Review: Mesika's Wallet (Card To Wallet) By Yigal Mesika

If you want to perform "card to wallet" where a spectator's signed card ends up inside your wallet, Yigal Mesika offers a version that is great for producing folded cards. The prop is a quality one that's made of leather and it looks like a regular wallet that most men would carry around.

Most wallets that magicians use for this effect look too large for daily use. I know that I have had spectators comment on the size of my gimmicked wallet's size (not the Mesika wallet) when performing this trick.

The folded card ends up in a zippered compartment and the gimmicking is well hidden and looks perfectly natural from the outside. The card can be folded in the classic "Mercury" manner, or any other fold that you prefer. The loading, which requires palming, looks clean.

While the instructions say that you can load an unfolded card, this is not all that practical as a regular poker-sized card doesn't fit completely into the compartment and the real downside, doesn't exit easily-you're stressing both the playing card and leather.

When performing the trick, you can have the wallet in your back pocket or even have it resting on the table. This will also work from the inside jacket pocket, but there's no reason for all of the cover. One positive aspect, you can show your hand completely empty as you reach into your jacket to retrieve the wallet.

If you want to carry the wallet around as your everyday one, it's practical for this. There's a compartment that holds currency, as well as your ID and several credit cards.

Personally, I prefer not to use my gimmicked wallet as an everyday wallet because I want it to look good. I've seen magicians take cards out of faded, sweat-stained wallets, and I think this makes a negative impression.

The price is about what you would expect to pay for a gimmicked wallet. Invest in such a wallet, and you can always perform the effect.

-Wayne N. Kawamoto

MSRP: (US) $60

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Dealers can purchase from Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc.