Learn the Best Coin Magic Tricks – Detailed Instructions

I have been practicing and performing coin magic tricks for over 20 years.

Here you will learn step by step, with detailed pictures, amazing coin tricks that you will love to perform.

What are the Best Coin Magic Tricks

A good coin trick must be:

• Visible
• Simple & clear
• Easy to understand
• Practical to perform
• A fooler
• Cool and fun
• Easily portable

All of the coin tricks here fit these criteria. Some require a bit of practice.

I am right handed. If you are a lefty switch hands.

Penny & Dime Coin Trick

You magically switch a coin while in your spectator’s hand.

How to Do It

You will need two pennies and one dime. Start with a penny in left hand finger palm and the two other coins on your palm up right hand, dime closer to your 1st finger.

LEARN THE FINGER PALM COIN SLEIGHT

Display the coins on your palm up right hand. Have your spectator place their hand out. Retain the dime in your right hand by pressing down on it with your right thumb. Dump the coins into your left hand.

Relax your right hand to your side and move the dime into right finger palm. Shake the coins in your left hand, the two pennies, so they hear clinking.

You don’t want your spectator to look at the coins, be casual here, there is no suspicion. Hold the coins sort of in a fist and hand them to your spectator. Tell them to keep the coins in their closed fist so they don’t know which is which.

Have your spectator take out a coin and place it on the back of their hand. This position locks them in so they cannot open their hand. They will take out a penny.

Coin Switch

“Watch the penny…”

Pick up the penny on the back of their hand with your right thumb and 1st finger. Act as if you throw it into your left hand. Actually throw the dime from finger palm into your left hand. Retain the penny in your right hand.

Relax your right hand to your side and move the penny into right hand finger palm. Tap your closed left fist on their hand and open showing the dime. Have your spectator open showing the penny.

“…switch places with the dime.”

Pro Tips

Because you cleanly show the penny and dime at the beginning there is no heat on the coins. Your spectators won’t suspect anything when you put the coins in their hand.

This coin transposition is extremely strong because it uses 2 known coins, plus it happens in your spectator’s hand.

This is definitely a close up coin trick. I recommend performing this trick for 1 or 2 spectators at a time.

During the routine only mention one coin, otherwise it can get confusing.

You are holding out during this routine, you have a coin that you are hiding. I consider this advanced sleight of hand. Don’t be afraid, the coin is so small, nobody will see it.

Be confident in your moves. Confidence comes from practice and performance. Challenge yourself.

You could use this same method to do a nice bent coin routine. Do the switch, have them place the coins in their hand. Tell them to squeeze the coins. They open up showing the bent coin, tell your spectator they squeezed too hard.

Choose a spectator on your left side so you have a reason for transferring the coins to your left hand.

With good choreography comes good sleight of hand.

Calling Heads or Tails Coin Trick

Flip a quarter in the air and each time correctly call heads or tails.

How to Do It

Balance the quarter on the nail of your thumb and flip it into the air. Practice until you can do this smoothly without dropping the coin. It looks cool. Or you can just toss the coin in the air instead.

Call either heads or tails while the quarter is in the air.

Secret Move

Catch the coin and press your thumb on it. The heads sides feels smooth and the tails side feels rough. Practice until you can easily tell which side is which.

Slap the coin onto the back of your hand with the correct side showing. Flip the coin over in your hand if you have to.

This is a very different type of coin trick. It is quite baffling. It is very good to have all different types of tricks in your repertoire.

Pile of Coins Vanish Trick

You pick up a coin and it visibly vanishes.

How You Do It

Do a fake take right from the pile.

• Act as if you are picking up a coin.
• Move your hand away as if you picked up a coin.
• Gently massage the coin, as a convincer.
• Make a whooshing sound and quickly open your hand.
• Show the coin has vanished.

This is a very easy and effective vanish. You have to act a little here.

You can perform this vanish with candies in a dish, mints in a bowl, etc.

Magnetic Coin Trick

Coins seem to be magnetized.

How to Do It

Wave over the coins – “I’m going to magnetize these coins.”

Magnetic Coins – Chest Level

Hold the coins at chest level in display position with your 1st fingers in front, thumbs behind. Start with the right hand coin in front. Move the coins toward each other. Slide the left coin off the nail of your right thumb so the coins click together.

Hold the coins together with your right thumb. With your left thumb and 1st finger pivot the left edge of the left coin toward you. Snap the coin off the tip of your right thumb.

This gives a very nice illusion of the coins being magnetic. Do this sequence 2 times.

Magnetic Coins – Waste Level

Hold the coins at waste level, parallel with the floor, thumbs on top, 1st fingers below. Start with the right hand coin above. Move the coins toward each other. Slide the left coin off the nail of your right 1st finger so the coins click together.

Hold the coins together with your right 1st finger. With your left thumb and 1st pivot the left edge of the left coin toward the floor. Snap the coin off the tip of your right 1st finger.

This too gives a very nice illusion of the coins being magnetic. Do this sequence 2 times.

Magnetic Coins – Repel

Hold one of the quarters very loosely with the tip of your left 1st finger and nail of your thumb. Press very gently with your left thumb nail and the quarter will flip upward. Try not to move your hand.

Flip over the other coin with your right hand, as if you are reversing the polarity. Hold the coin beneath the coin in your left hand.

Coordinate the actions so it looks like the coins are repelling each other.

LEARN MORE: How to Roll a Coin Across Your Knuckles

Scotch and Soda Coin Trick

This is a gimmicked coin trick you can buy on Amazon. It is extremely strong and always gets a great reaction. Scotch and Soda is easy to carry and perform.

Place two coins in your spectator’s hand. Wave an envelope over their hand. One coin disappears from their hand and appears inside the envelope.

• Copper coin
• Silver coin heads side locking shell
• Copper/ Silver coin that fits into the shell
• Bang ring

How to Do It

Start with the copper coin in the small envelope.

Hold the shell and locking coin stacked in nesting position.

• Place the envelope on the table.
• Show the two coins.
• Ask your spectator to place their hand out. Mime the actions.
• Nest the coins as you place them in their hand.
• Close their hand.
• Wave the envelope over their hand.
• Have them open their hand, the coin is gone.
• Have them open the envelope to find the copper coin.

Use the bang ring to dislodge the coin from the shell after your performance.

Balancing A Bill Trick

You mysteriously balance a bill on the tip of your finger.

How to Do It

Start with a quarter in right finger palm, the back of your right hand toward the audience. Borrow a bill and fold it into thirds. Crease the bill and open it so the folds are pointing downward.

Place the bill over the coin, open your right hand, and press the bill against the coin with your right thumb.

Grip the bill and coin together with your left thumb and 1st finger, about an inch from the end. Refold the bill with the quarter trapped on the inside.

Crease the bill well so the quarter doesn’t fall out. Slowly balance the quarter on the pad of your 1st finger. Display it for a few seconds. 

Cleanup

Hold the coin between your thumb and 1st finger. Rotate the bill upward so the bottom of the bill is behind your right fingers. Release your grip on the coin and let it fall into finger palm.

Take the bill with your left hand and adjust the coin into right finger palm position. Open the bill with both hands. Hand it back to your spectator.

Pro Tips

I like to use a dollar because the plastic bills, new $20s and $100s, don’t fold well.

I’ve included how to get in and out of the trick. In magic these details are extremely important if you want to fool your audience. 

I consider this trick advanced sleight of hand. You are holding out a coin, adding it in, and stealing it back out. Trust in the moves. They are easy and well choreographed.

Be cool and confident when holding out. Don’t worry, your spectators have no idea you have a coin in your hand. Challenge yourself. Once you master this trick you are on your way to becoming an incredible magician.

Practice until you feel comfortable. As long as you can do the moves smoothly and flawlessly, step out of your comfort zone and perform this trick. First do it for someone you know, then try it out on someone you don’t know.

The balancing routine is impromptu. All you need to do is carry a quarter and borrow a bill. When you ask for a bill casually reach into your pocket as if you are looking for one. Grab the quarter and come out like you didn’t find one. Borrow their bill and blow their minds!

Coin and Pen Vanish

To make a coin disappear completely you need some motivation and some cover. You will use a magic wand. Actually you will use a pen that acts as a wand.

Place a pen on the table in front of you on your right side. Display the coin. Look at the pen and realize you need to grab it with your right hand. To free up your right hand take the coin with your left hand. Do the fake take coin vanish.

Learn the Fake Take Coin Vanish in Detail

Pick up the pen and wave it over your palm up closed left hand. Open your hand showing the coin is gone. Since you are holding a pen (wand) your audience will not suspect you are “holding out.”

Casually drop your hands to your sides. Put the pen away and dump the coin in your pocket as well. Try not to clink the coin against the pen.

Conclusion

All of these tricks are excellent and can be performed individually or in the same performance set. Try to sequence some of the tricks into a routine that flows. The props are minimal which is the best type of magic.

Make sure to practice each move so you can do it flawlessly and confidently.