The magician borrows a coin, gives the spectators a good look at it, closes his hand around it, opens his hand and the coin has disappeared. He places his empty hands together, lifts one hand and the coin is resting on the other hand, back from wherever it went.
Coin Sleighted employs what I'm apparently alone in referring to as a gambler's pinch. The coin is palmed by clipping it at the base of the fingers between the second and third finger. This sleight was used by early thimble rig and cups and balls workers when manipulating very small diameter balls.
Props & Setup
A small coin, 7/8 inch / 2.5 cm or less in diameter handles best. A US quarter or similar coin will do. This can be borrowed or taken from change in the pocket.
| The edge of the coin is held between the right thumb and second finger. The left hand is open, fingers together, palm up. | The right hand moves towards the stationary left hand. The coin is placed on the tip of the left third finger, the left edge of the coin touching the slightly raised side of the left second finger. | As the closed right hand continues to move left, hiding the left hand from view, the left second finger tip touches the bottom of the right second finger. |
| Using the right second finger as a guide, the left second finger moves right until the front edge of the coin is caught by the base of the right second and third fingers. | The left fingers move away, leaving the coin clipped by the right second and third fingers. | The right hand rotates at the wrist, so the right fingers point down, the left fingers curl up into the left palm, apparently to cover the coin in the left hand. The right fingers brush past the tips of the left fingers as the right hand moves back towards the left wrist. |
| The right hand, back to the spectators, travels across the body until the right arm is hanging at the right side. The right hand is angled so the back of the hand is not seen and the right thumb blocks the view of the clipped coin. | As the right hand turns back towards the spectators, the right thumb contacts the top edge of the coin and pushes it down ... | ... so that it slides between the second and third fingers and extends out from the back of the hand. |
| The coin is now clipped between the fingers at the back of the hand. | To ensure that the rim of the coin is not visible between the fingers, raise the left second finger slightly, the lower it. | The coin is not visible, the hand appears empty. |
Routine & Handling
The coin is borrowed or taken from the pocket and held by the left thumb and first finger. The hand opens, fingers together and the coin is released so it rests near the tips of the first and second finger.
The right hand moves over and takes hold of the coin by its edges using the thumb and second finger. The right hand swings up, so the fourth finger is downstage and displays the side of the coin.
The right hand swings down to the open left hand, placing the coin on the end of the third finger so that the left edge of the coin presses lightly against the side of the second finger.
The right hand moves steadily left, masking the left hand. The tip of the left second finger contacts and slides along the bottom of the right second finger as the right hand moves left. Because of the position of the coin on the left third finger, the coin arrives at the base of the right second and third fingers and is pushed forward slightly between the fingers so they can clip it.
With the coin clipped between the right second and third fingers, the right finger tips contact the left finger tips and pull them back, closing the left fingers over the left palm. These actions make it appear that the right hand puts the coin on the left hand and then pulls the left fingers back to cover the coin.
The right hand, back of the hand downstage, travels toward the left wrist and them swings left and down across the body to hang at the right side of the body. At the exact same time the left arm moves forward, the eyes are kept on the closed left fist.
The action of moving the left hand straight forward, and extending the left arm as you do so, before raising the left hand slightly, makes it difficult for those watching to concentrate on anything else.
As the right hand moves down to hang at the right side, the hand is turned so the right thumb is downstage, effectively blocking the coin behind it. As the left hand moves forward, the right thumb swings in and the right thumb tip is placed on the top edge of the coin. The right hand swings right, so the palm is downstage and at the same time the right thumb tip pushes the coin down so it slides between the second and third fingers until it extends out of the back of the hand.
As soon as the right thumb touches the right fingers, it stops pushing the coin. The edge of the coin will still be visible between the fingers. To move the coin so it is not at all visible, keeping all the fingers still, raise the second finger and then lower it. This action fully hides the coin from the palm side.
Keep the palm of the right hand tilted towards those watching, swing the right hand up until the right fingers touch the bottom of the closed left fist, as if tapping it from below. Immediately open the left hand and raise it an inch or two, at the same time the right hand swings back down. The coin has vanished.
At this point you can finish up by reaching into the right pocket, keeping the palm of the right hand downstage as you do so, and remove the coin from the pocket.
A better finish is to reproduce the coin. Curling the right fingers into the right palm, swing the right hand up to the left shoulder and appear to pull up the left sleeve a bit. At the same time, look at the opened out left hand and raise it up, tilting the left fingers up until the left palm is above eye level.
The right hand, palm up, travels down the left arm, across the left hand and up and out, the right hand turned palm at the spectators. In this action, the coin is literally knocked out of the palm position and falls onto the left palm as the right hand passes over it.
The right fingers appear to take hold of something that is quite invisible and drop whatever it might be on the left palm. The right hand is turned palm down, fingers extended, and brought down to rest on the left palm.
With the hands together, the arms are lowered. Pause for a beat, then slowly raise the right hand up, exposing the coin resting on the left palm. Do not move the left hand as you do this.
Performance Notes
After practice, you'll find that in holding the coin at the back of the hand you can actually relax all your fingers and spread them very slightly apart without loosing your grip on the coin.
This entire sequence should be performed in one continuous series of movements. The coin is well hidden when it is out of sight and the smoothness of the choreography will heighten the effect. The effect is more of an illusion than a trick.
By Richard Robinson
source : www.allmagic.com