plastic currency e.g already in the UK etc and the states will be hit next etc, this is such an annoying hindrance on so many brilliant effects which will soon unfortunately become obsolete and unusable with no work around

Surely there has to be a way to put a permanent fold in the new notes for effects like extreme burn, insta change etc etc.

This thread will benefit us all and give the awareness if people find a solution so everyone benefits.
Thank you.

I once repeated to fold a new £5 and I creased it reeeallllyyyy well.....after a few days if keeping the note under a book folded up, it got a permanent crease.

Sleepy

Building a crease into a polymer bank note isn't a problem if you prepare them beforehand, I think the problem is when you borrow a polymer bank note and have to fold the bill especially if you require the bill for things like the 5&1 transpo or an effect where you require the borrowed polymer bank note to hold the fold etc.

Your right, for doing effects on the fly by borrowing a note etc will prove difficult but hoping to prepare notes for effects will be a little easier. I have read in the odd post people having problems preparing, as the crease wont stay permanent. Also I'm sure it was Tarik that mentioned about him seeing a video of how to easily put a crease in the note easily that will stay a permanent crease being able to easily fold the bill both ways?
Thanks

Its easy to put a crease in, you just leave in a book or under pressure for a day or so, the hard bit is getting the crease out...you cant.

So are you guys putting it under a book over night folded one way, then reversing the fold and putting it back under the book and keep alternating it to weaken the fold so it will fold easily both ways - if that makes sense.
Thanks

Won't the bill finally tear or break in half, if creased hard in both direction?

Has anyone tried ironing on very low temp, put between heavy brown paper or cloth?

The material made out of this note means it won't tear unlike the paper bills. But that's a good idea about maybe ironing the crease between paper etc. I know by ironing the bills without the protection basically shrinks and distorts the bill.

If I am correct in my thinking then the shift to this awful plastic money is one to discourage the use of cash and move completely to the plastic card.

This move is inevitable and as performers our effects with paper money will become more akin to performing with the old Victorian penny and silver half dollar; while not in circulation we continue to use them because palming is easier with them and they are easily distinguished.. Their properties facilitate the effect and their integrity as money goes unchallenged... These coins look stunning in the hands and are things of beauty.

Compared to the cheap notes they are now inflicting on us all there is no competition....

The demise of money has been going on for decades...

Effects that rely on the new plastic money ie impromptu borrowed bills will need to shift to new plains in an attempt to exploit their properties.

I don't see leaving them folded under books overnight as a solution.

New ideas are what is needed to capitalise on their properties.


Then for those special occasions... Get out some real money of yesteryear and show em what you can do with it... Miracles!

Bill to lemon, torn and restored bill or Origami shirts.. Whatever it may be
just remember to keep some of that real money to perform with... Otherwise you will need a lot of plastic to pay for it.

Best Nic

There are two reasons countries are moving to plastic money. Firstly they are harder to counterfeit and secondly they last 50 times longer than paper bills and so the cost of making them is a huge saving to the issuing central banks.

Ed
Member of the International Bank Note Society, Canadian Paper Money Society (might have to change the name!) and the Royal Canadian Numismatic Society

It's funny you should mention that as my wife was reading only the day that counterfeit polymer bills are already in circulation here in the UK and whilst they last longer if a paper bill gets put in the tumble dryer it survives where as the polymer bills do not so I believe paper bank notes were the better option.

Yes fold the bill perfectly and stick
With a non permanent adhesive so stays in line . Keep in a sold hard back book for 7 days under your bed post . Repeat the process with bill folded back on the crease and do another 7 days then rub off the non permanent glue and it works perfectly from my trials . The book has to be a heavy hard back the repo glue is a must and it must go under your bed post as the weight is critical as is the double backwards bend on the seam to really break in the spine on the note . I hope this helps Tarik 😊

I been using the Polymers Bills for the last three years.....and yes they are different. very different.

There are some things you can not do as well or at all but there are other things they are FANTASTIC with.

You're going to have to alter your handling in some ways.

For example for Bill to Lemon, the bill is great because when folded into a sixteenth it is very rigid and goes in with ease. Plus it doesn't absorb the juice.

The bill switch with a TT has to be modified....it took me a while to work it out...but now I prefer the Polymer by far for this.

There are some excellent bill productions that work much much better.

You'll just have to work it out as I don't think there's a whole lot of info out there at the moment.

What fantastic things might these be Stperformer ?

Would you care to disclose your findings ?

Nic

Yes perhaps you could share some of these fantastic effects that work better with polymer bills because apart from bill to lemon I can't think of any plus points at all so I'm obviously missing something

The Polymer Bill works better on my Bill Roller Changer (the gimmick where you insert a bill and it rolls out a diferent bill. Note: I'm not using the cheap plastic ones)

False counts, while the Polymers are slippery, I find false counts easier once you get use to them.

Bill to Green pepper/kiwi. When the Polymer is rolled or folded tight you can literally push them right in.

Note: when doing the bill switch with a thumbtip and the tt is deposited into your pocket, the bill wants to unfold and won't hold the fifth fold. I simply load the TT on with the bill folded in fourths and with my hands behind my back pull out the bill, put in the extra fold and re-insert my thumb.

For making gimmicked bills, double sided tape comes off much easier and doesn't tear the bill if you want to separate them.

Signatures with non-perm ink come off much easier.

Of course there are many tricks such as Extreme Burn and tricks that require the bill to hold a fold problematic, if not impossible. Plus there is a clear window.

So while I like them, it is somewhat subjective. I'm sure many magicians will find them crap, especially for some tricks that have long been in their repetoire.

Bill roller and Bill to fruit isn't exactly what I would call practical for a strolling magician and apart from the you mentioning false counts with the polymer bank notes my thoughts haven't changed.

I love the fact that with a paper bank note I can vanish it without a TT and because it holds a fold it allows me many choices of where and when I want to load the bill my personal favourite being The Light by Chris Congreaves.

It will be interesting to see how and what modifications the great thinkers of the magic world come up with but until it effects those in the USA I think we're in for a long wait.

I'll have to admit, most of my enthusiasm for the Polymer is because I do the bill to Lemon every show and no longer have to gve back soggy bills.

And, I had to laugh,...your probably right about a long wait until America goes Polymer :-D

Haha just ignore me I'm just one of those that doesn't like change

The plastic money is great for Bill in Lemon...agree with many of the above comments