Coin magic

Coin magic, as its name suggests, is magic employing the use of one or more coins of the same or differing denomination. Coin magic is one of the least popular forms of close-up magic partly due to the necessity of great skill and grace to perform such acts convincingly.

Coin magic is highly respected among magicians and manipulators and usually well received among all audiences. Illusions with coins usually have a significant impact on the observer because coins are common objects and people often have less suspicion that the item is gimmicked. Coins are also power symbols, and this allows people to feel more of a connection to the illusion.

The most basic skill usually learned in coin magic is palming a coin. Palming a coin consists of putting the coin in the middle of a palm, and contracting the base of the thumb muscle and the pinky finger muscle just enough to make the coin stay. The hand appears empty and can be used freely and convincingly. In order to make the hand look less suspicious, the magician uses the hand to pick up objects, or to handle other coins, etc. That way the audience doesn't suspect that the hand is dirty (i.e, concealing a coin).

Another basic and common trick is the french drop. The french drop is a move to make the spectator believe that you take the coin with one hand, while in fact it still remains in the other. A coin is held between the tips of the two first fingers and the thumb. The second hand approaches to take the coin, fingers from above and thumb from below. During the cover of the fingers, the coin is dropped to the holding hand, and the approaching hand takes nothing.