Magic tricks with coins

About these tricks

Coin magic is where most magicians first meet real sleight of hand. A coin is small enough to hide in a fist and shiny enough that everybody watches it, which is exactly why it can disappear. The easiest tricks here hide it in a fold of paper or a glass of water; the hardest ones are real secret moves.

Practise the hard ones in front of a mirror until your hand looks relaxed, because a tight fist gives the secret away. Any coin works, and a big one is easier to see from across a room. Coins are a small-parts risk for anybody under four, so keep them out of reach, and put them back in a purse when the show is done.

By level, 6 Apprentice (works the first try), 6 Conjurer (a little practice) and 3 Wizard (days of practice). They come off 2 shelves of the shop, most from The Coin Counter (14) and The Potion Lab (1). What you need most often: a coin (15), a cup or glass (4), paper (2). 1 trick has a step a grown-up does (something hot or a bright light), and 15 tricks carry the choking note for brothers and sisters under 4. The quickest to learn is The Forehead Coin (2 minutes); the longest is The Two-Coin Jump (3 to 5 days).