Nested Brass Boxes

By Viking Magic

If you love props that feel like real magic the moment they hit your hand, Nested Brass Boxes by Viking Magic delivers the goods—literally. This is a classic “coin-to-impossible-location” mystery that traces its roots to an original Tenyo effect (made in Japan in plastic)… now upgraded into a beautifully machined brass set that looks and feels like a premium close-up treasure.

Here’s what the audience experiences: you borrow a quarter and have it marked for identification. The coin is placed into a handkerchief  and, for maximum fairness, the spectator holds onto it. You then introduce a small brass box and place it right on the spectator’s open palm—clean, direct, and impossible-looking from the start.

In a blink, the handkerchief is whisked away… and the coin is gone.

No awkward “maybe it fell” moments. No “let me check your sleeve” nonsense. The heat immediately shifts to the brass box that has been sitting in full view—on the spectator’s hand. They open it and find another box inside. Then another. And another. Four boxes deep, each one nested inside the next like a tiny brass Russian doll with a reputation for causing gasps.

Finally, in the last box, the spectator discovers the exact marked coin.

A big part of the mystery is the handling: once the nested set is in the spectator’s control, you don’t touch it again. The boxes are also intentionally snug, making them take a little effort to open—turning the revelation into a suspenseful, time-stretching moment that builds drama (and, if you’re playful, a little comedy) before the impossible ending hits.

Viking is known for quality, and this set is built to last—solid, handsome, and ready for years of close-up and walk-around work. It comes with detailed instructions, and if you want to push the vanish even further, Viking’s Rattle Box can be a killer add-on to make the disappearance extra deceptive before the nested revelation.

And a friendly word to the wise: you’ll see knockoffs advertised with flashy finishes—this routine deserves better. If you’re going to perform a classic, perform it with a prop that looks like it belongs in a magician’s pocket… not a toy box.

Skill Level: Professional, Suitable for ages 18 to adult.