Great British Coin Trick

IMPOSSIBLE COIN MATRIX

One by one, four separate coins invisibly gather together. This type of trick usually takes a great deal of dexterity, skill and hard work to perfect. Now, with the special props provided, you will be able to perform this amazing effect with only a minimum of practice.

Secret: For this trick, you will need the four coins included in the set and the four Queens. If you examine the cards, you will discover that the Queen of Hearts is slightly thicker. This card has been specially prepared with a magnet that is strong enough to hold any one of the four coins. Please note that not all coins are magnetic. The coins included in this set have been selected specifically for this effect, so look after them and they will give you a lifetime of magical pleasure.

Hints and Tips: When performing, you will need a soft surface like a mat or carpet to work on. This makes it easier to pick up the coins during the routine.

Presentation: Place the four coins on the table in a square.

Show the four cards to the audience and then square them face-down with the thick, magnetic card on the bottom. Rest the cards on the near-left coin, so that the magnet secretly picks up the coin.

With the left hand, slide off the top card and apparently place it over the coin. In reality, the coin is secretly held by the magnet in the bottom card.

Slide off the next top card onto the near-right coin.

Repeat the process with the far-right coin. Slide the top card off the pile and onto the coin. The magnet still secretly holds onto the hidden coin.

Finally, place the last (magnetic) card onto the far-left coin. Be careful not to let the hidden coin ‘clink’ against the far-left coin.

You should now have nothing under the near-left card and two coins under the far-right card.

To make the first coin travel:

Pick up the far-left (magnetic) card with the thumb and index finger of the left hand, showing one coin under the card. The hidden coin will be stuck to the magnet and will lift up with the card.

At the same time, lift up the near-right card with the thumb and index finger of the right hand to reveal one coin under that card.

The right hand now lowers the card over the coin. Secretly pinch the coin between the thumb and underside of the card.

At exactly the same time, the left hand brushes the far left card on the table, dislodging the hidden coin from the magnet.

Lift both cards to show that the near-right coin has apparently travelled to the far-left.

Discard the magnetic card face-down to one side.

To make the second coin travel:

Cross your hands and cover the two exposed coins with the card you are holding in your right hand. Remember that the audience is unaware of the hidden coin you have pinched under this card.

Pick up the far-right card with the thumb and index finger of the left hand to reveal the coin underneath.

Now secretly pinch the coin under the far-right card between your left thumb and the underside of the card. At the same time, release the hidden coin with the right hand. You have now apparently made the second coin magically travel from one card to another.

Discard the card in your right hand face-down on top of the magnetic card.

To make the third coin travel:

Cover the three exposed coins with the card in your left hand. Remember that the audience is unaware of the hidden coin pinched between your thumb and the card.

Grip the near-left card with the right thumb and index finger, but do not lift it up. It is important for the audience to believe there is a coin under this card when, in fact, there is not.

Release the hidden coin with the left hand. At the same time, lift the near-left card to show the third coin has travelled from one card to the other. Place the two cards face-down on top of the two previously discarded cards and you are immediately ready to repeat this incredible trick!

Coin Through Hand

In this special finale to the Impossible Coin Matrix, you apparently make a coin vanish from a spectator’s hand, travel through all four playing cards and land in a glass. For this lovely climax, you will require an ordinary glass. Have it behind the table with you when you perform.

After performing the Impossible Coin Matrix, everyone will believe that the routine has finished. This will be your misdirection for carrying out the following sneaky moves.

Casually square the four coins and place them in the centre of your performance area in a stack. Now pick up the four cards and hold them face-down. You are going to do two actions at once. One is a large motion that your spectators will follow and the other is a smaller action that they should not notice! Say, “For this part of the trick I need a glass.”

Action one: look for your glass and take it from behind the table.

Action two (secret): gently tap the cards on the coins so that the top coin attaches to the magnetic bottom card.

Place the glass prominently on the table and ask a spectator to pick up the coins. As you say this, mime picking them up yourself.  Say, “Hold them high in the air like this.”

As you say this, make a fist in the air. Ensure that you keep eye contact with the spectator. You need to do all this as they lift the coins, so that the spectator does not think of counting them!

Place the four cards on top of the glass, being careful not to dislodge the hidden coin.

Ask the spectator to tap the cards on top of the glass with their fist as if they were knocking on a door. As the spectator does this, the secretly-held coin will be dislodged and fall into the glass. This is a stunning piece of magic, and is truly baffling for the spectator. They really will believe that they picked up the four coins from the table!

Practise this effect, especially the timing, to ensure that you can perform all the moves smoothly. You must never draw attention to the number of coins the spectator is picking up from the table.