2018 First-Class Forever Stamp,The Art of Magic: Levitating Woman

U.S. #5303

2018 50¢ The Art of Magic – Levitating Woman (Levitation)

Value:  50¢ 1-ounce First-Class Letter Rate (Forever)

Issue Date:  August 7, 2018

First Day City:  Las Vegas, Nevada

Type of Stamp:  Commemorative

Printed by:  Banknote Corporation of America

Printing Method:  Offset

Format:  Pane of 20

Self-Adhesive

Quantity Printed:  20,000,000

Levitation tricks can be some of the most difficult in a magician’s arsenal.  They require a lot of practice to successfully pull off, and it can be tricky to hide the secret of the illusion from the audience.

One of the most famous levitation tricks performed onstage is the “floating lady.”  This illusion features the magician’s assistant laying on a table wearing a long dress.  On the magician’s command, she rises into the air.  He then pulls out a hoop which he seemingly passes over and under his assistant to prove no wires exist.  Behind the scenes, the young woman is actually lifted by a special mechanism hidden by her dress and the magician.

A more recently developed levitation trick is often performed by street magicians and relies on simple misdirection to fool the audience.  The magician faces away from the crowd and lifts one foot off the ground while standing on top-toe with his other foot.  Because the audience only sees the space between the magician’s feet and the ground, he appears to be floating in midair.  The trick only lasts a few seconds to be sure the audience doesn’t catch on to the truth behind the illusion.  This trick requires very good balance, but when done right, will have the audience believe the magician really is levitating.