How to Perform the Vanishing Nickel Trick
The vanishing nickel trick is one of the great foundational moves for a lot of stage magic. If you can vanish a nickel, you can make it reappear somewhere else later, weaving any kind of story or patter you want to cover the intervening time. Best of all, unlike some complicated magic tricks that require lots of props or preparation, all you need is a nickel and some practice.
Instructions
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1
Hold the nickel between your left thumb and index finger. (These instructions presume you are right-handed. Swap left and right in all instructions if this is not the case.) Your other three fingers should remain outstretched and bent slightly.
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2
Tilt the inside of your hand toward yourself, and make sure you are facing any onlookers so they cannot see the inside of your hand.
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3
Hold your right hand in a C-shape or claw-shape, with thumb and fingers curled, your thumb on the bottom and your four fingers facing it from the top.
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4
Move your right hand toward your left hand in a motion as if to grab the nickel with your right hand.
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5
Hook your right thumb under the nickel as the rest of your right hand goes over it as if to grab hold of the nickel. At the same time, just after your fingers obstruct the view, release the nickel with your left thumb so it drops slightly into your left hand.
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6
Continue the forward grabbing motion with your right hand, and hold your right hand closed. Any onlookers should now believe the nickel is in your right hand, although it is actually still in your left hand.
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7
Reveal your empty right hand. You can do this plainly, or make a throwing motion towards your audience, or act like you have used your right hand to drop the coin into someone's ear.
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8
Unvanish the nickel (optional) by doing the opposite of what you did in the previous step with your left hand. For example, if you pretended to throw a nickel, ask the audience to throw it back and pretend to catch it with both hands. If you have pretended to drop it into someone's ear, pull it out again with two hands.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure to move your right hand in Steps 3 through 6 in a swift, fluid motion.
Do not reveal how you do the trick, or it will be unusable in the future.
