How to Make a Coin Disappear

Note: This article is written for right handed people. If you are left handed, just switch "right" with "left" and "left" with "right."

While most people may think of "pick a card, any card" when you mention magic, coin magic is just as well developed and diverse. Whether conjuring coins from midair and out of a spectator's ear, or biting, bending, and melting solid metal, coin magic is a great opportunity to show off your magic abilities. Probably the most common coin illusions are the appearing and vanishing of a coin. Here, you will learn two of the simplest, yet most effective methods.

The Table Vanish

This one is very easy to perform. Just sit down at a table opposite your spectator, place a coin in front of you, and you're ready to perform. The crucial move happens at the very beginning. While making a comment, such as "just like water, metal can dissolve into thin air," place your right hand, palm down, onto the coin so that it is right under your fingertips. Slide the coin back towards yourself, and and let it fall of the table edge and drop into your lap, as you bring your thumb against your fingers and your hand up and around so that your palm is facing you, all in one smooth motion. There, that was it! The spectator now thinks you are holding the coin, and you have already vanished it.

While executing this move, be careful to hold eye contact with the spectator, since you don't want to draw attention to your hand just yet. The spectator will always look where you are looking. If you hold eye contact, they will look at your eyes, not your hands.The rest of the trick is now just showmanship. Look at your hand, and say "if I concentrate hard enough, it can happen to this quarter/dime/etc." As you say this, start rubbing your fingers together, and blow on your hand. Finger by finger, expose your empty hand. Voila'! The coin has vanished! Remember, for the audience, the magic happens at this point, not when you pull the coin off the table. As an alternative to the dialogue written here, simply say "watch this..." or make up your own. Magic comes from creativity.

Note: practice sliding a coin along the table and actually picking it up, to make the motion seem as natural as possible.

The French Drop

This is probably the most often utilized vanish, as it can be done standing. To learn the move, place the coin into your left, holding it palm up by the tips of the middle finger, thumb, and index finger. The coin should be tilted up slightly. Practice taking the coin from your left hand to your right hand, by moving your right hand over, your thumb behind the coin, and covering it with the fingers before taking it. This should be a normal motion.

Now, stand in front of a mirror (or video camera) and, instead of taking the coin, leave it in the left hand. This is how to do it: once your right thumb is behind the coin, and your right fingers are blocking it from view, push up the slightest bit on your left thumb with your right thumb. Your left thumb should release the coin without any obvious movements or glints of silver, and it should fall into your left hand. when you pretend to take the coin now, and move your right hand away from your left. The fingers of your left hand should block the audience's view of the coin. Let your left hand fall to your side, and perform one of the "vanishing flourishes" mentioned in the previous trick.Remember to keep your eyes on the place where the spectators think the coin is at all times. As you do this, you can carefully drop the coin hidden in your left hand into your pocket, or just walk away at the end. Practice the French Drop until it looks completely natural, as if you were just taking a coin from your left hand into your right hand. And then making it vanish...

I hope you have fun with these; remember, practice until you're amazed yourself. Then wow some minds!