Here you will learn in great detail strong magic tricks with coins that you will actually be able to do. As a full time magician I have been performing coin tricks for over 20 years and have learned what works and what does not work.

Over the years I have found and developed the most practical coin magic that takes the least amount of practice. All of the tricks and techniques here are simple to follow and will fool your audience. Below are step by step instructions so you will be able to perform amazing coin magic. I will go through everything you need to know in great detail with clear pictures included. Keep reading!

Technique

THE FINGER PALM

You can use any coin, I’ll be using a quarter. I’m right handed and will use my right hand yet you can use either hand. If you are left handed just switch the hands.

Hold the coin at the base of your fingers, mostly on your 3rd finger, with it slightly overlapping your 2nd finger. Curl your fingers naturally and hold the coin gently in place with your 3rd finger against the skin at the base of your hand. That is it, simple! The finger palm is an easy, practical, and effective move.

• 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. 

HOW TO PRACTICE:  Keep a coin in finger palm throughout the day as you go about your normal activity until you get used to it. Forget about the coin and just do whatever you normally do. Learn to relax your hand naturally as if you have nothing in it. Do this for a week. Get comfortable. The big lesson you will learn is that nobody knows you are hiding a coin.

PRO TIPS:  There are many ways to hide a coin in your hand. Most methods are unnatural and look suspicious. The finger palm is the easiest and most natural palm to use. All of the tricks here use it. Practice and get comfortable with this move and it will serve you well.

FAKE TAKE VANISH

Display the coin on your flat palm up hand in finger palm position. Push the coin upward slightly with your fingers. Come in from above with your palm down left hand and mime taking the coin. You don’t really take the coin yet it should look exactly the same as if you did pick up the coin. Here are the actions:

LEFT HAND:  Bring your left hand down on top of the coin covering it. Start closing your hand as if you are holding the coin and rotate your left palm toward you. Move your loosely closed fist upward drawing attention to it. Wiggle your thumb and fingers a little bit as if you are massaging the coin in your hand. This is a strong convincer. 

RIGHT HAND:  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. I recommend you practice and keep a coin in your hand throughout the day.

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. You need to make it crystal clear the coin is gone. I like to make a whooshing sound as I open my hand, I think it adds to the vanish.

PRO TIPS:  The fake take vanish is very easy to do and extremely deceptive. Do it very softly, there should be no tension here. Your audience will look where you look so focus on the hand that supposedly has the coin. Don’t rush the vanish, pause for a second before you make the coin disappear.

When you drop your hand to your side with the coin, let your hand bounce a little before it comes to a stop. This is what you would do normally if you did not have a coin in your hand. Spend some time in front of the mirror practicing this. It isn’t easy yet it is worth the effort. The key here is to duplicate the actions you would normally do if you didn’t have a coin hidden in your hand.

IMPORTANT POINTS: 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.

Quarter Behind Your Ear

EFFECT:  You reach behind someone’s ear and pull out a quarter.

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. 

To bring the coin from finger palm to display position there are two techniques. Try out both and see what works best for you. Sometimes my hands sweat which makes it hard to slide the coin.

1. Slide it into position with your thumb.
2. Turn your hand palm down. Close your fingers flipping the coin onto your fingertips. Open your hand and adjust the coin into position.

IMPORTANT POINTS:  Make sure you have your spectator’s attention before you reach for the coin. Do not touch your spectator. Just reach behind near their ear. This is a great trick for kids and also a great way to magically produce a coin for your next trick. You can use other objects, for example a piece of candy. The technique is the same.

Coin to Pocket

EFFECT:  You make a coin disappear, and appear in your pocket.

HOW TO DO IT

• Do the fake take vanish.
• Reach into your pocket.
• Move the coin to display position. 
• Bring it out and show it.

IMPORTANT POINTS: When you vanish a coin your spectators will immediately look toward your other hand. This is why you need an ending for the trick, a plan on where the coin will appear.

PRO TIPS:  This is a very simple trick yet can be very effective. After the fake take, before you reach into your pocket, relax your hand to your side with the coin. Go slow and don’t rush the production from your pocket. 

Elbow To Elbow

EFFECT:  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 coin? on your right elbow.
• Open your hand showing the coin has disappeared.
• Produce the coin from your left elbow.

IMPORTANT POINTS:  Good choreography is imperative for strong magic. Your secret moves have to be motivated. You are not just doing the fake take to vanish the coin. You are doing the fake take because you are switching hands. Always consider this when constructing your routines if you want your magic to be believable and deceptive. 

PRO TIPS:  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. 

Coin Through Hand

EFFECT:  You push a coin right through your hand and it lands on your spectator’s hand.

HOW TO DO IT

• Have your spectator to place their hand out, palm up.
• Do the fake take.
• Turn your right hand palm down above your spectator’s hand.
• Press the 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.

IMPORTANT POINTS:  When you ask your spectator to place their hand out, mime the action so they see what you want them to do. Drop the coin onto their hand at the same time the coin vanishes from above.

PRO TIPS:  Rub the coin on the back of your hand a few times before you vanish it. A little acting goes a long way here. Make sure to keep your right hand still when you drop the coin from finger palm.

Coin Through Table

EFFECT:  You tap a coin on the table and then push the coin right through the table.

HOW TO DO IT

• 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:  Really believe you are holding a coin even when you aren’t. You need to be convincing if you want to fool your spectators. When you do the fake take, and you are supposedly holding a coin, massage your fingers and thumb a little bit. This is a great convincer. 

Hand To Hand

EFFECT:  You have two coins, one in each hand. One coin disappears from one hand and lands in the other. 

HOW TO DO IT

• 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 into a fist, 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. 

IMPORTANT POINTS:  Drop the coin onto the other coin as you make the tossing motion.

PRO TIPS:  Go slow and trust in the moves. When you don’t have the coin yet your spectators think you do, wiggle your thumb and fingers as a convincer. When you vanish the coin in a tossing motion open your hand wide so it is clear the coin has vanished. 

Balancing A Bill

EFFECT:  You borrow a dollar bill, fold it lengthwise, and balance it on the tip of your finger. You open the bill and hand it back.

HOW TO DO IT

Start with a quarter in right finger palm. Keep the back of your right hand toward the audience. Borrow a $1 bill and fold it into thirds. Crease the bill. Open the bill and turn it so the folds are pointing down. Place the bill over the coin, open your right hand, and press the bill against the coin with your right thumb.

Grip the bill and coin together with your left thumb and 1st.  Move the coin to the middle of the bill, about an inch from the end. Refold the bill with the quarter trapped on the inside. Crease the bill well so the quarter doesn’t fall out. Slowly balance the quarter on the pad of your 1st finger. Display it for a few seconds. 

CLEANUP:  Clamp your thumb down onto the coin. Rotate the bill upward so the bottom of the bill is behind your right fingers. Release your grip on the coin and let it fall into finger palm. Take the bill with your left hand and adjust the coin into a perfect right finger palm position. Open the bill with both hands. Hand it back to your spectator.

IMPORTANT POINTS:  I like to use a dollar because the plastic bills, new $20s and $100s, don’t fold well. I have seen this trick before yet nobody explains how to get into the trick deceptively and how to get out of the trick deceptively. In magic these details are extremely important if you want to fool your audience. 

PRO TIPS:  I consider this trick advanced sleight of hand. You are holding out a coin, adding it in, and stealing it back out. Trust in the moves. They are easy and well choreographed. Practice them until you feel comfortable. As long as you can do the moves smoothly and flawlessly, step out of your comfort zone and perform this trick. First few times for someone you know, then perform it for someone you don’t know.

Be cool and confident when holding out. Don’t worry, your spectators have no idea you have a coin in your hand 🙂 Challenge yourself. Once you master this trick you are on your way to becoming an incredible magician.

FINAL THOUGHTS

When performing magic tricks you should have a routine where you perform a few tricks in a row with the same props. For example, here are a couple nice routines you can do with one coin:

1. Quarter Behind Your Ear
2. Elbow To Elbow
3. Coin Through Hand

1. Quarter Behind Your Ear
2. Coin to Pocket
3. Coin Through Table

I like to mix in some card tricks when I perform coin tricks. If you want to learn some mind blowing card tricks check out 5 Easy Card Tricks That Blow Minds.

You probably shouldn’t perform Balancing A Bill after you do tricks with a quarter. You don’t want your spectators to have seen a quarter, not that they would guess the method.

The balancing routine is impromptu. All you need to do is carry a quarter and borrow a bill. When you ask for a bill casually reach into your pocket as if you are looking for one. Grab the quarter and come out like you didn’t find one. Borrow their bill and blow their minds!

Click here if you want to check out my top picks of incredible gimmicked coin tricks that you can buy: