Magic Tricks With Coins You Should Be Performing
You should have some coin tricks in your repertoire. Learning coin tricks will make you a better magician. Coin magic requires sleight of hand and requires practice.
Here you will learn simple yet strong moves and tricks with coins that will fool your audience. I’m using a quarter here, yet I prefer using a half dollar. Both are fine.
Below are step by step instructions, in great detail, with clear pictures. I’m giving you the tools, make sure to put in the practice.
![sleight of hand diagram](https://matthewfurman.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Mind-Blowing-Magic-Hand.jpg)
I am right handed. If you are a lefty switch hands.
Finger Palm Coin Sleight
Hold the coin at the base of your fingers, mostly on your 3rd finger, with it slightly overlapping your 2nd finger.
![finger palm coin sleight](https://matthewfurman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/finger-palm.jpg)
Curl your fingers naturally and hold the coin gently in place with your 3rd finger against the skin at the base of your hand. The finger palm is an easy, practical, and effective way to hide a coin in your hand.
- Hold the coin lightly in place, there should be no tension in your hand.
- Keep your fingers together at all times so there are no windows.
- Always relax your hand either at your side or on the table.
- You can rotate your hand palm up, the coin will remain hidden.
- You can still pick up and hold objects with your thumb, 1st, and 2nd finger.
FURTHER READING: Learn the Best Coin Magic Tricks – Detailed Instructions
Pro Tips
To practice keep a coin in finger palm throughout the day and forget about it as you go about your normal activity. Let your arm hang naturally. Get comfortable with the coin in your hand, no-one knows you are holding out a coin.
The finger palm is the easiest and most natural way of hiding a coin. It is the palm I use most often when performing coin tricks.
Fake Take Coin Vanish
You make a coin disappear.
Display the coin on your flat palm up right hand in finger palm position. Push the coin up with your right fingers.
![Fake Take Coin Vanish](https://matthewfurman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Vanish.jpg)
Left Hand Action
Come in from above with your palm down left hand and mime taking the coin. With the back of your left hand toward your audience close as if holding the coin.
Move your loosely closed fist up slightly drawing attention to it. Rub your fingers and thumb slightly, as if you have something in your hand. It is a good convincer.
Right Hand Action
Rotate your hand palm down, curl your fingers loosely, and grip the coin with your 3rd finger. Relax your hand naturally to your side and hold the coin casually in finger palm position. This is called “holding out.”
Holding out is when you have something secretly concealed in your hand. Get comfortable with this. Holding out is a big part of sleight of hand.
The Vanish
Move your left hand up to about chin level. Blow on it and open your hand in one quick motion with your palm to the audience and your fingers pointing upward. Make it crystal clear the coin is gone.
![sleight of hand vanish](https://matthewfurman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/vanish-double.jpg)
I like to make a whooshing sound as I open my hand, I think it adds to the vanish.
Pro Tips
Your audience will look where you look so focus on your hand that supposedly has the coin.
Don’t rush the vanish, pause for a second before you make the coin disappear.
Do the vanish softly, there should be no tension in your hand.
After the fake take, naturally relax your hand with the coin to your side.
Let your hand bounce a little before it comes to a stop. Your goal is to duplicate the actions you would naturally do if you dropped your empty hand to your side.
Spend some time in front of the mirror practicing this. It isn’t easy yet it is worth the effort.
A vanish is a tool, not a trick. Once you master this move you have an incredible technique you can use in so many routines with so many objects.
When you vanish a coin your spectators will eventually look at your other hand. You need a plan.
Coin Behind The Ear Trick
Reach behind someone’s ear and pull out a coin.
How to Do It
- Start with a coin in finger palm.
- Look toward your spectator’s ear.
- Reach behind their ear.
- Move the coin to a display position between your thumb and 1st.
- Bring out the coin and show it.
![producing a coin magic trick](https://matthewfurman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/producing-a-coin-magic-trick.webp)
To move the coin from finger palm to display position there are two techniques. Sometimes my hands sweat which makes it hard to slide the coin. Try out both and see what works best for you.
- Slide the coin into position with your thumb.
- Turn your hand palm down. Let the coin fall onto your fingers. Turn your hand palm up again and adjust the coin into position.
Pro Tips
This is a very simple yet effective trick. Go slowly, don’t rush the coin production.
This is a terrific trick for kids.
The strength in this trick lies in catching your spectators off guard. They have no idea you have a coin concealed in your hand.
Make sure you have your spectator’s attention before you produce the coin.
Do not touch your spectator. Just reach near their ear.
This is a great way to magically produce a coin for your next trick. You can produce any small object, for example a piece of candy. The technique is the same.
LEARN MORE: Sleight of Hand Tricks With Pencils – Ultra Visual Magic
Coin to Elbow Trick
A coin disappears, and appears behind your elbow.
![coin to elbow magic trick](https://matthewfurman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Elbow1.jpg)
How to Do It
- Do the fake take coin vanish taught above.
- Look toward your elbow.
- Lift up your arm slightly.
- Reach behind your elbow.
- Move the coin to display position.
- Bring the coin forward and display it.
Coin Trick – One Hand to the Other
A coin disappears from your hand and appears in your other hand.
How to Do It
![coin trick hand to hand](https://matthewfurman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/11.jpg)
- Start with two coins on the table.
- Pick up a coin, display it on your open right hand in finger palm position.
- Do the fake take, close your left hand and turn it palm up.
- With the coin in finger palm, pick up the other coin with your thumb and 1st.
- Turn your right hand palm up, back of your hand toward the audience.
- Display the coin.
- Open your left hand in a tossing motion toward your right for the vanish.
- Drop the coin at your finger tips onto the coin in finger palm so it clinks.
- Open your hand showing both coins.
![coin trick going from hand to hand](https://matthewfurman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/quarter-twins.jpg)
![coins across coin trick](https://matthewfurman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2-coins.jpg)
Pro Tips
Start with the coin on the right side of the table. This will motivate you picking up the coin with your left hand so your right hand can reach for the coin.
Go slowly and trust in the moves. When you don’t really have the coin, wiggle your thumb and fingers slightly, as a convincer.
Drop the coin onto the other coin as you make the tossing motion. The sound is very magical.
When you vanish the coin in a tossing motion open your hand wide so it is clear the coin has vanished.
Coin Through Hand Trick
You push a coin right through your hand and it lands on your spectator’s hand.
How to Do It
![coin through hand magic trick](https://matthewfurman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/hand-1.jpg)
- Have your spectator to place their hand out, palm up.
- Do the fake take.
- Turn your right hand palm down right above your spectator’s hand.
- Press the supposed coin on the back of your hand.
- Open your left fingers showing the coin is gone.
- Drop the coin from finger palm onto their hand.
Pro Tips
When you ask your spectator to place their hand out, mime the action so they see what you want them to do.
Keep your right hand still when you drop the coin from finger palm onto their hand.
Rub the supposed coin on the back of your hand a few times before it goes through. A little acting goes a long way here.
LEARN MORE: How to Roll a Coin Across Your Knuckles
Coin Through Table Trick
You tap a coin on the table and then push the coin right through the table.
How to Do It
![coin through table trick](https://matthewfurman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cointap.jpg)
- Display the coin on your palm up flat hand in finger palm position.
- Do the fake take.
- Point your left fingers down and move your hand on top of the table.
- Bring your hand with the coin below the table.
- Tap your finger tips on the table above and tap the coin against the table below.
- This is the perfect audio illusion.
- Tap 2 times and then open your hand showing the coin has vanished.
- At the same time press the coin flat against the bottom of the table.
- This is another perfect audio illusion.
- Bring the coin out from beneath the table and show it.
Pro Tips
You must believe you are holding a coin even when you are not if you want to be convincing to your spectators.
Elbow To Elbow Coin Trick
You rub a coin into your elbow and it comes out your other elbow.
How to Do It
- Display the coin in finger palm.
- Rub it on your left elbow.
- Show that the coin is still there.
- Rub it on your left elbow again.
- Display the coin and tell your spectator you will try your other elbow.
- Do the fake take.
- Rub the supposed coin on your right elbow.
- Open your hand showing the coin has disappeared.
- Produce the coin from your left elbow.
![coin trick elbow to elbow](https://matthewfurman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/elbow-rub.jpg)
I’ve seen other versions of this trick where you have to “accidentally” drop the coin before you do the move. I don’t like dropping a coin, especially when I don’t have to.
It looks clumsy. In my opinion switching hands makes more sense and is the perfect motivation for the vanish.
Conclusion
Good choreography is imperative for strong sleight of hand magic. Your moves have to be motivated. You are not just doing the fake take to vanish the coin, you are doing the fake take so you can free up your hand.
Consider this when constructing your routines so your magic is believable and deceptive.
When performing magic tricks you should have a routine where you perform a few tricks in a row with the same props. Here is a sample routine you can perform with one coin:
- Quarter Behind Your Ear
- Fake Take Coin Vanish
- Coin Through Hand Trick
- Elbow To Elbow Coin Trick
Practice until you perfect the moves. When you feel comfortable and confident go out and perform.