The secret in every coin trick

Magic performers who prefer stage magic will find it more difficult to approach tricks with coins, because such tricks are specific for close-up magic circumstances. However, nowadays, with a camera to record the trick, magic performers can try, with serious practice prior to the show, such tricks even when performing stage magic. The point is that a coin trick will find its most advantageous method in close-up magic circumstances precisely because of the size of the props used. The well-known fact is that stage magic uses larger props, because they need to reach the sight of rather large audiences. In any case, beginners may approach coin magic only after they have practiced a lot and it is still easier to perform than tricks made in front of a numerous and subsequently diverse public.

In any case, whether you opt for a coin trick or whether you choose stage magic, you need excellent skill. Indeed, magicians can qualify as beginners, intermediaries and experts, yet no beginner can cover any sort of successful performance without having practiced for months the basic tricks. Tricks with coins could enter the category of basic tricks, yet they do not enter the preferences of all magicians because coins are small items and require the spectators full attention. This is why a first advantageous issue for the coin magic performer would lie in his ability to misdirect his close-up public. Sentences like Look in this empty bottle are particularly deceiving. The principle of misdirection functions here because of the word empty. You are practically drawing your spectators attention to a detail of only apparent significance. Indeed, the fact that the glass is empty has no importance for the rest of your performance, but you have managed to apply successfully the advantages of misdirection.

Therefore, the secret in every coin trick is in the mastering of close-up magic methods. One of the most common trickeries with coins consists in the borrowing of a coin, then suddenly making it disappear in the thin air, keeping it palmed for a while, and finally making it reappear in some unforeseen manner and giving it back to its rightful owner. Of course, methods that are more sophisticated do exist. For instance, magicians frequently switch coins or they operate with more than one or two coins. Most often, spectators will display amazement when the magic performer chooses to operate with coins only, without involving any other supplementary equipment. Therefore, much of the attraction emerging from a coin trick lies in its simplicity.

One of the secrets of coin magic lies in the appropriate palming technique. This happens frequently in card tricks as well. Palming is most likely one of the easiest to learn techniques when it comes to coin tricks and this is why it is preferable for beginners to train on it until they master it. They will be able to perform quite a number of tricks with its help. Practically, you have to accommodate the palms of your hands to transferring and hiding one or more coins in such a manner that the palm and the rest of the hand look as if they held nothing. Beginners will generally approach some of the less complicated methods of palming.

For instance, you can start practicing by having a coin on the palm and keeping it gripped (slightly) between the muscle of the little finger and the muscle of the thumb. The most appropriate coin for this type of palming practice is a large, but less heavy one. The grip should be as strong as to make the coin stay firm on the palm of your hand while you are keeping it upside down. To make it seem as if you are hiding nothing in your palm, you could snap your fingers or try carrying another object with the same hand. In this manner, the palming will leave the impression you have concealed nothing. These typical misdirection movements will get your spectators attention from the palm and allow you to continue your trick. Handling smaller coins is more difficult, but you will be able to achieve anything through practice. Do not hurry! Start with a simple coin trick and then you will have the time to develop tricks that are more sophisticated.