Count, my only concern with your solution is that you are not clean at the end. With Bannon's routine you are clean and everything can be examined.

Hi dpe666,
No it doesn't end clean.
Yes you are right. Nothings perfect. It doesn't matter to me.
....and I've yet to be busted
Different things work for different folks. There doesn't have to be one answer.
I like this version because it has a built in theme that connects easily and entertainingly with the kind of folks I perform for.

Even when I perform the original version I don't telegraph the fact I'm ending clean or that the cards can be examined.
I don't want to help or tempt the spectators to reverse engineer what they have seen- and clever folks can!
If they know categorically that the cards are exactly what they think they see, there is instantly less for them to think about, the effect is diminished.
I don't generally over explain or offer props for scrutiny whether I can or not- it can only serve to lessen the mystery.
But that's just me.
[aLSO I QUITE LIKE ENDING dIRTY- sometimes in a routine I PALM A CARD & return it to the deck--just Cos I Can- its got nothing to do with the effect and oNLy I KNOW- well ...you know as well now; lets just keep it as our little secret].

Ver nicely done!

Any recommendations for decks to use to make Royal Scam refills? I prefer to use the Ace of Spades, but most of the custom backed decks have a "special" Ace of Spades, and some even have odd colors for the "red" faces and the court cards. Limiting my "refill" options with those cards to only the Ace of Clubs.

So far I've found that Black "Rider" backs and the "Leaf Back" design have the standard "Bicycle 808" Ace of Spades and normal colors elsewhere.
The Dragon Backs have the "808" Ace of Spades, but the faces of the "red" cards and all of the court cards have special (odd) coloring.

Are there any other "off the shelf" decks that have truly "standard" faces?
I can't trust the card boxes (e.g. the Peacock boxes say "standard face" but in addition to a custom ace of spades there's a box/border on the faces of ALL of the cards.

You could use a one way deck for the faces and 3 other decks for the backs + patience and glue!
Making your own gaffed cards isn't as difficult as it sounds.
Steve

I've thought about splitting cards, but if there are decks I can just use directly, it'd be a huge time saver.
Just gluing pairs is out of the question as a big selling point of this effect for me is it's fully examinable at the end. Glued cards would look too fishy even if not part of the method.

Yup, agreed. I hope I implied splitting the cards first.
Steve

This is my all time favorite packet trick. I got tired of buying the entire set up multiple time so get new cards.
Now I use the decks listed below. I make my sets using all 4 suites. I then use the other cards for various other effects when needed.

Or... you can get one of those spectrum type decks where all the cards are different color backs.

Standard 808 Bicycle decks still come in:
Green
Orange
Turquoise
Black

No longer available, but you might find a dealer with some left over:
Burgundy
Yellow

Or, you can also do as John Bannon suggests in the instructions and write in the backs of the aces. I don't have the DVD but, this option is suggested in High Caliber which contains Royal Scam.

You could get a Spectrum deck, which is a whole deck of different color cards.

I thought the same thing till I tried. The Spectrums A of Spades is unique so it wont work (for a spades set up)but the hearts or clubs gives you an odd green and purpleish color. I just used different color bike backs for the A/S and different decks for Spin Doctor (rb A/S and blank, WSOP A/H, Orange A/C from rainbow deck and all wheel back A/D from a collectable set)

In addition, I also recently purchased from Penguin a fuchsia (pink) rider back with standard faces. I believe you can also get silver and gold, and the leaf backs in red and green. Plus you can combine with various back colors and designs in Tally Ho and some of the Karnival decks. There are quite a few available if you search for them.
I know Bannon prefers each to have a different color and design so they appear more to have come from different decks. I usually prefer them to be all rider backs. But my mood varies and I seem to go back & forth on it. Usually comes down to what I have available.