You can perform this trick using any type of coin, as long as it’s big enough to grip in the finger-palm position. The disappearing quarter is one of the oldest tricks in the book, which means many people already know how it’s done. If you really want to impress them, you may need to pull out a lesser-known trick.
Try out this trick on your friends and family the next time you go out for dinner. Be sure to sit or stand head-on to your audience when performing this trick. If someone is watching from the side, they may be able to see what you’re doing. [3] X Research source
If you really want to blow your audience’s mind, you can perform a slight variation of this trick immediately afterwards. Hide a second pencil on the inside of your wrist under the band of a watch or bracelet and use it to hold the “floating” pencil in place as you slowly remove your support hand entirely. [5] X Research source You can carry out this trick either from the side or from a top-down perspective, so long as the inside of your hand isn’t visible to your audience.
Take care not to accidentally cut all the way through the paper, or to tear it while you’re picking it up. If you do, you’ll end up losing your own bet! Though it may seem like genuine magic, this trick has a simple explanation: cutting the strips in such a careful way rearranges the surface area of the paper so that it’s essentially one big outline. [7] X Research source
Play up your “mistake” by saying something like, “Oh no! I think I hit it a little too hard. The ball is still here, but the cup went right through!” The key to this trick is to let the cup fall quickly and quietly into your lap without your audience seeing, and to make it look like you’re reaching all the way down to the floor when you go to retrieve it.
Keep your hands close to the straw at all times. If they get too far away, the charge will be too faint to continue moving it. If possible, perform the setup for this trick while your audience is absent or distracted (such as when your dining companion excuses themselves to go to the restroom). [9] X Research source
To avoid drawing suspicion, try pacing back and forth slowly while setting up the trick, then stop and get into position after your final turn. This will make it appear like you ended up in your stance by chance. This trick works best when performed in front of a stationary audience, who won’t be able to move around to get a better look at your feet.
If you want, you can go as far as to throw in a couple “failed” attempts to lend an element of realism to the trick.
For added effect, wave your arms around like you’re trying to maintain your center of gravity. [13] X Research source If you get good enough at finding exactly the right stance and foot placement, this trick will have even the most skeptical member of your audience questioning whether they can trust their own senses.
The longer you “float,” the more of a chance your audience will have to deduce the secret behind the illusion.
A line like, “My doctor said my iron levels are a little low” can add some colour and humour to the trick while also taking your audience’s attention off of what you’re doing. You can use any type of coin you like, but something larger, like a quarter or half a dollar, will generally be easier for your audience to see. [16] X Research source
Make sure your audience can’t actually see the coin inside your hand once you begin rubbing. This will become important in the second stage of the trick.
Leave the coin sitting on the table just long enough for your audience to see that it’s the same one and that you haven’t swapped it out with a trick prop. This part is where the sleight of hand comes in, so you need to make it as believable as possible in order for the trick to be convincing.
Keep the fingers of your decoy hand open slightly so your audience doesn’t suspect that you’re holding the coin in that hand. Use the finger-palm position, pressing into the edges of the coin with the sides of your index and pinky fingers. It may take quite a bit of practice before you can fake the handoff without being obvious. Keep trying—it will eventually start to feel more natural.
Avoid rubbing so vigorously that you risk knocking the coin out of your decoy hand. Take your time with the second round of rubbing. The longer you rub, the more certain your audience will be that the deception takes place in this phase of the trick.
If you want to add some extra flourish, carefully transfer the coin back into your rubbing hand while your audience is exchanging amazed looks and produce it from one of your onlookers’ ears, pockets, or shirt collars.
