An old Classic?

joeykoins

I picked this up yesterday. Couldn't resist. So cool! Thought I share it where it really belongs. Here on the currency forum. Thanks

Steve_in_Tampa

Cool, is that a solid lucite block ?

Serial_no_8

10 bundles =. a brick

sellitstore

Yes, an old classic illusion, kind of like the old Nickels to Dimes trick.
https://penguinmagic.com/p/32#:~:text=You%20place%20four%20nickels%20on,the%20place%20of%20the%20nickels.

Jimnight

I like that!

synchr

It is a casting using clear polyester resin, easy to do, classic car guys know.
Although materials get expensive fast, the notes could all be broken out to be intact

johnny9434

that would be nice to have in the bear cave

sellitstore

Bricks don't start with serial numbers ending in #570. If you are going to fake a pack or brick, at least use a note with 001 as a top note and the last note in the brick as the back. Someone sharp would check the back plate number to make sure it was a number used with the face serial range. I took the easy route. I used the face serial number alone to confirm that this was an illusion and not an actual brick.

synchr

OK, so the starting serial number shows that it isn't a proper "brick", but isn't this still a made up group of 1000 $1 FRNs in packs? The notes look cut correctly sized making me think they are BEP printed notes.

BTW, I really like the look of this, what a great paperweight for any desk!
That facial blemish is what you get when a novice attemps to execute the required two part pour of hard polyester resin; the first pour is only the bottom layer (they used front face) that is let to setup until "just firm enough" to hold the weight of the full notes. Upon placing notes onto that gel'ed first layer, a second pour fills the remaining block.

sellitstore

Why would anyone waste an extra $998 to make this illusion when it could be made using the first and last notes from a brick along with 998 pieces of paper cut to the right size?

I dabbled with lucite casting when I was a kid but never got my products to look very professional. Only tried it once or twice before giving up.

joeykoins

Does anyone want to take a guess on what it weighs? I'll place on a scale and I'll take a photo. I'll post when someone guesses exactly! Well, at least within 2 ounces of the actual weight. Lol.

synchr

@sellitstore said:
Why would anyone waste an extra $998 to make this illusion when it could be made using the first and last notes from a brick along with 998 pieces of paper cut to the right size?

I dabbled with lucite casting when I was a kid but never got my products to look very professional. Only tried it once or twice before giving up.

Is precisely cutting 998 pieces of paper to exactly those measurements an easy task for you?
I know that I could not do it.

Remember that the notes can be cracked out and eventually spent when the owner tires of the clear polyester block, nobody has lost any US Currency.
BTW, The Fed loves it when you buy their notes and remove them from circulation....

Steve_in_Tampa

I’m not taking sides but I’m surprised to hear someone could break the notes out of a poured resin block and recoup the notes. I’ve always assumed that only the visible notes (top & bottom) were real. As far as cutting paper goes, there are desktop machines that can accurately cut up to 40mm of stacked paper with no problem.

joeykoins

Guys, lol, you do realize that all the notes between the top one and the bottom one, are ALL just paper, right? Lol. I hope so.

synchr

@joeykoins said:
Guys, lol, you do realize that all the notes between the top one and the bottom one, are ALL just paper, right? Lol. I hope so.

Can you cut paper that precisely?
I can not.

Furthermore, currency is not printed on paper as it would be too thick.

Steve_in_Tampa

@synchr said:
Can you cut paper that precisely?
I can not.

Furthermore, currency is not printed on paper as it would be too thick.

If I had this machine I could cut it. U.S. currency is printed on special security bond paper made from cotton and linen, as used in high-end stationery. Once again, I’d be surprised to find out that all of the money shown is all real, and that you could break into this lucite block and salvage the notes/paper.

synchr

I'd be surprised to find that the time and effort to cut 998 pieces of paper is cheaper than buying ten packs of Ones. Depends on what your time is worth.

I'd be exceptionally surprised if those 998 pieces of paper had the same thickness as BEP notes, same visual sizing when packed into straps and ending up appearing identically like bank issued BEP packs.

I'll agree that the notes would suffer casting adhesion loss when breaking the block/removing but anyone submitting $1000 for a casting mold is not hurting for each dollar and breaking them out was not an original concern.

sellitstore

Yes, but again, why waste or even "tie up" $1000 when it could be done for $2.

Lots of people have access to precise cutting machines. My friend owns a copy shop. He has a good cutting machine. I could have him do it for free or pay perhaps $10 to have it done as a customer.

My wife worked in book production for Random House and I've toured more than one printing plant or book bindery in my day. Plenty of cutting machines there, too. The SD Warren paper mill in Maine was my favorite. Biggest paper cutting machine that I've ever seen.

And, yes, it would be a nightmare trying to get them out and impossible to do so without damaging them so that they wouldn't be gradable. Redeemable, yes, but there aren't 1000 $1 bills there. I'm pretty sure of that.

joeykoins

Curiosity?
Guys, I paid, $100 for this great conversation piece. I seen one pack dollars (100) encased in acrylic going for $100 on Ebay.
Good Price?
Too much?
Great Price?
Thanks guys

Scooter007

You got your $100 worth just on this forum alone
Well Done