Does anyone do Lip Balm from Art of Astonishment, Vol. 1? It's basically a Boston box routine using a lip balm container. I'm interested in messing around with this but having trouble finding a lip balm that has the correct recess to fit quarters. Can anyone suggest a brand to look for? Maybe I will be able to ask around for it or purchase it online.

Thanks.

Dave

Carmex lip balm comes in a size that looks like it could fit quarters. Amazon sells it.

Jim

Thanks, Jim. To be clear, it doesn't matter if the quarters fit inside, the container needs to have a recessed bottom that fits a quarter (Boston Box). For some reason the grocery store where I shop doesn't carry Carmex, but when I'm out and about maybe I'll be able to find some elsewhere to check out.

Does anyone out there perform this effect and know for certain of a brand of lip balm that will work?

I just happened to be in a Walgreens this morning, and I recalled reading your post. So I went and checked out their Carmex products.

The bottom of Carmex's plastic lip balm container (not the stick, of course, but the flat round tub) does in fact have a recess within it. It looked deep enough to hold at least one coin, and possibly more.

Unfortunately I did not have a quarter on me at the time, so I was unable to verify absolutely that the diameter of the recess is wide enough to accommodate a quarter, but my initial hunch is that it probably could.

(And it only costs a buck and change.)

Thanks, Jim and Karnak. I made it over to a Walgreens and discovered the Carmex tub of lip balm does indeed have a recess on the bottom that is large enough to fit 3 quarters, so that should be sufficient. Now I have to learn the routine and practice it.

Now you’ve got me curious. What is this routine? Maybe I should return to my Walgreens and pick up a tiny tub of Carmax!

It's a pretty basic and silly effect. You open a contain of lip balm, dump 3 quarters out of it into your friend's hand. You put the quarters back into the container and then go into your pocket to get another quarter. Giving that quarter to your friend to put into the lip balm container with the other, she opens it up to discover that not only are the quarters gone, but it's a full container of lip balm.

Not really something for a formal show, but I want to see if I can come up with a presentation that will work for casual situations with friends and family. I also have another container that I plan to scoop all the lip balm out of to play around with as a more traditional Boston box.

Thanks again for the help.

Dave

All I can think of is Jackie Chiles, yelling at Kramer because he used the balm...

This is a quarter size boston box that looks like a bottle cap, which may interest those looking at the lip balm container.

https://www.mymagic.com/p/money-magic/p-o-box

If you want to get real fancy (as well as different coin sizes)
https://funtasticmagic.com/products/2-coin-boxes

I used to do it. Also cut off a portion of the threaded top of the plastic container at one time and used it for a different version.