w

hi £ z 0 0k is B m
anta
!

BY TH E AU TH O R

TO TH E

M A GI C A L F R A T E R N I TY O F T H E W O R L D .

D ecember , 1 90 0 .
 C ON TEN TS .

P A GI

C H APT E R I .

’
FU L L E X PL ANA T I ON OF T H E A U T HOR S O RI GI NA L CO I N
C RE AT I ON T II E M ISER S ’
D RE A M

C H A PT E R I I .

SERIES OF ABS OL U T E L Y N E W AN D O RI G I NA L C O I N
P A SSES AN D V AN I SI I E S

C H A PT E R I I I .

M IS C E L L AN E OU S C OI N T RI C KS AN D C OM B I NA T I ON S .

C H APT E R I V .

CON C ISE D ES C RI P T I O N OF AL L T H E M E C H AN I C A L D EV I C ES
T H E M ISER
’
I NV E N T E D TO I M I TAT E S D RE A M

C H APT E R V .

AD D I T I O NA L CO I N T RI C KS

C H APT E R V I .

KOI N CL U D I N G O BSERVA T I ON S .
 P R E FA C E .

O WI N G to the g r eprej udice e n tertai n ed by some

at

performers a n d others i n tere sted in magic aga i n st

, ,

books e x posi n g co nj uri n g secrets the A uthor desires,

to st a te th a t thi s h is fi rst work o n the subj ect owes

, , ,

it s e x i ste n c e prim a r ily to the f a ct th a t peopl e wh o ,

c a n n ot by a n y str e tch of imagi n a tio n be c a lled a u

t h o r it ie s o n t h e a r t h a ve r ece n tly bee n publi shi n g
,

p a mphlet s etc pu r po r ti n g to co n t a i n a full e x po s

,
.
,

T h e M i se r s
’
u re of his origi n a l C oi n C r eati o n ,

D r eam . T h e bookle t s a bove r efer re d to are a b so

lu t e ly m isle a di n g in eve ry se n s e of t h e word n o n e ,

of th e m eve n givi n g the eleme n tary d et a ils with a n y

a mou n t of a ccu racy .

I n t h e followi n g p a ges the A utho r prese n t s the

correct method s employed by him in his cel e bra ted
a ct,
followed by i n n umera ble coi n sl e ight s of his
r ece n t i n ve n tio n a n d in s o d oi n g hope s th a t h is
,

m a gic a l f r ie n d s p r ofe ssio n al a n d a m a t e u r will co n

, ,

s id e r thi s book an i n teresti n g a dditio n to the alr e a dy

gre a t n umbe r of wo r k s o n wh a t m a n y co n sider to b e

the mo st f asci n a ti n g a r t of t h e p e r iod .

L O N D O N , D ecembe r , 1
9 0 0 .

7
MO DERN C O I N MAN I PU LATI O N .

C H A PT E R I .

’
T H E M I SE R S D R E A M .

’
TH E above o r igi n al co n ceptio n Of the author s has ,

he believes bee n more e x te n sively imitated

, and

co u n te r feited tha n any othe r k n ow n M a gical A ct .

I n thi s chapter it is proposed first to give an outli n e

of sam e , a nd the n to expl a i n a ll the di ffere n t
s leight s n ecessary for its a ccom pli shme n t which ,

the a uthor de sires to emphatically t te were

s a a ll,

without exceptio n i n ve n ted by himsel f some sixtee n

,

years a g o . H e me n tio n s thi s fa ct for the i n form a tio n

o f those wh o may be in doubt as to the o r igi n Of the

back p a lm .

Th e s a t ge is devoid of an
y ki n d of fu rn itu re with ,

the e x ceptio n o f an ordi n a r y p r ope rty si d e t a ble ,

which is tot a lly u n prepare d . The pe r fo r m e r e n ters

9
I o M ODER N COI N M A N I P ( I L A TI ON .

an d asks for the loa n of hat po n obtai n i n g the

a .
U
n eces sa r y ar ticle it is pl a ced cro wn dow n ward s on

the table . Professor no w t ur n s up his sleeves to the

elbows , an d h is ha n ds are shown to b e qu ite e mp ty
ba ck an d fro n t with the fingers W I D E A PA R T .

Th e hat is no w take n ( without the slightest su sp i

cio n s m oveme n t ) in the left ha n d . The r ight ha n d

n e x t m a kes a g ra b in the a ir , a n d there a re two coi n s ,

wh ich he places in the hat . T hi s is repeated till a bout

20 coi n s h a ve bee n c a ught but du r i n g the whole time
,

the back an d fro n t a n d fi ngers O fright ha n d are show n

to be absolutely empty , and n ot once do they ap

pro ach the body . By way Of va r i a tio n , a coi n is

sometimes passed th rough the side Of the hat bei n g ,

u n mist akably heard to fall withi n ; or a half doll a r

-

i s throw n in the a ir , compl e tely va n ishi n g , an d th e

hat held out a (seco n d o r two a fterwards) t o catch

t h e coi n which is al so heard to fall i n to the sam e
,
A .

coi n is placed betwee n t ip s of fi r st an d fou rth fi ngers

of right han d an d pu shed ,
a gai n st bottom of hat ,

whereupo n it i n sta n tly va n ishe s i n to the i n te r io r ,

maki n g itsel f hea r d as it m i n gles with the other

coi n s . The r ight hand no w catches a dozen or 20
 M ODERN COI N M A N I P U L A T! 0 1V . 11

coins at once ,
d roppi n g them all i n to the hat . Thi s

is co n tinued u ntil an enormou s n u mber of half dol -

lars is collected . These are tur n ed out on to the tabl e .

On e is no w take n in the left ha n d an d passed com

p le t e ly through one and the n both knees the n ,

p a ssed from ha n d to ha n d . N o w the a ud ie n ce is

a sked to n ame umber which we will say is 1 5
any n , ,

whereupo n the performer p r oceed s t o catch o n e at

a t ime the h a lf d ollars - on tip of h is wa n d imme,

d ia t e ly pa ssi n g each one i n vi sibly i n to right hand ,

where it m a kes its a ppeara n ce betwee n the fi rst

fi n ger and —
thu mb this b e i n g co n ti n ued until the
whole 1 5 are produced Six coi n s are n o w va n i shed
.

and both ha n ds sho wn empty whe n the former are ,

p roduc e d in a fa n from the ba ck of t he left hand .

I n co n clusio n after seve r a l othe r sleights herei n

,

after de scribed the pe r former g a thers

,
up all the
coins on the t a —
ble some whe r e a bou t 4o —makes
the pas s with this h uge pile when ,
10 ! they h a ve
va n i shed ,
bu t are im medi a tely r eproduced i n a
S hower from the bottom of the vest .

A s the a bov e depends ch iefly on what is termed the

I 2 M ODERN COI N M A N I I U L A ZI
J
ON :

C onti n u ou s F ront an d Bac k H and Palm ,

”
it is p r o

p osed to describe this i n m inut e detail fi rst . T he

O bj ect is to conceal a coin in t he hand , y e t at a ny mo

ment showing bac k and front q uite e m p ty , e xtend

Fig . 1.

in g the fi n gers an d th u mb as well bu t immed iately

,

p roduci ng the coin wh e n d e sired at the fi nger tips .

If the re a der desires to excel i n this p a rticular

sl eight he should fi rst of all select a coin which best
,

s u its h is fi n gers . T he author alway s u ses a half dol

-

lar as bei n g best adap te d t o the size of his hands .

The s mall e r the coi n u se d the more d i ffi cul t to suc

cessfu lly c arry out the trick . It is there fore , ad
 M ODERN C OI N M A N I P U L A TI ON . x3

vis able perhaps

, , to sta rt with a larger coin say a ,

dollar ,
an d follo w this u p g r adu a lly with s maller
coins , u n til you find o ne which e xactly s uits the
width of you r fi n gers .

To c omme n ce t he t r ick th e c oi n is placed on t he

front Of the hand bei n g , g ripped between the tip s

Fig . 2 .

o f th e fi rst and fourth fi n gers ( see s g '

. Y o u n ow

d r aw down the two m iddle fi n gers u ntil the p oi n ts

r est behin d the c oi n at its lower e nd . I f y ou no w
e xert with the se two fi n ger s a s ligh t p r e ssu re on

the lower part of the c oi n it re volves bet ween th e

fi rst and fou rth fi n ge r s (see F ig . and , u p on th e

 4 M ODERN COI N M A N I P U L A TI ON .

performer no w exte n di n g carefully the two m iddl e

fingers these stretch out
,
fro n t of the coi n (see
in

F ig: 3 , whic h represents a bac k view) (wh ich is n o w

held in same position as at first exce p t that it is at
,

the back i nstead of t he front of the ha n d) , t he coi n

b e i n g q u ite i nvisible an d app eari n g to hav e van

Fig 3. .

ish e d . To cover this m oveme n t wh ich of cou rse

, , ,

Should be executed with lightni n g like - ra pidity the ,

'

performer makes a sho r t m ovem e n t with the ha n d

as if about to th r ow the coi n away . The s light move
me n t facilitates the dec e pti o n to a gre a t ext e n t .

N o w to mak e the coi n

,
r ea p pear the above move
,
 M ODERN COI N M A N I PUL A TI OI V . I 5

me n ts are simply reve r sed T his novel moveme n t

'

sho uld be acqui red by both h a n ds which should ,

p erfor m it with equ a l freedom an d ease . With co n

siderable p ractise this can be accom p lished with
‘

’
mo re than on e coi n . F ig 4 . shows t he author s
ha n d with six coi n s back p almed -
.

Th e above is th e origi n al form in which t h e t ric k

was in ve n ted by the author 16 yea r s ago, but si n ce

the n he h a s na tu r a lly m ade v ast imp roveme n ts i n
same ,
an d the followi n g is th e co r rect m a n n er in

which he pe r fo r med the “

C o n ti n u o u s F r o n t an d

Bac k H a n d Pa lm at the Pa l a ce T h e a t e r L o n do n , ,
I 6 M ODERN COI N M AN I PUL A TI 0 1V
.

in 1 899 , for six consecutive mo n ths . I f the read e r

will take the t r ouble to comp a re other des cri p ti o ns
Of this palm with the details herein give n he will at .

o n ce see the exte n t o f the k n owledge o f t he di ffe r

ent writers who have com p iled thes e co u nt er fe it
’

descri p tions .

Wh en the coi n h as be e n rev e rsed to t he ba ck o f

the ha n d as i n ,
F ig 3 ,
. the little fi n ger moves aw a y
from the coi n which is left g ripped betwee n the
,

fi r st an d seco n d fi n gers . The third and fou r th fin

gers are no w sp r e a d wide apart (see F ig 5 ) to . Show

there is n othi n g between them . The third fi n ger
18 M OD E RN C OI N MAN I P UL A TI 0 1V .

ond and third

, fi ngers to be sho wn e m p ty (see Fig .

Fig 7. .

The seco n d fi n ger no w grasps the coi n from

Fig 8
. .

t he back; so tha t it is now held as before in F ig 7 ,

.
 M OD E RN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON 19

between t wo middle fi ngers , a gain allowin g p er

former to show there is n othi n g betwee n first and

second or third an d fourth fi n g ers . Th e coin is
t hen picked u p with the first fi ng er an d gri pp ed be

twe e n th at and t he econd fi n ger

s , as already se e n

in 5 . N ext the fi n gers are be n t rou n d to wards

,

the p a lm , an d with the assista n ce of the seco n d and

third fi n gers the coi n is tra n sferred to the palm of

the h a n d (see F ig thereby a llowi n g the pe r fo r mer
.

t o show t h e b a ck of the h a n d wit h all the fi n gers

an dthumb e x te n ded ( see F ig I t is n o w picked .

up with the two middl e fi ngers and re p laced b e ,

20 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI 0 2V .

tween first and second fi n gers , bei n g ex a ctly the

reverse of the previous move e n abli n g the fro n t of ,

t he ha n d to be no w show n .. By n ext placi n g the

third fi n ger u p behind the coi n the s a me can be ,

p laced at bac k of thu mb (see F ig I I ) where it lies .

,

gri pp ed i n the fleshy p art so that the p erformer

,

Fig . 10 .

can no w Show front of h a n d empty bu t with the ,

fingers e x te n ded . Th e h a n d is no w close d , th e coi n

bei n g allowed to d r op in , and then o p e n ed whe r e
,

upon the coi n is produc e d . The author use s a ll

of the a bove p a sses in his e n t e r t a i n me n t ,

and , of
cou rse to work the
, B ack an d F ro n t P alm in an
 M ODERN COI N M AN I P (I L A TI 0 1V . 2I

a bsolut e ly correct ma n ne r ,
a co n s idera ble amou n t
’

o f pra ctise is n ecessary . H owever t o p roduc e

,

ma n y brilli a n t e ffects it is o n ly esse n ti a l that the

perfo r mer should be acquai n ted with o ne or two of
the m oves but i f the reader ever desi res to becom e
,

a st rictly fi st C as
r -
l s C oi n M ani p ulator he should p rae .

Fig . 1 1.

tise practise
, , an d k ee p on p racti sing un til all th e
a bove sleights b e come seco n d n a tu r e to him and he ,

can the n d e fy ev e n e xpe r t co nj u r ers t o t e ll where the

coi n is . A ll t h e a bove s hould be do n e with both
h a n ds as me n tio n ed b e fo r e th e r e by e n a bli n g th e
,

p e r form e r to exhibit some combi n atio n s that a pp ear

22 M ODER N COI N M A N I P ( I L A TI GI V .

nothi n g short of supern atu ra l . The a utho r h as

devoted co n siderable s p ace an d time to the above

descriptio n but he b e lieves , it is i n the best i n terests
of the M agical A r t for him to have d one so bear ,

in g in mi n d how p rofessio n al a n d amateu r M agicia n s

are b ei n g deceived by productions compiled by un

scru p ulous parties pu rpo r ti n g to expose his A ct .

Havi n g described the pri n cip a l secret of thi s A ct ,

the author will proceed to e x plai n the A ct itself

an d the n the various additio n s .

Before goi n g on the st a ge the performe r places

,

20 h a lf do llars
- in his r ight ha n d waistcoat pock e t
-
,

an d 1 5 in his right h a n d t r ousers pocket

-
. A h a t is

bo r rowed , and , while t a ki n g the same in his left

h a n d the coi n s from the w a i stco a t
,
ar e palm e d in his
r ight ,
a nd placed like a fl a sh Of light n i n g u n de r the
ben t-over side Of the rim on the outside of the hat
(
see F ig . which is pl a ced with the same h a nd
crown downwards on the table . N o w i f the
,

coi n s have been placed n eatly a nd properly on th e

rim whe n the hat is tu r n ed o ver they will
,
re ma i n
where you pu t them but this is the most delicate
,
 M ODE RN C OI N M AN I P OL A TI ON . 23

p a rt o f the trick , as u n less you a r e e x ce e di n gly c a re,

in ! some or , a ll, will f a ll as the h a t is pu t o n the t a ble ,

a nd , i n the word s of a popu lar so n g ,

T he r e would
'
”
be no s how that n ight . With p r a cti se however , ,

this can be accompli hed s . A would b e

- -
autho r ,
in

exposi n g the above ,

n ot k n owi n g how it wa s p os

Fig . 1 2.

sible to place the coins on the rim of the h at an d

then tu rn it ove r has , ,

in his e x ceedi n g clevern ess ,

ign ored this move a ltogether ! Y et, thi s is the

most delicate an d at the s a me time pu zzli n g move
of the p e r form a n ce . T his ign ora n ce is p r obably
’
due to h is “
ma n y ye a r s e x p e r ie n ce
24 M ODERN COI N M A N I P ( I L A TI ON .

T h e p e r fo r me r l no w c asu a lly tur n s up h is s leeves ,

and rem a r ks With the permissio n of the ladie s I

“
,

will rem o ve my cu ffs or rather tur n them u p to the ,

”
elbows . Th e hat is no w take n u p with the left
hand the fingers
, Of which g et hold of the coi n s
u n d er cover of the ri m . Th e h a t is n e x t passe d
i n to the r ight h a n d to show the left e m p ty ,
and

the artiste will fi n d with pra cti se it is quite easy to

p a ss the coi n s with the h a t fr o m ha n d to h a n d . Th e

h at is no w tak e n by t h e ed ge n e a re st the a udie n ce ,

an d , with right h a n d tu r n ed over so th a t the fi n gers

,

o f the left h a n d co n t a i n i n g the 20 coi n s a re brought

i n to the i n si d e Of h at (see F ig . in positio n for
the mo n e y c a tchi n g -
. The right h a n d is no w show n
empty , an d m ak e s a gr a b in t h e a ir at an imagi n ary
coi n immedi a tely pl a ci n g it (a ppare n t ly ) in the h a t
, ,

whe r e it is he a r d to fall, b ut in r e a lity it is a coi n , ,

drop p ed fr om the le ft han d T h is is d d

“

.
i
re
p e a t e ,
a n ,

as the ha n d goe s to the hat to make a prete n se of

droppi n g in a coi n , t wo coi n s are quickly p a lmed in

the right h an d . Y ou look in the a ir fo r m o r e coi n s ,

an d on e of th os e p a lmed is no w p r oduce d a t t h e
fi n ger tips (the mode of whi ch is de sc r i bed on p ag e
26 M ODERN COI N M AN I P (I L A TI 0 1V .

befo r e d e sc r ibed the right hand can

,
a t a ny mome n t
be how n appare n tly empty
s .

A dditio n a l effects are produ ced acco r di n g to the

fa n cy of the performer . Th e ap pare n t passi n g of a

coin through the bottom of the hat n ever fai ls to

bri n g forth plenty of app lau se . T his is accomplished
by holding the coin in the ma nn er depicted in F ig .

14 . Th e back p a lm is n o w made ( F ig . on e coin

 M ODERN COI N M A N I P ( I L A TI ON . 27

bei ng at the sa me time dropped f r om t he left h a n d

i n to the h at , cre a ti n g the n eces sary j i n gle , and

the illusion is perfect . A sim il a r e ffect can be pro

d u ce d by ho ldi n g the coi n b e twee n the tips Of the

first th ree fi n gers an d thu mb an d prete n di n g to pu sh

it thro u gh t h e side of the h a t . Wh a t re ally happe n s
is th at t he coi n is pushed by the h at dow n betwe e n
the fi n ger s (t h e b a ck of the ha n d faci n g the au dience)
28 M D OE R N COI N M A N I PUL A TI 0 1V .

which hide it , one, of course bei n g dropped by the

,

left h a n d to creat e the n ecessa ry deceptio n . It is as

well to pay particul a r a tt e n tion to these little m ove s ,

as they i n variably c r e ate more fu r or e th a n b igger

an d more di ffi cult sl e ights .

A coi n is no w app a re n tly thro wn in the a ir , an d

caught in t h e h a t a fe w seco n ds later . The coi n is ,

of cou rse p a lmed ,

in the a ct of th r owi n g u
p the
h an d , and the hat is h e ld ou t in the left h a n d as if
w a iti n g for the coi n which , , at the r ight mome n t ,
is

dropped from the left h an d .

Whe n the first lo a d o f coi n s is exh a u st e d , the

pe r former m akes a bold m ove . He prete n ds to he a r

s ome o n e m ake a r em a r k th a t he gets t h e coi n s f rom
”
h is pocket s Which pocket ! he replies ; Th e

left one ! an d places

left ha n d i n to the pocket h is

so as to suit the a ctio n t o the word — N O the “

,

right on e !
!
—
now placing his right ha n d i n to the
pocket which forthwith p alms
, ,
15 coi n s pre viously
placed the r e . N O, l a dies and ge n tleme n i f I w e re
,

to place my ha n d s in my poc k ets you would all

'

se e .
 M ODERN COI N M A N I PUL A TI ON 29

me . P le a s e , se e th at my h a n ds do n o t ap p roach the

body . , 5 coi
M ea n whi le he h as got the p a lmed n s I

on to the rim O fthe h a t a s expl a i n ed a t the co mm ce

e n

me n t of this de scriptio n . T h e h at is the n placed ,

if desired ,
on the t a ble crow n dow n wa rd
, , an d the
h a n d s show n pe r fectly empty . The s a me p r oce ss
as before is no w repeated .

I f the above m ovement s are executed W ith a cer

'
t a i n amou n t of sa ng fr oia a n d without appe a ri n g to
,

be in a hu r r y to pl ace the ha n ds in your pockets ,

not on e in
a thou sa n d would guess th a t you were
“
lo a di n g — it b e i n g so ba r efa c
ed a proceedi n g t h e
audie n ce n ev e r d r e a m th a t you would be so bold as
to deceive them in this decidedly simple yet e ffect
ive m a n n er .

N o w whe n this l a st lot of coi n s become s

, ex

h au st e d , an other r use is resorted to by the performer .

H is right h a n d dives i n to the h at an d rattles th e

coi n s to how they
S are real o n e s , at the same time
letti n g them pou r in a shower f r om the h a n d i n to the
h at . H e re p e ats th is o n ce or twice , an d then
3 0 M ODERN C OI N M AN I P UL A TI ON
-
.

p alms , say, a d oz e n which of cou rse

, , , e nabl es h im t o
go on catchi n g them singly (p roducing th e m at fi n ger
ti p s as described on p age or to m a ke a grab in t h e
air an d p rodu ce the a fan (see F ig
12 in . with
the remark tha t Wh e n I desire more than o n e at

Fig . 1 6.

a t ime I mak e this mov e . Th e above can be re

p e a t e d ,
i f desired but it will u su ally be found that
,

3 0 to 40 coi n s will take some time to catch , p r o

v id e d the perfo r mer is n ot u n duly quick about it .

This m ust be avoided ,

and the arti ste m ust go abou t
h is b u sin ess in an e asy ma n n e r withou t ,
a ny j u m p s or
 M ODE R N C OI N M AN I P UL A TI ON .
31

j e rks so common with u n finish e d p erformers . To

p ractis ebefore a looking glass - is all very well , b ut

befor e your frie n ds is be t ter as they , a re thereby

e n abled to give you hi n ts as to mist akes etc which , .
,

it is im p ossibl e for y o u to se e y o u rse l f in a gl a ss .

32 M ODERN COI N M AN I PUL A T1 ON .

N e xt c o me s th e
P R O D U C TI O N OF AN Y N U MBER O F
C OI N S AT F I N G E R TI P S .

B efore the hat is replaced o n the table the audi e nc e

is asked to na me any n umber which we will su pp ose
,

is I 5 T h e p erformer who has in t h e meantime bee n

.
,

”
j i ngling the coi n s in the h at q uickly p alms t h e ,

desired nu m ber , an d re p l aces the hat o n t h e t able ( to

p alm the correct .
n umber i n sta n taneously re q uires
co n siderable pra ctise but the author is ,
e n abled
through co n sta n t exercise to tell exactly h o w ma n y

he picks up by the feel an d weight ) . B oth hands

are no wshow n empty by me an s of the ne wC ha n ge
ov e r P alm descri bed on p age 39 . The ma gi c
wand is take n in the le ft han d and th e coi n s cau ght
,

on it s e xtreme end on e by one , e ach being then

i n visi bly passed from the wan d to the righ t han d
fi ng e r tips . Th e wand used is of cou rse , , t h e old

H alf dollar
- Wand but the one the auth o r
,
h as

bee n in the habit of u sing wa s im p roved by h im

t o th e ext en t th at it works nois elessly thi s , be in g

34 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON .

insta n t a n eou sly pl a ces the coi n bet wee n th e tips

Of the fi r st fi n ge r an d thu mb the seco n d
, on e bei n g
pl a c e d behind this , and so till the whole 1 5 have
on

”
b ee n produ ced . Th e left h a n d of cou r se makes
, ,

a motio n of catchi n g a coi n on the wa n d each time

and shows the coi n which is withdraw n i n to the
,

wa n d in t h e act t h r Owing it right

'

of towards th e

h an d .

Th e coin s are no w cou n ted o n e at a time fr om

the right ha nd i n t o the hat . I f by
,
a ny cha n ce you ,

s hould have made a m istak e in the n u mber asked

fo r it is ea sy whe n cou n ti n g them at the co n clusion
to miscou n t on e or two .

T O PA SS A C O I N T H R OU G H TH E KN E E S .

To bri g about the above e ffect a h lf doll a r i s

n a -

p a lmed in the right ha n d ,

an d an other t ake n betwee n
the sec on d third fi n ger tips ( the latter bei n g of
an d

cou rse visible to audie n ce ) L e ft h a n d is n owshow n .

empty ,
an d the vi sible coi n p l a ced on the left fi n gers
in readi n ess for th e B a ck P alm , t h e le ft h a n d bei n g
pla ced h oriz ont ally again st the ri ght knee . Th e
 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON .
35
Q

right han d no w poi n ts at the coi n in the left ha n d in

a casual sort o f way ( in reality to show nothing be

tw e e n fi n gers or at back of h and), th e n shows t he

fron t o ft h e h and ( in the meant ime o fco urse

, , re vers
in g the co in t o b a c k o f hand ) a n d p laces
, it in a
similar p osit ion on the o p p os it e si
de o f the k n ee to
the left . F ig . 18 wil l show th e correct p ositio n .
3 6 M ODERN COI N M AN I P (I L A TI ON .

Th e co in is no w back palmed by the left ha n

- d — ta

the mome n t of doi n g which the coin back p a lmed in -

the right han d is brought to the fro n t the same hav ,

in g a pp a r e n tly passed completely through your k nee .

T his ca n be repe a ted o n ce or twice . Th e performer

the n p r etends to overhear a remark , P a ss it through
”
both k n ees , an d re p lies T hrough both k n ees !
’
Oh,
!
certai n ly ; however it s more painful , , an d he r e
peats the trick app a re n tly passi n g the coi n through
,

both k n ees maki n g of cou rse

, , ,
n ot the slightest dif
fere n ce in the mod us op er a n d i .

TH E EL U SI V E PA SS .

T he performer take s we will say six co in s between

, ,

the foremost sectio n s of the middle a n d thi r d fi n ge r s

of the r ight ha n d ,
sp r e a di n g ou t at the same time
the other fi n gers prese n ti n g to t h e public the b ack of
,

h is han d . The l e ft ha n d no w app r oaches the right

as if t o t ake away the coi n s (see F ig . an d , in f act ,

really t a kes them aw ay the fi r st tim e . T he n , ap par

e n tly o v e rb e a r in g a r em a rk to the e ffect that t hey
are n ot i n the left ha n d he o p e n s it ,
an d shows the
i s
co n . Same a re a ga i n tak e n betwee n the ti p s O ft h e
 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON .
37

s eco n d and thi r d fi n gers of the right h a nd and the ,

left ha n d makes the motio n of taki n g the coi n s ,

while u n der cover of the fi n gers of the left ha n d

, ,

the two fingers Of the right ha n d contai n i n g the coins

are be n t rou nd the thumb Of the left hand , an d the

Fig . 19
.

coi n s left p almed in the right ha n d the two fi n gers ,

immedi a tely return i n g to their origi n al p o S

it i on ,

the left h a n d m ovi n g aw ay as i f it co n t a i n ed them

( see F ig . The above moveme n ts a re m ade very
cle a r in the a ccom p a n yi n g illu stra tio n s though they
,

m ay ap p e a r a lmost impossible of executio n . I n t he

3 8 M ODERN COI N M AN I P UL A TI 0 1V .

fi rst p lac e the di ffere n t moves should be made v e ry

,

slowly with say , , 2 coins ; but t h e r eader will under

stand that in the actual executio n Of this feat b efore
an audi ence e verything is done so q uickly that it is
q u ite impossible for a spectator to tell whethe r th e

coi n s are re ally taken in the left ha n d or not . A ny

Fig . 20 .

one wh o m ay have wit n essed the au thor s p erfo rm ’

a n ces will he
, is sure bear wit n e ss to this fact
, .

N ow, u p on the left han d being ope n ed an d shown

e mpty the right hand
,
ca n also be show n empty by
m eans of the followi n g
 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON .

N EW C HAN G E OV E R- PA L M .

When the left ha n d is o p e n ed the right hand which

, ,

co ntai n s the coi n s p almed is b rought fac e to face

,

wit h the left one and the coi n s tran sferred to the
,

Fig . 21 .

p alm Of the left h an d which is immediately turned

,

round ( u n der cover of the right ) to show ( a p p are n tly)

that there is nothi n g at the b a ck a n d the n the righ t
,

ha n d can be show n empty back fro n t (see F ig

and .

The left h a n d is n ext tu rn ed rou n d u n der cover

of the right hand and the coi n s r e p alme d in right (see
,
~
4o M ODER N COI N M AN I P (I L A TI ON .

F ig . T his is an exceedi n gly di ffi cul t sl e igh t ,

and re q uires a co n siderable am ou n t of delicacy in

m ani p ulati n g . I t is ve ry desirable to have the coi n s

a ll of the s a me si z e and thickness , o therwise on e or

Fig . 22 .

more may slide out from the rest in the act of

tr a n sference .

Th e coi n s ca n the n be produced as fa n cy i n dicat e s ,

by c a tchi n g them one at a time or , in a fan from t h e

back of the l e ft h a n d but a su itable mode of
p r o

d uctio n will re a dily s u ggest it self t o a p e r former who

has thoroughly m a ste r ed the above two passes . Th e
42 M ODERN COI N M A N I P U L A TI 0 1 V .

an d heard t o fall into the tumbler . A fter abou t ,

say, eight coin s have passed the p erformer pretends

,

to hear so me one say t ha t t h e re are no c oi n s in the

left hand . H e immediat ely o p ens t h e left hand
an d h ows
s the t wo r emaining coi n s . Th e h and

Fig . 23 .

is cl osed , and the two that are left p ass singly int o

t he glass held in t h e r igh t in

, the s am e ma n n e r as
thei r p redece ssor s .

To p roduce the abov e illu si on it is nec essa ry to

study carefully the accom p anying illustrations which
explain fully the click p as s before r eferred to .

The c o ins ar e fi rst p lac e d in t h e r ig h t hand , as in

 M ODERN COI N M AN I P ( I L A T J
ON .
43

F ig . 2 3, a n d the h a n d is then quickly t urned over ,

t he coi n s bei n g a pp a re n t ly tra n sferred to the left

h an d , b u t in r eality the third and fou rth fi n gers of
the righ t hand a r rest their fall , see F ig . 24 ( ther e by
cr e at in g a sound or C lick as if the coi n s had fall e n
Q

Fig . 24
.

i nto left h a n d) ,
and forthwith p alm them in the
right hand . I f the foregoi n g be tried once or twice
it will be see n what a p erfect illu sio n i t p roduces .

N o w with the r ight ha n d (co n tai n i n g the pa lmed

coi n s) p ick up the tu mbler as in F ig . 25 . By

slightly r elaxi n g the m uscles of the palm of t h e right

44 M OD ERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON .

han d , the coi n s are rele a sed on e at a t ime an d fa ll

i n to the gl a ss ( see F ig A con sid e r a ble amou n t
.

of p r actise a n d delica cy of m a n ipul a tio n i s essential

to e n sure the coi n s droppi n g si n gly . Th e additio n al

e ffect of be in g a ble to show two coi n s in the left

hand ,
a ft e r e i ght h a v e p a sse d i n to the tu mbler ,
is

brought a bout by fi n ge r - p a lmi n g in the l e ft h a n d

two du mmy c o i n s pivot e d tog e ther which admits of ,

thei r b e i n g sp r e a d a p a r t to look like t wo coin s .

 M ODERN COI N M A N I PUL A TI ON .
45

T hese are show n , and in the act of ag a i n closi n g the

left ha n d they ,
are reverse p a lmed the fa ct of their
-
,

bei n g riveted together e n a bli n g this to be aecom

p lish e d with ea se .

Th e author ca n co n fide n tly recomme n d the abov e

Fig . 26 .

t r ick as bei n g on e of the be st with which he is ac

q u a n i
t e d, an d if e n ough a tte n tio n be p a id to all the
det a ils ,
t he performer ca n e a sily deceive e x pert C on

j u re r s wh o are u nac q uai n ted with the mod us op er a n d i .

46 M ODERN COI N M AN I P U L A TI ON

D OWN N EW
'
S FAN P A SS .

T his is another fa vorite p ass i n ve n ted by the

author . Th e coins are held as in F ig . 27 . Th e

right fi n gers no w all ow the coins to slide down on e

Fig . 27 .

a ft e r an other with a j in gle i n to the p a lm of the left

h and , which forthwith closes u p on the same but ,

j ust as it does so the two middle fi n gers of the right

ha n d gri p the coins an d im mediately palm them in
th e r ig h t hand . If t his is c ar ried ou t neatly , an d
 M ODERN COI N M A N I P U L A TI ON .
47

un der cover of the movement of the left h and , the

spectators will be absol utely convinced that t h e c oins

still r emai n in the left hand .

Th e foregoing is a very useful me t hod of ca usi n g

the disa pp earance Of a numbe r o f oi s
c n aft er havin g
!
p roduced them in a fan .

T H E D OW N E U R E KA
’
S “
PA SS .

Th e author has extreme p leasure in the followi n g ,

descri p tio n of the p ass to wh ich he has given the

above title ,
in t aking the reader into his con fi denc e
and e x plaining to him fully what the writer co n

scie n t io Usly believes to be his most novel p u zz lin g ,

an d prettiest feat

The pass is used for the vanishi n g of any number

of coins u p to
,
20 , one at a tim e .

Th e coins are lying on t h e t able . O ne is placed

in the right hand as i n F ig . 1 ( in r eadiness for the
back p alm) . T his is made and both hands shown
( a pp arently ) empty . Th e le ft ha n d no w p icks u p
an ot h e r c oin by the fi rst fi nger and thumb , an d
 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI 0 1V
.

p roceeds to place it on the right hand in the p osi

t ion occu p ied by the fi rst (see F ig . but in t h e act

5 0 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON .

fi n g ers o f t he r i gh t h and to t he wrist (see

F ig 30
. .

Fig 3 1
. .

N w by sli ghtly contracti n g the p a lm th e whol e

o ,
 M ODERN COI N M A N I PUL A TI ON .
5 1

row o f coi n stu rn s co mp le t elyover in pretty fa shion

’
'

ws th e coi ns in th e act of t u r n i n g
'

F ig 3 1
. . sh o . F ig .

3 2 s ho ws the m turn ed completely over . N o w by

a delic a te j erk with the tips f the two m iddl e
‘

fi n gers th e co in s are made t me th eir origina l

'

o assu

Fig 3 2
. .

p osi t io n . , Th e a u thor is ab le t o tu rn the coins over

quite s lowly an d a l so do th e r evers e movement i n
the s a me ma n n er . T his mak es the trick look more
e ffe ct i ve ; bu t it is ex ce e din g ly d iffi cu lt of com
‘
‘

ae

m n of co u r se ,i t
'

p lish e t , though , ca n be do ne with

“

su ffi cie n t p ra ctise . Th e author fe a rs that at fi rst

5 2 M ODERN COI N M AN I P (I L A TI ON .

s igh t om e of the sleight s ment ioned in this boo k

s

may ap p ear impos sible Of successful execution , an d

he therefore begs to say that h e has described noth

in g bu t what he has accom p lished hi mself each of ,

the ex p erime n ts herein contained bei n g q uit e p rae

t ical .

Fig 3 3
. .

THRE E DI STI N C T M E T H O D S O F P A L M
I N G CO I N S AT T H E SA M E TI M E .

’
F ig 3 3
. r e p resents an illustration of t h e a uthor s
h an d pa lming coins in three di ffe r ent styl e s : o rdi
n ary thumb an d
, fin g e r- p alm . It is of course
, , on rare
 M ODERN COI N M AN I P (I L A TI 0 1V .
53

occas ions fou n d nec essary to mak e u se of the thr ee

at one time bu t it is u seful t o use two O f them whe n ,

for insta n ce the p erfo r mer desires to cha n ge se cr e tly

,

s o m e bo r rowed coin s fo r sub stitu te s . T h e latter

are fi rs t O f all ordinary or fi nge r p almed

-
, an d the .

borrowed o n es rec e ived an d thumb palmed the du p li -

,

cates which
, t he audience imagin e to be the bor

r owed o n es bei n g si multa n eously p laced

, in full vie w .

By mean s Of a j udicious combi n ation of the abov e

p alms a n um be r o f excelle n t t rick s wil l re adily su g

g es t th e ms e lves t o the p erformer .

T O PA L M A N D M A KE T H E PA SS WIT H
F O RTY C O I N S .

’
Th e abov e t r ic k of th e author s is in all s erious
n ess described i n a certain Serio C omic - C oin

T ric k boo k as bei n g si mple e n ough i f you do this

a nd do that etc
, . N O gr e a ter mistake wa s ever made ,

dear reader , an d to co n clu sively prove this to you

the writer may tell you that i nn umerable imitators ,

for the p u rp ose of p erforming this feat have a wi r e , ,

2 to 2 inches in length soldered

, in a pe r p e n dicular
54 M ODE RN COI N M AN I P ( I L A TI ON .

p os ition to the middle Of a half d ollars -

,
Th is lies

with thi r ty to forty half d ollars o n the table : These

-

latter coi n s have in

'

e a ch case a small hole drilled

t hr ough th e ce n te r, and in gath eri n g them u p they
a re each thre aded on the wi r e ttached t o th e trick
a

Co in ; It is the n , Of C ou r se , an exceedi ngly easy

m a tter to pal m th e m as no n e Of the coins ca n sli p
o w in g to t h e wi r e .

N wto d s ib the correct m thod as emplo ed

‘

o e cr e e y
by the a uthor . Th e pile of thi rty to forty ;

co n i s is
t ake n betwee n the fi n gers in exactly the s a me
!
manner as de sc r ibed in Th e E lu siv e P as s . Th e

right h and no w make sa motio n of passin g th e co m s

'

i n to the left bu t i n re a l ity the two fi n ge r s holdi n g

,

the coin s be n d rou n d and p a lm t h em in t h e ri ght

” °

h an d ,
in the p ositio n show n in F ig 3 4, .
!

the left h a n d
Clo sing at the sa me time an d the r ight h an d k e e p i n g
in an up r ight positio n poi n ti n g at the l e ft .
“

T h e le ft '
f

h a nd is no w shown empty . T he r ight ha n d

‘

can

be brou gh t dow n t o h an g in a na tura l p o s iti o n by

slightly be n di n g t he thi r d fi n ge r r ou n d o n to the top
of the coins whi ch k e e p s them f r om fa lli n g and the
, ,
 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON .
55

be in man n er t h e p e rf ormer
’

s ame can p rod uced a ny

desire s .

’
Th e author s fav o rit e me th o d is t o p rod uce t h e m
in a shower from u nd e r the v est . This is ae com
followin g ma n n e r
'

p lish e d in the : As the right ha n d

( co )
n t a ining the coi n s li fts u p the edge of the vest

with the fi rst fi n ger and thu mb the third fi nger , ,

which it will be remembered is supporti n g the coins ,

pushes them u n der the vest . Th e st omach is now

e x pa n ded an d the hand ca n alm ost be withdraw n ,

an d by gra dually drawing in the abdomen the coi n s

 M ODE RN COI N M A N I PUL A TI ON .

esc apé a few at a time and fall i nt o the righ t han d

which is waiting to r eceive them . In co n nectio n
with the above the followi n g li n e take n from D ie

Za zé ber wé lt of 1 st m
q

,
'

e O f last year illust rates what

,

ca n be attained by p r actise

M r D owns has reached the highest degree

. Of

p erfectio n that could pos sibly be attai n ed or ever ,

wil l be attained ,
in this sp ecial bra n ch of p alming
!
c o ins .
5 8 M ODE R N COI N M AN I P (I L A TI ON .

where the coin is palmed in the fork of the thumb ,

the coin being dro pp ed behi n d the h an d i n stead of

being p almed . The coin can then be re placed in

the palm by swi n ging it ove r t h e han d or by u si n g

both hands Th e loop can be discarded or k e pt on
.

t he hand .

By em p loying both si d es of the wax t wo coins

can be mad e to vanish one a fter th e oth e r or both
at o n e ti me .

N o . 2.

A spectat or places a ha nd k erchief on the table

T h e p e r fOr me r w fOld s
’

a coin in the cent er

° °

and . no
‘

the four Corners Ove f it ,

an d , on u n foldi n g the coin
,

has va n ished an d the ha nds are s hown empty .

t e llige n cC of his rea d er by desc rib in g . A wax pellet

is removed from a ve st butto n a nd w
held bet ee the
n
 M ODERN COI N M AN I P (I L A TI 0 1V .
59

O n un fo lding the han d k erchief th e coin comes

’
n at u rally i n to the p erformer s ha n d . T h e h an d k e r

c hief is ni pp e d between th e fi rst an d second fi ngers

while t he coin is tak en between the thumb and the
'

t h ird fi n ger tip s and u n der , c ov e r of th e h a nd k e r

ch i ef , it is Sp u n u p t h e s leeve .

h 7
f

No 3 . .

3A b orrowe d hal f d ollar vanishes from the hands

’

-
,

a nd y e t both sides of the hands are sho wn abs olutely

m
E pt y
audie nce exten d righ t hand toward s the left
F a ce ,

a n d prete n d to p ass the coi n to the left bu t really

.
,

p alm it i n t h e right h and which then move s b ac k

-
, .

ward across th e bos om and shoots the coi n into t h e

vest t h e hand hiding the movement
,
.

N o .
4
.

Of Cau sin g the d isap pearanc eOf a

.

I n this met h od
b Owe d Co ih; a half d Ollar is l aid o n the t able i n
o rr -

full vi ew O f every on e y et at the w ord of co mmand ,

it i nstantly Vanishes .

'

T o b ring about the above it is ne cessary t o be

p ro vid ed with a small p i ece of t in painted bla ck ( a s
60 M ODERN COI N M AN I PUL A T1 0 1V .

p er F ig .
3 )
5 with a doubl e e d ge . On one si d e of
sa me p la ce a dab of wax .

N o w p alm the t in , an d w h en
taking the coi n p ress the sam e
on wax an d p lace it on the
t able Th e tin bei n g black
’

( the s a me color as table clo t h ) -

,

it is n o t n oticed A ttached .

to the t in is a pi ece of elasti c

ru n n i n g u p the sleeve and ,

of course at the ri ght m o

,

m ent the p erformer releases

Fig 3 5 .
.
the elastic , whereupon th e

c oin is in sta n tly drawn invisibly up the sleeve .

N o. 5 .

P rete n d to p a ss a half dollar i n to the le ft ha n d

-
,

which close really palmi n g

, it between first an d

seco n d fi n gers of right ha n d , e levat e left hand an d

bri n g the right to the elbo w p ush u p the , Sleeve a

little fu rther at the s a m e t ime in serti n g the coi n
,

b etwee n it and the arm . R ub clo sed h a n d ge n tly ,

o p en and Show it is e mpty . N o w p ush the sle e ve

 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI 0 1V . 61

a gain an d repl a ce the coin on the i n sid eof the h a n d

bet w ee n the first and seco n d fi n gers , an d move the
ha n d r apidly over t h e le ft , drop p i n g it i n to that hand
wh ich you close . M ak e several p asses over the han d ,
whic h t h e n op en and show co in .

N o . 6 .

R ece ive a co in in the right h a n d which close , , SO

t hat t h e coin lies on the bottom j oi n t s of the first

t wo fi ngers , an d gently p ress the base of the thumb
agai n st it ; extend the arm to the r ight an d insert
the t wo last fi n ger s of the left ha n d in t o pant s
p oc k e t , an d arrange the other fi n gers so as t o form
”
a coo p
s , the thumb pres si n g aga i n st the side of
h and . M ove the right arm a rou n d i n three p p
e r e n

d icular ci rcles and , d uri n g the seco n d time let the

co in fly e d ge wise from the ri ght h a nd i n to the l eft
-
,

wh ich allo ws it to drop i n to the pocket . Th e coin

must p assrap id ly fro m the right hand to the left ,

and always e d gew ise as it t he n ex p oses less su rface

,

t o the act ion o f the air co n seque n tly ,

it s flight is
more r apid . Tu rni n g the body in the directio n of
t he ar m will facilitate the move .
62 M ODERN COI N M AN I PUL A TI 0 1V .

'

N o .
7 .

Balance a half -
dollar o n the middle finger o f the left
h a n d and apparently strike it with t he righ i p a lm
( which in reality p a lms it ) i n to the left h a n d f dt the
d echp t ive
’

sa me time clo s i n g it . T his is most an d

qu ite e asy of performance .

N O . 8 .

P erformer, without the aid of appliance sub

w
a ny ,
l

st it u t io n , p alm , pa ss body chair or

, , ta ble ork ,

causes a borrowed coi n to van i sh from d retu r

h w
an n

to the ha n ds the sleeves bein g roll e d u p

, t e hol e
time . T his is a ne w and uniqu e method of vanish :
in g a bo rrowed c oi n .

Slightly mOist e n the back of the left h an d re ce iv e

“

the borrowed coi n in the right h an d p O

!

an d re ss it n

the back of t he left with th e fi n g e rfwh e re it

‘

r
‘

w
il l
O p en the fi ngers so as t o Show
i

adhere . n et hiiI i s

co n cealed between them then pla ce t e ha d d s t o

7

,
h i ‘

get he r a n d re move the m id p lm an d nub

u

to a the

back Of t he left wi th the fi n ger t ips to r e mov e Siigh t

‘

in d entation U se a smo o t h co in for t h is fe ag zas all

'

.
 M ODERN COI N M AN I PUL A TI ON . 63

the Sha rp edges will b e rem ove d from it a nd th u s

' “

av oid maki n g a d eep impre ssion which cannot be ,

q u ick ly rem ove d .

N o .
9 .

P erformer h olds between his fi n gers a coi n which

insta n tly va n ishes both sides of the h a n ds being
,
'

show n em pty . N o pass rubbers wire , hair or

, ,
e
ap

p lia n ce s of a ny description are used .

T ake the coi n betwee n the thu mb and two mid

dle fi n gers , an d slap it on th e left ha n d which you
close . T ak e up the coi n and repeat . N o w as you
,

pick i t up agai n throw i t up the right sleeve

, an d

l p the left hand agai n closi n g it

S a , . Show the right
han d empty and pu sh up the left sleeve . A ppare n tly

tran sfer the coi n to the right hand an d p ush u p the

right sleeve . R ub the hands toget her whereu p on ,

t h e coin app are ntly vanishes .

N o . 10 .

Th e following is an e xtremely deceptive method

of vanishi n g a borrowed coi n
.

H old t h e c oi n in t he hand re ady for the reverse

64 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON .

p alm when this is accom p lished as you shoot the ,

arm u p ward the coin travel s along the back of the

,

”
ha n d up or ra ther
, down , the sleeve a nd both sid e s
of the hands can be shown empty .

No . 1 1.

A h alf -
dollar is show n also both sides of
, th e

ha n d s to prove that no other coin is

, u sed . A bor
rowed han dkerchief is thrown over the coi n and held
by a spectator . Th e han dkerchief is held over a

tumbler co n t a i n i n g water i nto which the Co m is

,

dropped by the spect a tor . U pon removi n g the

handkerchief the coi n has mysteriously va n ished .

Th e coin u sed in this ex p erime n t dear reader is , ,

a cou n terfeit one, in fact a glass disc

,
on one side
of which is a t in fo il im pression of a h alf dollar - . T his

is work ed o ff the di sc u nder co ver of the h a nd k e r

chief and p a lmed th e disc of course being

, , , ab so

lu t e ly i n visible in the wat e r .

The follo wi n g sleights are ad apted for use with

six or more coins the first of wh ich we will call
,
66 M OD ERN COI N M A N I PUL A TI OM

o p ened shown em p ty
, , an d the coins are p rodu ced
”
M iser s D re am
’
from t h e air , as in the .

A R A P I D PA S S WIT H SI X C O I N S .

H old six half dollars by thei r edges betwee n the

-

t wo middle fingers an d thu mb tips . M ove the hand

towards the left at the same time , a llowi n g the
coins to j um p fro m the fi n gers to the p alm where ,

you grip them .

Th e above may sou n d di ffi cul t and is in fact , ,

di ffi cult whe n fi r st a ttempti n g it but with pra ctise ,

it is quite easy , and if properly executed it p roduces

a brilliant e ffect .

D I SA P P E A R I N G PI L E OF COI N S .

A nu mber of coi n s are show n lyi n g on a plate ,

piled up taken ,
in the left ha n d whe r e they are
se en , a nd the ha n d is clo sed ove r them . A hand k e r

chief is th r ow n O ve r th e h a n d ,
and when removed ,

th e coins h a ve di sap pe a red .

Sh o w a quan tity o f loose co in s on a p lat e . Pil e

 M ODERN COI N M A N I P U L A TI C 1V .
67

them up , and while so doing pal m a d um my ,

“
stack in the left ha n d . P retend to p ass lo ose

coins to the left ha n d p alming and dropping th e m

,

in p rofonde or in a box o f bra n so that they will sin k

, ,

sl o wly and without n oise . B orrow a ha n d k erch ief ,

Show the d ummy grasp the handkerchief by

, th e

ce n ter of one side an d the n spread it out over the

left ha nd , an d wh ile so doi n g throw t h e d ummy

into th e right the han dkerchief hidi n g its flight

, .

P ic k up the wa n d in the act of which dro p

, the

dummy on th e serva n t e tou ch the ha n dkerchi e f ,

with it place it u n der you r

, ar m and draw
,
ofl t he

ha n dkerchief a n d Sho w it , an d the ha n d s empty

, ; o r,

omit the wa n d busi n ess an d vest d um my whil e ad

va n cin clo se to audience

g .
08 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI OM

C H A PT E R III .

M I SC E L L A N EO U S CO I N T R I C KS , ILL U .

SI O N S AN D C O M B I N A TI O N S .

T H E EQ U I L I B R I U M O F SIL VER .

TH E following trick was i n ve n ted by the autho r as

an i m p rovemen t o n an O lder t r ick of his in which

three borrowed coi n s were bala n ced e a ch on it s

milled edge on the top o f a wa n d which wa s sub ,

seque n tly p ublish ed in o ne Of the ma n y book s on

C onj urin g . Th e im p roveme n t s o n the O ld s tyle will
be ve ry app are n t , as in this t r ick the wa n d is e n tirely
di spe n sed with the coi n s bei n g borrowed
, and one
at a time b a la n ced on the ex t r e f me fi t ip o t /z e r st

fing er a n d the n to crow n

, the m arvel all three are,

b a lanced one on ft he t op o t li e ot /ze r on t h e fi ng er t ip .

Fig 3 7 gives the secret of the trick : A A are two

.

m i n ute fle sh colo r ed rubber b a n ds e n circling the

-

fi n ger a nd suppo r ti n g a very fi n e fle sh -

colored tube
through which the needle , D runs the latter bei n g
,
M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI 0 1V
. 69
70 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON .

p u shed up an d d o wn by the thumb . T he bo r r owed

coi n s are o f cou r se e x ch a n g e d
, , fo r duplic ates e a ch
of which h as a hole d r ill e d compl e t e ly through
f r om o ne milled edge to the other . I t is there fo r e
obviou s th a t whe n a coi n is pl a ced in a perpe n dicul a r
po sitio n on the fi n ge r tip s an d the n e edle p u shed up
i n to the d rilled hole it willa d h e re to the fi n g e r with
,

e a se . To ba la n ce the oth e r s t he n e e d le is, of

cou r se p u shed up
,
fa r e n ough ea ch time to e n ter the
n e x t coi n . It is as well whe n e n de a vo r i n g to
b a l a n ce the fi rst coi n to let it fa ll o n ce or t wice ,

thereby givi n g the imp r es sio n th a t it is a fe a t of

g e n u i n e de x te r ity .

T O P A SS T W E N T Y C O I N S FR OM ON E
H A N D TO T H E OTH E R .

I n thi s trick the performer borrows

‘

,
sa y , 2 0 hal f
doll a r s an d holds the m sp r e a d out in a fa n in the
left h a n d (p a lm tow a r d s a u die n ce T h e r i ght h a n d

is n o w show n empty b a ck a n d f r o n t with n othi n g ,

bet wee n the fi n ge r s ,

an d is h e ld ou t st r a ight from
the body . C oi n s no w v a n i sh f r om the t ips o f the

fi n ge r s of the le ft immedi a tely re a ppeari ng

,
in a fa n
 M ODER N COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON .
3 1

betw e e n the thumb and fi rst finger of the right ha n d .

Th e sa me moveme n t ca n be repeated as often as

desired the be a uty of the whole ex p erime n t bei n g
,

that the p alms are conti n ually faci n g the audience .

Th e above ( ap parently) sensatio nal feat is a cco m

p lish e d b y hav in g made in d up lica te a stac k of 20 ex

ce e d in gly thi n imit a t io n coi n s with
, a r ivet ru n n i n g
through the lot e a r the edge a s possibly (see Fig
as n .

which is soldered o n to the t op an d bottom

coin . T his a dmits of the pile being spre ad ou t fa n
7 2 M ODER N COI N M AN I PUL A T1 0 1V .

wise thereby preve nting the a udie n c e fro m thi n ki n g

you are u sing a. dummy . T hi s imit atio n stack ,

bei n g so thin an d fixed together e n ables the artist ,

to make the ordi n ary back and reverse p a lm with

the sam e . T hu s he pal m s in the righ t ha n d on e of
the dummies . B orro wed coi n s are no w take n in the
right ha n d appare n tly placed fa n -wi se in t h e left
han d but , in reality he pl a ces t h e pre viously p a lmed
dummy there , an d while c alli n g a tt e n tio n to h is l e ft
h an d the performer pockets the coi n s p a lms the deli ,

cate dummy the n back p a lmi n g it to Sho w both

,
-

sides of the han d empty . Th e re st will be obviou s

to the reader . The bo r rowed coi n s ca n be repro
d u ce d in the n e x t t r ick ,
but h u n dr e ds of m e thod s of
produci n g coi n s will occu r to an y one givi n g the
matter a littl e atte n tio n .

Q U A D R U P L E C O I N .

A borrowed coin is pl a ced on an o r dinary plate

and immedi a tely is i n cr e ased to fou r .

T hree coi n s a re secre tly att a cked to the bottom

of a plate with so a p . T h e bo r rowed coi n is r ec e iv e d
on t he plate . Th e hand s are show n empty an d the
74 M ODERN COI N M AN I P (I L A TI ON .
 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A L I ON .
75

a lso two sma ll bags , on e label e d G old a nd the

other Silver . I n the Silver l a beled ba g coins

a re placed i n the other ri n gs

, , and the st r i n gs dra wn
tight to close the b a gs . T hese are placed o n a pl at e
( the last per s o n to pl a ce the coin or ri n g in closi n g
the bags) held by a n a ssist a n t who on retur n i n g ,

to the stage substitutes two b ag s co n t a i n i n g dupli

,

cate articles . He no w r etires and k n ot s two d upli

c ate ha n dke r chiefs which he vest s , ,
a fter pl aci n g
ri ngs in the k n ots of on e an d coi n s in the k n ots of
th e other . Th e p r ofessor ,
in the me an time ,
h as the
o r igi n a l ha n dkerchiefs k n otted . T he se he h a n ds to

the assista n t ,
who pockets th e m , and h a n gs the
others u p i n ste ad in previou sly a rra n ged pl a c e s .

Th e p r ofessor no w places the b a gs in the pi stol an d

as ks wh ich m etal the a udie n ce p r e fer . The n he as ks

in which h a n dkerchief the y d e si r e the article s t o
appear . On re ceivi n g a reply h e sh oot s a pistol at

the ind icated a rticle and the n as , , h e d oes n ot wi sh

his pistol -
a r —
evolver to b e e n cu mbe r ed with the
other articles he sh oots at the oth e r h a n dk e r chie f
,

an d u n ties the k n ots letti n g ,

th e ar ticle s d r op on

t h e plat es a nd th e n re t u rn s them to thei r ow n ers .

7 6 M OD ERN COI N M A N I P (I L A L I ON .

The a udie n ce has free choice of met als but , t he

h a n dkerchiefs a re forced in the usu a l way .

N B . .
—P lace a r ticles in handkerchief o n e at a t ime ,

a nd k n ot it so th a t the art icle is i n side of the ha n d

kerchief i n stead of being i n serted in the k n ot o n ly .

THE T R A N S M U TA TI O N O F M E TA L S .

A pile of gold and a pile of silver coi n s are each

wrapped in a piece of p a per an d placed on separate
plate s each the n bei n g covered with ha n dkerchiefs
,

Th e ha n dkerchiefs a re tou ched with a wa n d and

rem oved . On ope n i n g the p a r cels the silver has

‘

ch a n ged t o gold an d the g o ld to Silver . T wo paper

tu bes are no w made and placed over each pile upon ,

removal of whic h the coi n s are fou n d to h av e

ch a n ged back to thei r origi n al positio n s .

O ve r t h e silver pile place a bottomles s gold

dummy ,
a nd ove r the gold pile pl a ce a bottomles s
silver du mmy . T a ke two sm a ll pieces of paper and

paste the edges together e n closi n g betwee n the ,

pape r a piece of ti n foil . Wr a p the gold pile in thi s

pape r an d place it on the table . Wrap up th e o th er
 M ODERN COI N M AN I PUL A TI GI V .
77 ,

pile i n a plai n sheet . M ove the ha n d q uickly over

.

the fi rst pile which you pick up and dro p the other
, ,

in it s plac e . L ook co n fused etc , .

, p retendi n g not
to know which is which then te a r the pap er to ex ,

pose ti n foil . C over the plates with ha n dkerchiefs

after pl aci n g piles on them touch with wa n d , ,
re

move the ha n dkerchie fs and p ap ers , an d reveal the

coins ( dum m ies) A fter e x posi n g the ti n foil keep
.
,

t hat side of parcel t o the rear so that whe n th e ,

ha n dkerchiefs are removed same will , n ot be oh

served . T hro w u n prep a red paper wh ere audie n c e

can g e t it so that they will thi n k the seco n d paper
,

un prepared also . N o w take two other pieces of

paper and form them i n to tubes , and double in the
t ops several times so that they will retain their
sh a pe (pin n i n g them would n ot be a idea) an d b ad ,

cover each pile with them . T ouch the p iles with

t he wa n d and remove the tu bes with d u mmies ,

revealing coi n s i n their original positio n dro p the ,

”
fak e on s er va n te , an d hand the tu bes fo r ex am
in at io n . The author co n side r s the a bove an ex
t r e me ly n eat an d e ffect ive trick , an d no doub t the

reader will add th e sa m e to his r e er t oir e.

p
7 8 M OD E R N C OI N M AN I P (I L A LI ON .

V A N I S H I N G C O I N S F R OM
G O B L ET ,

Th ree or fou r coins a re b o rro we d

an d dropped i n t o a goblet which , is

then cove r ed with a borrowed ha n d

k er chief . On removi ng the h an d k e r
chief the coi n s have disa ppeare d .

B o re a Ki n ch h ole three qua r ters

- -

of the way thro ugh a coin and

solder a wire acro ss t he top of it .

B ore yfi i n ch -
hole through the ce n

ters of two coins and a sm al ler hole

through a fou rth coi n . T ie a

thread t o cross bar an d th read

i n ch hole coi n s on and the n , t he

smaller hole one (see F ig an d .

p lace a wax pellet on the loos e end .

D rop t h e coins in th eglas s (see

F ig .
4 1
) a nd attach wax outside ,

and c o ve r with hand ke rch i e f . Gras p

t h re ad th ro ugh ha nd k erchie f sh ak e ,

Fig 40
. .
gl ass , an d t hen re move t hem in
h an d k erchie f an d d ro p o n se rvan te.
 M OD ERN COI N M AN I P ( I L A L I ON .
79

M U L T I PL Y I N G CO I N

( S L E I G H T O F - H
-
A N D M E T H O D )
P erformer borrows a half dollar which by r ubbin g
-
,

slightly he causes to i n crease t o t wo, t h re e , fou r and

then fi ve half dollars which
-
,

can be exami n ed . On bei n g

returned he again rubs them ,

whe n a ll the coi n s excepti n g

the borrowed on e , vanish on e

at a time . Sleeves are rolled

u p an d ha n ds show n empty before and after the trick .

Fig 42
80 M ODE RN COI N M A N I P ( I L A TI OM

F our coi n s are secretly p almed on the back of t he

ha n d as illustrat e d i n
,
F ig 42
. . Th e borrowed coin
is received in the right hand the h ands are then
,

bro ugh t together and the coins A B C D a re brought

to inside of hands one at a ti me . T hey are then
passed for exami n atio n and when re t u rned
, , ,
D is
palmed and then C B A slipped u nderneath each
other part way . B orrowed coin is now re t u rned to

own er an d th e fou r coins poc k ete d .

N EW CO I N P R O D U C TI O N F RO M
BA R E H A N D S .

P e rformer t u rns up his sle e ves an d shows bot h

h a n ds perfe ctly empty bac k and front fingers wid e ,

apart ( no coi n holders spi d ers or fa lse palms used)

, , .

H e then bri n gs his hands t ogether for a om e n t

m ,

wit h ou t approaching his body and immediately , p r o

du ces six half dollars -

.

I n explaini n g the mod u s op er a n d i of this e x p e r i

ment the author h as m uch pleasu re in acqu ai n ti n g
h is re ad ers w ith an e n t irely o rig inal and nov el meth od
82 M ODERN COI N M AN I PUL A TI ON .

TH E M O N E Y -P R O D U C I N G C I G A R E TT E .

W hile performing the A erial T reasu ry the p er

former fa n cies a cigarette so proceeds to t a ke an

,

amber tu be ou t of case i n sert , a bo r rowed cig a rette

Fig 44
. .

( i f an y o n e will tru st h im with

) one in it l ights it
,

casu a lly and goes on catching m o n ey in the air .

Sudde n ly a half d ollar appears at the red hot

- e nd of
t he ci garette (see F ig . at whi ch t h e p e r former
 O
M D ERN COI N M AN I PUL A TI ON . 83

app ears to be somewhat startled bu t he quietly ,

blows the coi n i n to the hat an d goes on smoki n g as

calmly as before the beauty of the feat bei n g that
,

his hands do n ot
m
co e near to the cigarette or holder
du ring the whol e time . T his e ffect can be repeated
as ofte n as desired .

Th e a bove e x perime n t ,
as do u btless ma n y of my
readers h ave co nj ectu r ed is a n ovel a d a pt a tion of t h e
,

Fig 46
. .

o ld half doll a r wa n d
- . Th e cigarette h older although ,

appare n tly an i n n oce n t piece of amber is in reality ,

a very n eatly made m o n ey wa n d with a hole large ,

e n ough t o t ake a cigar ette but the si de tu r n ed aw ay

,
!

from th e audie n ce is c a p able of slidi n g like a tele

scope as far as the end of the cigar e tte (see F igs .
45
84 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A L I ON .

and and it is wh e n in thi s po sitio n that the

to n gue move s a little stud in the mouth an d forces

the coi n to app e a r an d ex
pa n d a pp a r e n tly fr o m the
lighted end of the cig a r ette . By a r ev e rse motion
of the to n gue the coin is m a de t o v a nish .

Th e above is quite a n ovel idea an d the author

tru sts his re ad ers who ar e o n the lookou t fo r some
—
thi n g n e w a n d wh at real lover of magic is n o t !
-
will a pp reciate i t .

T H E CO I N O F P H OEN I X .

A borrowed c oi n the d a te of which is n oted dis

, ,

app ears an d reap p ea r s betwee n the h a n d s . It is then

caused t o adhe r e t o the fi n ge r tip or to the wa n d ,

the n it is r ubbed betwee n the ha n ds whe n it ch a n ges ,

to a piece of paper upo n which is fou n d in writi n g

the d ate of the bo r r owed coi n . Pa pe r is bu r n t ,

whereupo n the coi n i n st a n tly reappea r s from the

ashes an d is retu rn ed t o the ow n er . Th e borrowed
coi n is cha n ged fo r a s ubstitute a n d the latter han ded
t o a spect a tor to e x ami n e the d a t e , an d the bor
rowed one p ocketed . Th e du plic a te coi n is no w
 M ODERN COI N J
M A N P (I L A TI 0 1V . 85

cha n ged for one with the edg e ou t so as to leave a

h ook as per F ig 47 , .

which e n abl e s t he

performer to att a c h
it t o va riou s pl a ces .

'

Whil e the co in is at

t a ch e d to the w a n d ,

F’g 47
reverse pa lm sm a ll
' °

-
a

piece of p a per co n tai n i n g the d a te of the coi n .

B ri n g the p a p e r to the p a lm an d r eve r se p a lm coi n

-
.

Show d ate on p a per which bu r n

, ,
and b r i n g coi n t o
p a lm of ha n d substitute thi s
, fo r s eco n d coin an d

hand to the spect a tor wh o n oted the d ate .

N EW M ON EY PR O D U CI N -
G CA R D .

P e r form e r h a s a c a rd sel e cted f rom the pack which ,

h e hold s betwe e n th e fi n g e rs of r ight h a n d wh e n ,

sudd e n ly a re a l h a lf d o lla r
~
a pp ear s on the e x t r e m e
edge of the sa me and th e n v an i she s . T hi s ca n be

re peated ab lib . an d wo u ld fo r m a p r etty a dditio n to

”
M i se r s D r e am
’
the .

F ig 48
. will e x pl a i n the sec r et of t h i s e ffe ct which ,

is re a lly an adaptatio n of the old m o n e y w an d . On

86 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI OI V
.

F ig .
48 .
 M ODERN COI N M AN I P ( I L A LI ON . 87

one card is glu ed firmly a brass

slide (, B see F ig . the e nd of
which ope n s to a llow the coi n
to pass out but shuts as soo n
as same is withdraw n ( by mea n s
of spri n gs) . A n ot her card is
no w glued on the top of the
other one on all Sides except
in g at the co r n er where the
slide ope n s so th a t t h e coi n ca n
,

appear and di sa ppe a r at will .

Th e card s elected , which

should be forced ,
is, of cou r se ,

cha n ged for the t r ick one,

which a fter the t r ick is

C ha n ged fo r the selected one

to pass for exami n atio n .

T H E M AR VE L O U S
TRAN SI T OF CO I N S .

T wo gl a sse s are passed on a

t r a y for ex a mi n a tio n . Th e

audie n ce a r e requ e st e d to pl a c e
a few coi n s in on e of the gl a sses .
88 M OD E RN C OI N M AN I P UL A T/ ON .

two ha n dkerchiefs are no w borrowed . A ha n d

k erchief is thrown over each glass which is placed ,

on to p of a hat . Th e pe r fo r mer now i n visibly ab

st r act s coi n s from the on e glass and passes them

i n t o t h e em p ty on e where they are found .

An em p ty glass is loaded i n to one of the hats .

A glass co n taini n g coi n s a re n o w placed in the sam e

h at , but no the professor alters his mi n d takes
, , it

out agai n ,
an d place s it in the other hat . I n reality
he has left the gl ass with the coi n s in the fi r st hat ,

an d brought ou t the empty gl a ss which is no w in

the second hat . The o r igi n a l empty gl a ss i s no w
p laced in the same h at as co n tai n s the gla ss with
coi ns . Th e latter is no w picked u p an d r emoved ,

t he empty glass bei n g n ipped with the fi n ge r s an d

t he hat tur n ed upside d ow n with gla ss on it s s ide .

The coi n glass is no w pl a c e d on the top of t he hat ,

an d the other hat tur n ed u pside dow n an d the gl a ss

pl a ced on the t op . C oi n s are i nv isi bly ext r acted
from th e em p ty glass and s ho w — n a ny p alm desired
ca n —
be used coins v a n ish from the h a n d and p a ss
in to the other glas s . T h e h a n dk erchiefs are removed
90 M ODERN COI N M AN I P (I L A LI ON .

T H E N E W C R Y ST A L TA R G E T .

I n the followi n g expla n a tio n o f the above trick

the author begs to bri n g before his reade r s what he

Fig

co n siders to be a decided imp r oveme n t on the old

 M ODER N COI N M A N I P ( I L A L I ON .
9 1

glass fram e and which is well w o rth the atte n tion

,

of the most fastidious p erformer

P rofessor p asses two p a n es of gl a ss , 6 inches by

12 i nches for ex a mi n atio n also two rubber ba n ds
, , .

H e p laces the two glasses together an d p uts the

rubber ba n ds arou n d them so that they are p ressed ,

tightly t ogether, an d hangs them from a cord at

t ach e d t o two rods which h a ve bee n previously in

w bo r rows three or
'

se rt e d in the t able to p . He no

fou r coi n s which he loads

, in a p istol a nd S hoots at
the glass when i n st a ntly the coi n s appear betwee n
“

the two pieces of glass (see F ig T h e glass is .

rem oved from the c ord and given to a s p ectator ,

who ope n s the same and removes the coi n s which ,

are retur n ed to the owne r s . The glass etc

, .
, can
again be exami n ed .

T wo 6 -i ch by
n i n ch gl a sses ( G)
12 -
. T wo rubber
ba n ds and a p iece of bra ss (see
F ig . f
5 ) that will keep gl a s s es
apart inch japa n n ed black
,
.

B rass is placed betwee n glasses

at B so as to kee p t he bottom op en . M ak e thi s
92 M ODERN COI N M A N I P ( I L A LI ON .

as small as possible . P re p are

coi n s as per F ig 5 2 .
,

a nd pl a ce in slot s cut i n table top Th e co r d .

passes in u n der the ba n ds f r o m the top of one

rod to the other . D ouble thre a ds

t o keep the coi n s fr om tu rn i n g
are attached by wax pellets to
the coi n s , and the n p a ssed up

wa r ds in fro n t an d over i n vi sible

wi r e —or —
to ceili g to a ssi st a n t
n .

A fter the glass has be e n exam

in e d in the fi rst place , one

F ig 5 2 °
p a n e is p l a ced in f r o n t o f the
thre a d s an d the other behi n d both a r e n o w l a id
,

dow n an d the rubber b a n d s put on, a n d whil st doi n g

this the b r a ss piece is put in place . Th e pistol is of ,

cou r se of the fa miliar c o n j u r i n g pa tter n

, ,
and at the
mome n t of fi r i n g the ass s i ta n t pull s threa ds c a u si n g
the coi n s t o s udde n ly appe a r betwee n the gl a sse s .

P e r former no w r em ove s gl a sses the su spe n di n g c o r d

,

bei n g u n h ooked for the pu r po se sec r etly getti n g r id ,

of the piece of bra s s a n d b r i n gs the gl a sses for wa r d ,

in

the act of doi n g wh ich the th r e a d s a r e dra w n out l e a v ,

in g t h e co nsi attache d b e twee n the glasses with wa x .

 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A L I ON .
93

Th e a bove is an excelle n t t ge illu sio n

s a . T he

author h as i n trodu ced it on severa l occasio n s to the ,

e ntire sat isfactio n of his audie n ce s .

TH E FL Y I N G C OI N S .

Six hal f dollars are d ep osited

- in a small box by
the spectators and the box placed in full view on
the table . P e r form er shows his ha n d s empty an d

a pplies , on e at a time two circular p a per di scs to the

,

flame of a c an dle wh e n as qu ick as a fla sh they are

, ,

tra n sformed i n to two half dolla r s which drop from -

,

the fl a me . A piece of p a p e r is show n e mpty ,

a s l oboth h a n ds . Pa per is roll e d i n to a co n e a nd

pl a ced in claret glass . O ne of the coi n s now

va n i shes . P icki n g u p the other it m ultiplies i n to
two , on e of which disa ppe a r s . The coi n agai n
multiplies i n to t wo the process be ing repe a ted u n til
,

the on e coi n has multiplied five t imes and the Six

c oi n s which have
,
in t his ma n n er bee n i n visibly e x
t racted from the b ox , va n ished . On the co n e bei n g
o p ened the coi n s are fou n d the r ei n . Sam e are re
94 M ODERN COI N M AN I P ( I L A L I ON .

placed in co n e which
,
is crushed an d dropped in to
the glass held by spectator . P erformer no w causes
the coi n s to v an ish from paper an d to ap pear in a
previou sly exam i n ed e n velope . On the e n velope
bei n g ope n ed five smaller o n es are fou n d therein ,

an d withi n the s mallest are found the six coin s .

The box co n tai n i ng the co m s is substituted for a

duplicate empty on e . The best way to do this is to
h old both in one ha n d the empty
,
o ne bei n g u n der
n eath the ha n d is
, no w Shake n and the coi n s heard
to rattle in the u pperm ost box which is immediately ,

(appare n tly) placed o n the table though in reality ,

y o u leave the empty o n e o n the table N o w c a n .

p a lm two coi n s in the r ight bu t Pic k up the

‘

p aper discs with the left ha nd an d transfer one of

them to the right which , a pplies it to the ca n dle .

and lets a co in
! d rop . R epe a t with the other disc .

M u lt ip ky and va nish by reverse p a lm i n g at the back

-

of th e ha n d , by rubbi n g betwee n t he t wo hands ,

whe n the coi n to be go t rid of i s palmed at the b ack

ot th e hn d m which th ey lay or by double p alm -

in g , etc etc
.
, .
 M ODERN COI N M A N I P ( I L A TI 0 1V .
95

T o p lace six duplicate coi n s in the co n e draw them ,

from clip (see N ew M oney P r od ucing Ca n d le un

der the table top as you pick up th e p aper . F orm

it i n to a co n e an d leave the coins i n side . F or va n

ish in g the coi n s from the co n e an empty co n e is

crushed and palmed . Cone with coi n s in is take n
i n th e same ha n d c r ushed , ,
a n d an empty one sub
stituted an d dropped i n to the gl a s s .

Th e n est of e n velopes has a tube i n to the smallest

o ne th r o ugh which the coi n s ar e d r opped a la B all

of Worsted —while the empty e n velope is bein g

exam i n ed . T he origi n al coi n s of course can e asily
, ,

be e x tracted from the duplicate bo x in you r profo n d e

or on serva n te preparatory to droppi n g in to tube .

The above illusio n if worked u p we ll wit h attentio n

, ,

to all detail s makes a very striki n g d ra wi n g room

,
-

feat . The author has performed the trick with gre at

SU CC C SS .
9 6 M ODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A L I ON .

TH E D OW N S GO B L ET O F M Y ST E R Y .

An e mpty tu mbler is co vered with a han dkerchief

and pl a ced on th e tabl e a pil e of coi n s disa pp e a rs
,

an d is fou n d in t h e t u m bl er wh e n t h e h an d k er chie f

is remov e d .

F il l a small sized tumbler three part s full of hal f

dollars and crush a p iece of n e wsp ap er in the gl as s

on the top of them . P a lm the gl a ss i n the left h a n d

an d tak e an empty t umbler bet wee n the thumb a nd

first fi n ge r (see F ig . T hro w a h a n dkerchie f ove r

9 8 M ODERN COI N M AN I P ( I L A L I ON .

T h e perform e r now walks rou n d the room or stage ,

an d comme n ces to c a tch h alf doll a r s - in the gl a ss

withou t the left ha n d app r oachi n g sam e . The coi n s
are n ot o n ly heard but see n to f a ll i n to the glass .

Fig 5 4
. .

Th e co in s and glass can a ft erwa rd s be ha nde d fo r

exami n atio n .

Gr ip the stem of the glass wi t h the middle fi n ger

and p alm a stack of coi n s on the l a st j oi n t of thir d
fi n ger the middle k n uc kle of which rests
, on the t op
of the foot of the colored gl ass (see F ig . P u sh
“
 M ODER N COI N M A N I P (I L A TI 0 1V .
99

one of the coi n s on the middle j oint of the first fi n ge r

and ti p it u p so that it fa lls on the thu mb na il which
,

throws it u pwards above the glass i nto which it is

caught . R epeat u n ti l all the coi n s have bee n Simi
lar ly d eal t with . Th e right h an d can first of all be

Fig 5 5
. .

show n e m pty by me an s of the ne w C han ge o e v r

”
P alm described on p age 3 9
, .

The author recomme n ds the above experiment as

b ein g (p r ovided it is practised well) a ve ry good illu
!

sion wh i ch
, can be performed in a small room witho u t
any o n e ever dream in g where th e coin s com e from .
 I J
'
OD E R N COI N M A N I P (I L A TI 0 1V .

M A GN E T I ZE D C O I N S .

P erformer lays a number of co in s on h is ar m so

that they overlap each ot her H e n ow .

m ak es a few magn etic p asses o ve r t h em ,

whe n in sta n tly they becom e fi rmly at

t ach e d t o each o ther an d may be lifted

as if mad e of a solid metal bar . A few
more passes an d the coins be com e as

movabl e as before . T his tric k ca n be

used in co n n e ction with a ny co in fe at

Dow-
c

D o wn .

F ig .
57 .

wh e re a q u antity o f co in s a re u sed , an d

will be fou n d extremely u se fu l in v ariou s

ways . F ig s N . os .
5 6 an d57 will ex p lain
the secret . A T shap e d fla n ge sol

dered on the to p s of the c oi n s j ust

slides i n to a similar sh a pe d g r oove in th e

bottom of t h e coi s. n
10 2 M OD ERN COI N M A N I P ( I L A TI 0 1V .

ha n d . C lose the two m iddle fi n g e rs ag a i n st the p ile

(
see F ig . T a ke the goblet in the left ha n d by
the stem . R aise the end of the wa n d u p right , at

the same time p ushi n g a coi n with the thumb

agai n st the fi rst fi n ge r . M a ke a do wn ward stroke
with the wa n d at the same time allowi n g the coi n
,

t o escape from the fi n ge rs i n to the glass its flight ,

bei n g hidden by the moveme n t of the wan d . Re

peat u ntil all the p almed coi n s are in the goblet .

THE SI L V E R Q U E STI O N .

P erformer, after showi n g both ha n ds empty calls ,

u pon h is ban ker to su pply him with fu n ds when ,

i n sta n tly a p ile of 30 coi n s appears in his ha n d . Be

in g for the m ome n t like O liver T wist , an d aski n g
for more a n other pile appears while u p o n m a ki n g
, ,

a still further re q uest a third stac k comes i n to

vie w . The performer requests his ba n ker to t r a n s
fer two of the piles to his pocket . On thi s bei n g
do n e he rubs the rem a i n i n g pile betwee n h is

fi n ge r s a nd the same gradually decreases in si z e

 M ODERN COI N M A N I P ( I L A TI 0 1V .

u n til i t becomes a silver p owder which u p on ,

bei n g fan n ed va n ishes .

F ig s .
59 an d 60 will give the e x pla n atio n of the
p ri n cip a l secret o f this n ov e l e x pe r ime n t . A fter the
sleeve s are tu rn ed u p an d the ha n d s show n perfectly
empty the ,
“
lo a d is picked up from an y co n venie n t
place with the thu mb
through the loop so that ,

it re mai n s on the back

of the ha n d . Th e h a n ds
a re the n brought to
gether an d the stack
b r ought i n side an d th e

c r oss threads di scarded .

O n e, two an d three
Fig 59
show n after each other ,
‘ ’

the n on e an d two put together palmed , and pock

eted . B oth e n d s of three show n a n d coi n which
keeps lo we r e n d of tube clo sed —wa x o n it t r an s -

fe rr e d to the oppo sit e end and fou r show n while

y o u di sc ar d th r ee in p r ofo n de or,
o n se r va n t e while
p icki n g u p the w an d t o touch pile with . R e p e at
10 4 M ODERN COI N M A N I P ( I L A LI ON .

with fou r . N o w t ransfer coin on five to top p alm ,

an d leave fili n gs i n left ha n d p ick u p ,

fa n , getti n g
the
“
rid of fake at sam e time , an d fan left hand ,

letting the filings drop slowly on the floor .

Secon d —
M et/zool O mit coi n s fro m th ree and four
and palm the “
fakes fro m on e to five i n side o fe ach

n ou n ,

F ig 60 . .

other in right ha n d , an d discard o ne after the o ther

whil e p icking u p the fa n .

Th ir d M et /zod .
—I n this way of doi n g the abov e
”
trick you m u st be p r ovided with two fa kes , o ne

fitti n g over the other an d the two th e n j u st fitti n g

over a stack of real coi n s . T hree stacks a re then
10 6 M ODERN COI N M AN I PUL A TI 0 1V
.

N E W M O N EY P R O D U C I N - G CA N DL E .

P erformer , after showi n g his ha n ds empty from

both sides ,
a bstracts a n umber of coi n s f r o m a p re
vio u sly e x ami n ed ca n dle and a gai n han d s ca n dle for
,

inspectio n .

C a n dle is u n lighted whe n p assed for e x ami n ati o n .

P erformer, on its bei n g ret ur n ed takes a m a tch fro m

,

a partly O p e n ed box as per ,

F ig 6 1 ,
. where it will be

s een thed of the

en box is loaded with coi n s a n d in ,

the act of closi n g the box the coins are n a tura lly
forced ou t in to h is ha n d an d palmed . These are
then p roduced , a pp a re n tly from the fl a me of t he

ca n dle , an d while this is bei n g do n e he p alms another

 M ODERN COI N M A N I P ( I L A L I ON . 1 O7

p ile from the vest which are also p roduced . He no w

moves the table n eare r the a u dience , and at the s a me

t im e removes a pile conc e a led i n a clip u n d e r n e a th

th e table to p (see F ig . 62 ) which he also p roduces
 M ODERN CO I N M A N I P (I L A TI 0 1V .

an d fi n a lly palms a n other pile from the vest whi ch

he likewise c a tches from the flame ,
a gai n p assin g
the c a n dle for ex a mi n atio n .

TH E D E M A T E R I A L I ZA TI O N OF T H I R TY
CO I N S .

The followi n g e x perime n t the au thor co n siders to

be one of the p r etti e st in the whole ran ge of coi n

o ju r i n g
c n . The e ffe ct is as follows

T we n ty fi ve -
to thi r ty h a lf dollars a r e borrowed an d
-

ma rked by s p e ct a tors for ide n tity . T he coi n s a re

no w pl a ced in e x a mi n e d gl a ss t ube ( a blow n cyl

an

in der op e n at o n e e n d j u st l a r g e e n ough to receiv e

)
them . The l att e r is no w cork e d an d se a led by one

of the a udie n c e ,
and is then held by him u n der cover
o f a h an dke r chi e f . The spect a tor holdi n g the cylin
der sudde n ly b e comes a ware of the fa ct that th e

sa me is g e tti n g light e r an d lighter , and upo n re mo v

in g the h a n dk e r chief the coi n s are fou n d to have
e n ti r e ly ev a po ra ted f r om s a m e ,
an d may be p ro
d u ce d f r om h is pock e t or e l se where at the optio n o f
the performer . The tube an d cork remain intac t .

N o co n fede ra tes , etc .

1 I O M ODERN COI N M A N I P ! I L A TI 0 1V .

Th e above trick a ffords co n siderable scop e for

comedy especially when the t ube held by specta to r
,

becomes lighter the e ffect appeari n g to hi m to

, be

that the coi n s are re a lly melting . I t i s not at all a

diffi cult feat to accom pli sh an d i f prese n ted in a

pleasi n g m anner p roduces a beautiful e ffect .

C O I N P A SSI N G TH ROU G H A TA B L E ,
E TC .

A coi n is bo r rowed and the ha n ds are shown p er

fe ct ly empty other wise . Th e coi n no w flies fro m
one ha n d to the other through a table etc
, , .

Palm a duplicate on the left ha n d two middl e

fi n gers , borrow one and pass it t o left so that it ,

co mes in fro n t of substitute whi ch you push with

,

t hu mb so that both come together an d look like on e ;

N ow t ake them betwee n the first fi n ger an d thum b

so that they look like on e coi n an d pas s t hem fro m
one ha n d to the other ex p osi n g both palms empty
, .

F i n a lly , t a ke the coi n between the tips of the middle

fi n gers an d thumb . T he n as you pass the coin
to the left ha n d push o n ly
, the in n er on e in t o left
 M ODERN COI N M AN I PUL A TI ON 1 1 1

ha n d slidi n g the thumb over the fro n t coi n whic h

, ,

p alm on th u mb . The left ha n d no w co n tai n s the

substitute , an d the right one the borrowed coi n .

You ca n n o w p ass the coi n from hand to ha n d etc , .

F i n ally , a gai n combi n e both how as

an d S on e .

The above is a very u seful sleight an d the au thor

r ecomm e n d s it as creati n g after a little p ractise , , a

p e rfect illusio n .

T H E C R Y STA L C O I N L A D D E R .

Th e trick no w a bout t o be described an d k n own

a mo n g magici an s by the a bove title was the author ,

beli e ve s i n ve n t e d by the celebrated prestidigi tateu r

,

R ob e rt H eller . The author performed it for som e

time but owi n g to its e x hibitio n by ma n y imitators
, , ,

he has discarded i t an d leaves i t to the other C oi n

Ki n gs and Q uee n s , some o f whom are no w p er
formi n g it . B ei n g pu r ely a mech a n ic a l trick it ,

doe s not of cou r se r equi re much practi se but i f pre

, , ,

se n ted in the m an n e r h e r ei n described it n ever fails

to pro duc e a g o od ef
fect .
1I 2 M OD ERN C OI N M AN I PUL A T1 ON .

F ig 63 shows
. the L adder , from which the re ad er

F ig 63
. .

wil l g e t a ve r v g o od id e a of wh at it is li k e . Th e
 M ODER N COI N M A N I P ( I L A TI 0 1V .

remove whe n th e coi n s are seen to have va n ished

, ,

an d upo n the h a t bei n g e x ami n ed there are the coi n s .

The si x h alf dollars origi n ally borrowed are the n

-

handed back to the le n der with tha n ks . N o w for

the secret

Th e top of the ladder is in reality a box co n tai n

in g the mecha n ism of the illusio n . At the rear is a
ki n d of d r awer i n to which six duplicate coi n s ( or as
,

ma n y more as you i n te n d usi n g) are placed N ow .

upon an a s s s i tan t in the wi n gs pulli n g a cord , o ne

of these coi n s is let through the top of the ladder

on to the fi r st gl a ss sl ab the latter bei n g arra n ged
,

so that whe n a coi n drops

,
on to it the coi n imme
,

d iat e ly slides t o the lower edge an d the n drops on

—
to the n e x t slab this bei n g repeated u n til the coin
has reached the hat . On e of the va ses ,
a ppare n tly
o n ly placed on the ladder for orn a me n t is a trick ,

one . A few coi n s are p r eviou sly p l a ce d in

l'
the bowl
of this v a se an d upo n an as sista n t pulli n g an other
cord a pi sto n r i se s m a ki n g th e se coi n s j u mp up
,
and

fall agai n . T hi s l a tte r e ffect is to produ ce the

sou n d of the e x tra coi n s bei n g i n visibly p assed i n to
 M ODERN COI N M A N I P ( I L A LI ON . 1 1 5

the tumbler . Th e glass used is first of all filled with

w a te r to prove that it is a ge n u i n e one but in the ,

act of throwing the water away it is dro pp ed on a ,

servan te behind a chai r , an d a d uplicate one brought

away , no one havi n g the slightest s u s p icion th a t it
ha s b e e n chan ged i f it is do n e n eatly . The dupli 0

ca te is devoi d of any bottom . T he borrowed coi n s

a re now d r o pp ed i nto thi s gl a ss which m ust be held ,

on the p a lm of ha n d in a sla n ti n g p osition so that ,

the coi n s dro p on side of glass thereby sounding as

,

though the glass wa s quite an ordi n ary one . Th e

tumbl e r is no w cover e d with a borrowed h an d k e r

chief ( the coi n s bei n g p a lmed ) a n d p laced on the

to p of the l adder T h e artist n ow prete n ds to have
. .

made a mistake in the nu mbe r ,

an d catches on e at
a time at the fi n ger t ips the coi n s he h as already
p almed which va n ish by mea n s of the p ass
, . Th e

i t
a ss s a n t pulls cord n umber two an d coi n s ar e heard
N ow com ma n d
(app )
a r e n tly to fall i n to th e glass .

the coi n s to p ass i n to the hat which of course they , , ,

do . N e x t remove the hat t u r n it over on a p la te

, ,

letti n g the d uplica te coi n s fa ll out but allow , on e

or two to sli p on the floo r . I n picki n g these up ,

 M ODERN CO I N M A N I P ( I L A TI 0 1V .

mix with th em the borrowed coi n s ( which wil l b e

remembered are still p almed) an d take to the s p ec
t ator who le n t them . The tumbler Is no w take n
dow n ,
the ha n dke rchief removed ,
an d if the former
is he ld firm on the palm ,
n ot one in a thousan d .

would ever dream t h at it was bottomless .

TH E T R AV E L I N G COI N .

F o r the pu rpose of th e above trick it is n ecessary

to obt a i n a very thi n im it a t i o n half dolla r through -
,

the ce n ter of whi ch a ti n y hol e is bored . N o wpush

a p in half wa y th rough the h ole a nd solder it in

thi s po sitio n . C ut away the head e nd of the pin

an d be n d t h e p o in t e d end over to
'

lie flat o n t h e coi n (see F ig 64) .

N o w glu e on the back of the coin

a piece o f cloth the same color
as t h e coat wo r n by the perfo r mer ,

trimmi n g i t o ff n eatly rou n d the

no “ .

Fig 64
. .
edges . P ai n t the shi ny edge of the
coi n all rou n d with bl a ck pai n t .

Th e coi n prepared in the a bove ma n n er is no w

1 18 M OD E R N COI N M A I VI P U L A T1 0 4

wan d is no w p ick e d up, t o g et h e r with t h e b o rr owe d

coin , and t h e sa me is prod u ce d at p lea su re .

Th e a b o v e id e a ad mi t s of so m an y va r a i tio n s th a t
t he aut ho r h as d esc ri be d it ve ry fully . A si m i lar
id e a mi gh t b e M ise r
’
ve ry well employ e d in t h e s

D ream, by ha vi n g so m e coi n s simi lar ly pre p a r e d

a t t ach e d to vari o u s parts of the body which could
,

be p alme d of
f invi sibly an d e ve n tu a lly produced as
if fr o m t he air .

THE SI X T E E N TO O N E SI L V E R T R I C K .

In t hi s tric k th e autho r e x plai n s h is origi n a l

method of p roduci n g 1 6 coi n s , one at a time from ,

a borro wed one the ha n ds fi rst of all bei n g show n

,

e m p ty .

Th e method of e ffect i n g the a bove which the

,

a uthor believes to be one of the be st p r oductio n s

e xt ant is as follows
,

P alm 16 coi n s in t h e r i ght ha n d in the s a me man

ne r as in F ig 34
. . N o w receive the borrowed coi n
 M ODERN COI N I lI A N 1 1 (I L A TI OI V
D
.

in the left ha n d an d proceed by m ea n s of the ne w

cha n ge over p alm described on p a ge 39 to show
bot h ha n ds othe rwi se empty . A fter the audie n ce
is co n vi n ced that n othi n g is co n cealed in you r han ds ,

t a ke the borrowed half doll a r as - in F ig 6 5

. . T he

left ha n d now slowly p a sses ove r the right u nder ,

Fig 65 . .

cover of which pick up coi n from the p a lmed lot

'

a ,

with the aid of the seco n d an d third fi n ge r s of r igh t

hand ,
and p lace it behi n d the bo r rowed on e , the
e ffect to the a udie n ce bei n g that the left ha n d h as

simply p a ssed over t he ight To ad d ad d i tio n a l

'

r .

e ffect the left ha n d ca n a ga i n p ass ov e r the T i g ht

1 20 M O DERN COI N M A N I PUL A T I ON .

and the n wit h th e t ip s of the fi rst fi n ger and thumb

‘

r emove the hi n dermost coi n it ap p e a ri n g to the ,

audie n ce that same was actually p ulled out of the

borrowed coi n this is of cou rse re p eated w ith the
,

remainder .

’
A q u ar te r of an hou r s practise afte r the ,

up move me nt has be e n a cqu ir ed will be

t o p r ove wh at an e ffect ive p ro d u ction

g oin g is .

T H E F U SI B L E C O I N S .

T he p erfo rmer t ak e s on e
!

or m ore coi n s bet ween

h is fi ng ers, wh en t hey me lt and the molton m et al
h ows out Of his h a n ds . Whe n i t h as a gain s ol id ifi ed ,

he tak es it i n to h is h an d an d co n ve r ts it i n to metallic
va p or which is see n to i ssue f r om betwee n the
,

fi n gers . T he n he catches with his empty ha n ds in

th e smoke C louds and produces the coi n s in their

o rig i nal sha p e .

To f rm this tric k it is necessary to be pr o

‘

p er o

vid ed with
‘
12 2 M ODE RN COI N M A N I PUL A TI 0 1V .

bottom so that a vac a nt s p ace

,
is c reated b e t e ewn

the two (see F ig 68

. which gives a sectio n of same) .

Th e p erformer com mences the t r ick by p assi n g

the co in s a pp arently i n to the left ha n d (really p alm

Do wn s .

D o wn ,

F ig 67
. . Fig . 68 .

in g themthe right ) which p asses backwards a n d

in

forwards over a lighted ca n dle o n the table the ,

r ight h a n d mea n while getti n g rid of coi n s n oisele ssly

on serva n te . U n der cover of the m oveme n ts of the
left ha n d ove r t he c a n dl e the right ha n d obtai n s
,

posse ssio n o f the holder from the righ t sl eeve .

P e r form e r e x plai n s that the coi n s are by this time

melted . H an d s are no w placed together taki n g ,

care th a t the p r ese n ce of the fake is n ot detected .

Th e little t ap is ope n ed an d the me r cu ry allowed to

esca p e th r ough the fi n ge rs i n to a gl a ss beneath .

w closed “ ”
T he tap is no an d the pull allowed to
 M ODERN COI N M AN I P (I L A L I ON . 1 23

fly bac k u p the sleeve . P erfo r mer no w exhibits the

me r cury In the gla ss st ati n g th a t it is the silver o f
,

the molten coins . He no w s a y s that he will co n

vert it i n to its origi n al rough solid st a te an d for

this pu r pose pours it i n t o the little bowl befo r e d e s
cr ib e d , which is placed for good e ffect i f possible , ,

on a piece of ice . If no ice is a vail able make use of

a fa n . Th e mercu ry of cou r se at o n ce disa ppea rs
through the ti n y hole in fal se bottom in t h e bowl .

T his do n e the perfo r mer u n der prete n se o f show

,

in g how the process is bei n g accomplished gra sps ,

the bowl , at the sam e time secretly in serti n g a

’
lump of Wood s met a l which melts at abou t ,
°
68 C .

T his m ight be i n t r oduced before the me r cu r y is

poured in , the precis e m e thod employed however , ,

bei n g immate r i a l so lo n g as it is i n serted in d e t e ct

ably . A fter a time he tu r n s out the same on to the

table .

You seem i n cli n ed to thi n k that I am me re ly

telli n g you a p retty story l a dies , and ge n tlemen .

P l e ase look for you r se lv e s . H ere you ca n se e the

( h
!
erstwhile molten metal is qu ite solid , e taps th e
 M O D E RN COI N M AN I PUL A J
I OI V .

t able with the lump showi n g , in the mea n tim e the

empty bo wl) .
“
I f you thi n k it n ot the same you
h av e j u st see n in it s liqu id co n ditio n I shall be on ly
too ple a sed t o Show you that you are m i st ake n by
p e r fo r mi n g the e x pe r ime n t in a n othe r ma n n er .

N o w w atch me clos e ly . I place the lu mp i n to a

gl a ss filled with wate r an d put it a tri pod over
on ,

which I pl a ce a wi r e g a u z e . N o w I w a rm the water

by the a id of thi s spi r it l amp . A short p e riod of

t i me will be ad e qu a te to melt the Silve r before you r
g aze t r a n sp a r e n t gl a ss
in t h e ( H e n o w pou r s out .

—
c ar efully the hot wat e r l e tti n g the liqu id m etal out
on to a Sheet of p a p e r the p a pe r ,
is not char r ed by
it) . T hi s peculi a r ch a n ge in the p r op e r ties of the
silve r which
,
has u su a lly r a the r a high melti n g poi n t ,

h as b e e n b r ought a b o ut by my m a gic touch . M ea n

whil e ,
as y ou a ll ca n se e , the met al has aga i n be

co m e s o l id m a tt e r . T he p ap e r is a b solutely un

d am a ged . I sh a ll no w p r oceed by t ak i n g this solid

lu m p l e ft h a n d ( r e a lly p a lmi n g it in the right )
in t h e

and hold it ove r the c a n d le in this ma n n e r ( Th e .

ri gh t h an d m e an whil e g e t s do wn “
pull ,
!
t ur n s it
r ou n d , so as to get th e s m oke end fa ci n g the fro n t ,
 C H A PT E R I V .

M E C HA N I CAL D EVI C ES FO R P E R FO R M
TH E MISER
’
ING “
S D R EA M .

I N this ch a pter it is p r opo sed to describe a ll the

’
latest devi ces i n ve n ted to imit ate the autho r s
method s of p almi n g with coi n s . F irst of a ll will be
e x pl a i n ed a n umber of mecha n ic a l coi n s e a ch bei n g ,

so co n stru cted th a t the “

C o n ti n u ou s B a ck an d

F r o n t P a lm ( without of cou,
r se the ,
a dditio n s ,

O pe n i n g of fi n ge rs etc ,
as desc r ibed on page 12 )
ca n be pe r formed with comparative ease .

The author i n te n ds ,
in the first p lace to desc r ibe ,

what he co n side rs to be one of the best coi n s of

the above desc r iptio n i n asmuch as the pe r former
,

ca n c asu ally t h r ow s a me in the a ir or from h a n d

to ha n d eve n at close qu a r ters
, ,
and d e fy detectio n “

F ig: 69 ex pl a i n s the ma n n er in which the coi n is

p r ep a red . A wi r e loop ,
l a rge e n ough t o e a silv

e n ci rcl e the middl e fi n ge r is attached t o a coi n by

,

1 26
 M OD E R N C OI N M A N I P U L A T! 0 1 V . 12
7

means of a m i n ute hi n ge . T his latter arra ngeme n t

admits of the loo p bei n g laid flat on the coi n
( ig
F . in which positio n it is absolutely ia

visibl e eve n at close q u a rters . The coi n is no w

placed on the exte n ded fi n ge r s of right ha n d the ,

loop bei n g slip p ed over the seco n d fi n ger . I t will

F ig .
70 .

be fo u n d that the coi n can no w be swung i n visibly

t o the bac k of the h a n d and again brought to
, t he

fro n t with great ease .

Th e author specially recom me n ds an y o n e not in

clin e d to devote su ffi cie n t time to p r actisi n g the

sleight -o fh an d
- m e thod t o pu r chase one of these
coi n s ,
as the bac k palm can the n be executed in a few
m i n utes .

Th e n ex t coi n t o be described co m i n g withi n

,
the
 M OD E R N C OI N M AN I P U L A T1 0 1V .

above category is that depicted in

,
F ig 7 1
. . Two

thi n coi n s are fi rst of a ll braz ed togeth e r with a

spi n dle r u n n i n g f r eely through

,
same (shown by the
dotted li n e in the
illustratio n ) A ttach .

ed by a piece of wire
to this spi n dle is a
flesh colored a r ra n g
-

me n t which in reali ,

t y, co n sists o f two
ri n gs of j ust su fh
cie n t size to fi t on
F ig 71
the fi r st fi n ger T he
‘ ’

fi n ger is placed th r ough the ri n gs or loo p s in such a

m a n n er th a t the coi n lies a lmost at the tips of the
two middle fi n ge r s which i f brought dow n u n der t h e
, ,

coi n , in a similar m a n n e r to that desc r ibed in F ig . 2,

c a u se the coi n to revolve an d disapp ear t o the back

of the h a n d . To b ri n g it to the front again the
m ovem e n t is simply reversed .

A n other si n gle coi n “

fake fo r perfo r m in g the
B a ck an d F ro n t P a lm is that depicted in Fig 7 2 . : A
1 30 M ODERN C OI N M A N I P U I A TI ON .

course the hooks fit the top j oi n ts of fi rst

,
and little
fi n gers) a r e t o be obtai n ed but the e ffect p roduced ,

is n ot so good .

T he coin n ext to be described is the i n v e ntio n of

M r Willi a m
.
J . H illia r , an d is an im p r oveme n t on

the fo r egoi n g i n asmuch

,
as the fi n ge r s ca n be sp r e a d
ope n . It co n s i sts of t wo thi n coi n s b ra zed together , ,

th r ough which r u n s a piec e of fi n e elastic which ,

ad

mits of g r e a t e x te n sio n . The l stic te r mi n ates

e a on

e i t he r side of the coi n in c a tgut loop s which fit ov e r ,

fi r st and fou rth fi n ge r s . Th e o r di n a ry reverse p a lm

ca n n o w be a ccompli shed but whe n it is de sired to
,

show n othi n g bet we e n t h e fi n g e r s , a ll th a t is n e cess a r y

is to push dow n the coi n with the two middle fi n gers
i n to the palm which g r ips it tightly the el a stic of , ,

cou r se st r etchi n g su ffi cie n tly to ad m it of this (see

,
,

F ig . Whe n the back o f the ha n d is shown t o

the audie n ce the elastic is completely hidde n by the
fi rst and fou r th fi n ge r s . To show the f r o n t of the
h a n d the coi n is s imply l
r e e a se d from p al m whe n it
flies to fi n ge r tip s f r o m whe n ce it is tr a n sferred to
the back of the ha n d .
 MODERN COI N M A N I P UL A TI ON . 131

Th e autho r sp ecially recommends this coin as he

considers it to be the best ada p tati o n oft h e S p id e r

idea that he is ac q uainted wi t h .

I nnumerable other mecha n ical coin s, inven t e d fo r

t he same p urp ose as t h e forego i n g ,
a re t o be obt aine d

F ig 7 3
. .

'

fro m a ny re liab le deale r in magical goods . T he au tho r

would recomme n d a pu rchase r t o obtain two or even ,

three di ffere n t coins as he can then u se the one that

,

suits h im best some of th e d e vi ces be i n g

, far more
’
suitable for one p erson s ha n d tha n another .

E ithe r o f t h e ab ve
o me nt ion e d c oin s can be u se d
13z MOD ERN C OI N M AN I P TI ON .

’
for imit at in g th e auth or s feat of p assin g a co in
th rough t he k nee , but in t h is case , of course, on e

must be tt ach e d
a t o each h an d .

A g re at n u m be r of
“
coin h old ers a re u se d in

d i ffe re n t w ays by Mag ic ian s , e n ablin g t h e m t o d e al

e asily with a large nu mber

of c o ins . Th e h old e r no w
ab out to be d e scrib ed is

u eds fo r th e p u rp oses of

get tin g the fi rst stack of

co in s on to the ri m of t h e
hat ,
an d su bse q ue n tly int o
t h e h a t fo r t h e p u rp ose of
d ro pp ing one at a t ime ,

the slei gh t o f h and method- -

of which is e xp lained in
Do wn .

Chapte r 1 .
fi g 74, .

F ig 74 sh ows t h e
. a pp e aran ce o f t h e h old e r wh ich
is co nstru cte d on t he p ri nc iple of th e well k n own
-

sov e reign pu rs e , t h e t op bein g att ach ed to a s p iral

s p ring which ca n be d e p resse d , b u t im me d iat ely te

su mes it s original p osit ion . I t is obvious.th ere for e ,

r3 4 M OD E RN COI N M A N I P ( I L A TI ON .

heard to fall . T his can be re p e ated a n u mb e r

of time s .

The p iec e of ap pa rat u s n ecessary fo r p rodu c ing

t he abov e e ffect is that de p icted in F ig .
75 A is a
h olde r made of bras s the ca p acity of which is
,

su ffi cien t to hold easily six half dollars -

. To t he

bottom p l ate (D) of s am e

are fastened two t iny
ho ok s (B) whic h e n abl e
the p erformer to suspe n d
same wherever most get
at -
able for insta n ce
, , be

hind c oat tails ; C is a

Fig .
75 °

slot extending in fro n t of

the bottom p late (D ) to the m iddle of the holder .

Th e slot is big e n ough t o allow the i n sert ion o f

one half dollar at a ti m e i n to the holder

-
. Op

p o sit t o the botto m p late (D ) is the bottom ( E )

e

of t h e holder which is p rovided with a hole

,

s u ffi ciently larg e to ad mit the easy i n s e rtio n of

the t ip of the middle fi n ger . Th e first coi n to
drop rests in fro n t of the slot (C) and to , p r e
 M OD E RN C OI N MA N I P UL A T OI V J . 1 35

e t it from droppi n g p r ematu rely a lev e r ( 11)

v n ,

is fi x ed below the holder sidew ays to the slot ( C )

, .

The lever is pushed fo r w a r d and tu r n ed rou n d so

th a t the little metal clip ( F) o f sa me e n ters the slot

( )
C . A spir a l spri n g fi x ed to the lever ( )
H h a s the
e ffect of d r awi n g the leve r back , so that as s oo n as

the met a l clip ( F) e n te r s the slot ( C) i t is held in

p osition by the spri n g .

P rovided with the a bov e th e performer goes

, h at

in ha n d a mo n g the a udie n ce ,
a llowing them to in

sp e ct the hat . Whil e thi s is bei n g do n e he i n d e

t e ct a b ly obt a i n s po sse ssio n of the holder from whe t
ever it was secreted , and as he r etu r n s to the st a ge “

he m a n a ges t o fix it i n to the h at by h a n gi n g it on

both hooks ( B) to the le a ther rim H e n o w p r e sses .

do wn the hoo k ( G) of the l e ver ( H ) thereby ope n i n g

the lot (C ) T o p r e ve n t the coin lyi n g in f r o n t of
s .

the a p e r ture (C) f r om f a lli n g ou t n o w the h a t i s

slightly tilted so th a t the coi n s re st o n the bottom
,

( )(
E see F ig . He no w pl a ce s the hat in thi s le a n
in g po sitio n on h is l e ft p a lm so th a t the
,
c oi n s
are still retai n ed in position . While maki n g a g ra b
 MODE RN C OI N M AN I P ( I L A TI OI V .

in the air for a co in the pe r form e r slightly tilts the

brim of the h at tow a r ds the audie n ce c a usi n g , a ll

the coi n s in the holder to fall aga i n st the bottom

p late ( D ) . The fir st coi n is p r eve n t e d fr om d r op
. pi n g yet by the weight of the
r em a i n der o f the coi n s .
J u st
whe n the a rti st h as a pp a re n tly
c a ught a coi n an d th r ows it i n to
the h a t , the l a tt e r is slightly tilt e d
b a ckwa r d s t o it s form e r po sitio n ,

c a u si n g t he coi n n e a r e st to D

( bei n g r e l e a s e d fr om the p r e ss ure

Fig .
exert e d by t he other coi n s) t o
76 .

—
drop i n to the h a t the oth e r coi n s ra n gi n g them
selves a ga i n st E ( g
F i . Th e abov e m oveme n ts
are of cou rse re p eated
, , .

A lthough this is a mech anical piec e o f app a ratus ,

a good deal of pra cti se is n ecessa r y t o e n able the

pe r former to produ ce a perfect illusio n . It will be

fou n d th a t i f the ,
h a t is tilt e d too fa r o r n ot j u st fa r

e n ough t h e coi
,
will n n ot d ro p . A y n l ight
s e -o i- h and
p erformer however will
, , fi nd no di fficulty in wo r k
1 3s M OD E RN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON .

Th e ap p a r atus co n sist s of a brass hook which j u st

fits on to the rim of a hat . A tt a ch e d to the hook
by mea n s of a hi n ge i s a stee l clip ,
in which the
coi n is p r e viously i n s e r ted (see F ig . T hi s is
sec r etly pl a ced in positio n o n the h a t , and by giv
in g same a t ilt in the directio n of the a udie n ce the ,

coi n is swu n g u p i n to vie w a s in F ig 7 8 . . I t is no w

appare n tly t ake n in the right h a n d ( in r eality folded
back a g a i n) a n d a p alm e d o n e d r opped i n to t h e h at
to p roduce t he n ecessary illusion .

M any applia n ce s h a ve bee n i n vented to e n able a

performer to p a lm a la r ge n u mb e r of coi n s the best ,

of which the rece n t i n v e n tio n of M r

, .
J
oh n H amley ,

is t h a t depicted in F ig .
79 . It
co n sists o f fou r coi n s two at ea ch
,

end, b ra zed togeth e r ,

and through
which ru n s a piece of n ar r o w
bu t stro n g el a stic . T his piece of
apparatus is lyi n g a mo n gst the

coi n s on t he table , a nd in the

F ig 79
’ '
act of ga theri n g them a ll u p the
,

rest are wo r ked in between the rubber u n til sam e

 M OD E RN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON . 1 39

is q u ite t aut ; see F ig . 80 ,

which sh ows abou t 5 0
co in s b e twee n t he rubbers .

I n t hi s co n d it io n t h e sta ck is e xh ibit e d t o the

au di e nc e as an u n p rep are d pil e of c oi n s . The pass

ca n then be e asily made , and the coi n s appare n tly
vanish e d . W h e n t h e p erform e r d e sires t o reprod u ce

D o wn s
Fig 80
. .

t h e coins , say from u nder the vest the two e n ds ,

of

th e stack a re p ressed tightly an d the sec o n d

fi n ger exerts a pre ssu re in the midd le of sam e whic h
causes the coi n s t o separat e and fall in a showe r ,

thereby convincin g t he au d i e n c e t ha t s ame are

u n p repared .

An exceedi n gly use ful , and at the sam e time

n ovel p i e ce of ap p aratus desig n ed to e n abl e the
,
1 40 MODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON .

pe r former to in d e t e ct a b ly an d i n sta n t a n eou sly ob

t a i n poss e s sio n of a n u mb e r of coi n s is th a t shown ,

in F ig . 81 . I t is a tt a ched to the pa n ts by me a n s of ,

a f ty
sa e
p in sold e red at the re a r j ust u n der the
,

vest havi n g of cou r se bee n previously filled with

, , ,

D o wn s

Fig . 81 . F ig 8 2
. .

coi n s . N o w ,
at the m ome n t whe n the a rt ist de

s ire s the coi n s he casu ally lets his h an d drop to t he

bottom of his ve st a nd h is wr ist presses t h e clip

'

at

t a ch e d to the sp r i n g thu s releas in g the b ot t om

,
1 42 M OD E RN COI N M AN I P (I L A TI ON .

2 5 , an d upon the p lat e A bei n g p resse d th e wh ol e

s tac k of coins dro p s noiselessly into t h e h and .

A very m echan ical m ethod of cau si n g th e

appeara n ce and disa p pea r a n ce of a coin is described

in F igs 8 3 . and 84 ; A is a fle sh -colored m etal fi n ger
t op , which j ust fits over th e middle fi n ger wi th the ,

coi n attached to it by mea n s of hi n ged wi res hang

in g on the back of the h a n d . The front of the h a n d
is no w show n empty , a nd the coin swung rou n d to
the fro n t when the b ack ca n be shown then again
,

the fro n t , an d the coi n the n swung rou nd and p ro

d u ced .
 C H A PT E R V .

A F E W A D D I T I O N A L C O I N T R I C KS .

T H E A uthor has not included the followi n g in t h e

ch ap ter devoted to mi scella n eou s coi n tricks an d

combi n atio n s for the re a so n that some o f

, s am e
h a ve bee n describ e d from time t o time in t h e co n

M a h a tma
’
As
!

ju re r s j our n al , . this book h ow ,

ever is i n te n ded
,
as a com p lete ma n ual of the art of
co n j u ri n g with coi n s the A uthor feels that sam e
,

would be i n com plete i f some o f the followi n g excel

le n t trick s an d sleights were omitted he n ce , the

re aso n of thei r rep r odu ctio n in these pages which is

,

by the courtesy of the very able editor ( M r W G . . .

P ete r ki n) of the jour n a l a bove referred t o .

A really good ide a is that embodied in the first

trick to be described u n der the above headi n g an d

calle d
 MODERN COI N MA N I P (I L A TI 0 1V .

T H E C O I N O F M E R C U RY .

To p erfo r m this trick you re quire two tumblers ,

whose i n side diameter at the bott om is the same as

t he coi n to be used a j ug of water
, ,
a glass disc th a t
fi ts nicely i n to the bottom of the tumbler a sheet of ,

newsp a p er a book about the si z e of a small dictio n

,

ary an d the p iece of app a ratu s illu strated below .

Show the tu mblers and fill them with water to sho w

e ntire abse n ce of p rep a ra tion ; empty the w a ter out
and give them for exam i n ation . As you walk b ack
to the table palm the glass disc . N o wb o rr owa coi n
from the audience an d i n sist on its bei n g marked .

P lace it i n side a han dkerchie f but as you do so , ,

change it for the glass disc re q uest a volunteer , to

hold it over one of the tu mblers an d at your com

mand to drop it in ; he does so , and the sou n d of

the falli n g glass exactly resembles th a t o f a coi n .

A ttached to the back of the book is the ap paratus

me n tio n ed above . U n p erceived drop the coi n i n to
the fake .

N ext pick up the book and carelessly run over

t h e le ave s, taking care however , ,
n ot to p ul l the
 MODERN COI N MA N I P (I L A TI 0 1 V .

of the a udie n ce they behold the ma r ked coi n . P alm

o ff the fake an d g ive the book fo r e x ami n a tio n .

With a tte n tio n to details ,

a nd careful worki n g this ,

has a sta r tling e ffect .

F ig 8 5 . is t he fake p r oper with two ti n y hook s to

,

a tt a ch same to book . F igs . 86 an d 87 show s ide

and fr o n t views r e sp e ctiv e ly of fake with coi n , in

place ,
s pri n g press e d do wn an d held in positio n by

Fig 8 5 .
. Fig 8 6
. . Fig 8 7 . .

t i ny p in . F ig . 88 s how s e n ti r e worki n g of t r ick ,

an d imagi n a r y flight of coi n after thread is pulled t o

,

release the spring .

THE CQI N C O R N U CO P IA .

The p e r fo r mer ca ll s a tt e n ti o n to a pi e c e o f n ews

p ape r , an d m a kes a corn ucopi a of it , a nd pl a ces it
in l as s tha t is on a com mo n di n n er p l a te that is u p o n
a
g
 M ODERN COI N MA N I P ( I L A TI ON 1 47

you r ta b le . R oll s his sleeve s up showi n g , n othi n g

co n cealed in sleeves or ha n ds . H e the n picks u p
from h is table a half doll ar - an d pa sses it inside th e

co r n ucopia which he has show n empty thi s he con

, ,

t in u e s to do u n til he pas ses fou r coi n s or , an y n um

be r th a t he wi she s to , an d u po n ope n i n g the cornu

copia fou r half dollars fa ll upo n the plate from the
-

i n side of the cor n ucopia . H ow it is do n e : I n the

first pl a ce the co r n u copia is made from a piece of n ews
paper th a t has already b ee n prepared i n the follow
in g m an ne r . Th e n ews p a per is dou bled over mak
in g h a lf t he si z e of the p a pe r the sides and top are ,

pasted t ogeth e r to re semble o n e piece of paper ; but

b efo r e doubli n g over you pa ste two or th r ee piece s
of ti ssue p aper fou r i n che s square in the ce n ter o f
p ap er maki n g fou r sep a ra t e pocket s so coi n s do
, ,

n ot ra ttle ,
an d you le a ve top of the pocket s ope n in ,

which you pl a ce your coi n s before the entertai n me n t ,

as ma n y as you wi sh to use bei n g careful when pick ,

in g up the p a per t o make the corn ucopia n ot to let

the coi n s f a ll out . N o w h a ve a doz e n coi n s on your
t a ble ,
an d the fi r st one you p a ss i n side t he cor n u
co p i a yo u re a lly p a lm it kee p i n g it , in the ha n d , o r,
1 48 MOD ERN COI N MAN I PUL A T1 0 1V .

if y o u wish to sho w you r hands em p ty p o cket , it ,

t he second on e in the sam e ma n ner ma k ing , as mu ch

of a n ois e as you can with t he coin when you p ick
them u p the third coin y o u pic k u p you agai n lay it
, ,

on the table to assure your audienc e that as your

sle e ve s a re rolled up it is imp o ssibl e for it to disa ppear
,

up your sle e ve s and as your ha n ds do not com e in con

,

tact with you r p erso n the coi n m ust actually p ass in

side at your comma n d . T his ti m e you make b e lieve

y o u pic k u p t h e coi n s rattli n g them as though p icki n g
,

up one then call their attention to the fact that by

passin g it from one ha n d to the other it gradually b e
comes small e r u n til ,
it has really vanished , and when
y o u tak e i n con sideratio n that you had nothi n g in

you r ha n ds to comme n ce with — a ve ry easy matter

but to the audienc e a very clever p iece of work .

The fou rth coin you m e r e ly p alm and whe n you ,

op en th e cornuco p i a you dro p it wit h the th ree y o u

have already i n it upo n the plate . The reason for

usi n g the p late to place the glass u pon is simply to
make a noise d ro pping the coins u p on it .
15 0 M ODE RN COI N M A N I P ( I L A TI ON .

fly visibly i n t o the glass , and the sa me p ull will break

t h e t hread , le a v ing t h e m in a con d it ion t o b e readily

p o ure d fro m t h e t u mbler .

T H E C O I N A N D PA P E R T U B E .

T h e p e r f o rm e r t akes a smal l p iece of p ape r ,

mak i n g a r o u n d t ube of it which

, he secures in t he

middl e of t he stage by a ribbo n faste ne d to e ach

sid e o f it which suspe n ds it there

, . Th e p erfo rme r ,

stan di n g a n ywhere upo n t he stage produces

, i
a co n ,

an d th ro wi n g it u p i nt o
‘

t h e air it p asses th ro u gh th e

t ube ,fa lli n g u p o n a plat e placed o n a tab l e u n d er

n e ath the t ube A s t h e coi n falls t hrou gh u p o n t h e
.

plat e it ca n be seen and heard all o ve r the h o u se .

Th e ex p l a n at i o n is t hat in t h e tube wh e n ma k i n g
,

it , y o u p lace a co i drop p i n g
n - a ppara tus that ca n be

A wire
'
s ecu red at the magical dealer s . thread or

ru n s t hro ugh one side o f t he ribbo n that h olds the

t u be , an d i s faste n ed by a hook whil e attachi n g the

ribbo n to th e tu be , an d whe n you r as sista n t p u lls

t he st ri n g it releases on e coi n at a time , an d afte r
the ex p eriment is fi n ished you t ake down t h e t u b e,
 MODER N COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON . 1 5 1

s howi n g it em pty palmi n g , of

f the box . A good
way to s ecu re it whe n maki n g the
, t ube , is wh e n
’
you r a ssista n t bri n gs ou t the cardboard on a waiter s
tray which although i n n oce n t
, , en ough looki ng , h as

a double bottom that you have your box in with a

s m a ll wire a ttached t o it , so when lifti n g u p the card

boa r d you r fi n ger goes through the loop in the wire ,

b r i n gi n g the small box b a ck of cardboa r d ,

an d when
you make the tu b e you have it already i n side . You
make the t ube of card b oard t o fit exactly the coi n
box i n side , an d have a catch attached to the r ibbo n
so whe n you faste n i t t o the tube it also cl a sps the
little box i n sid e holdi n g it suspe n ded
, . A sm a ll r i n g
fa ste n ed to t he th r e a d or wire ru n n i n g th rough on e

sid e o f the ribbo n slips o ver a c a tch which libe r ates

the coi n s .

A N O L D T R I C K I M P ROV E D .

Our rea de r s will prob a bly re c a ll th e follo wi n g

very puzzli n g t r ick which m a de ,
it s a ppe a r a n ce a

fe w ye a r s a go . A s h e e t of b r o wn p a p e r wa s l a id o n
t he t a ble ,
an d an o r di n a r y tum bl e r wa s i n v e r ted u
p
on it . B e side the t umble r ,
an d on th e b r ow n p ap er ,
1 5 2 MODERN COI N MANI PULA TI 0 1V .

was l a id a ten ce n t piece

-
,
an d , a borrowed h and k e r

chief bei n g thrown over the tu mbler any person is ,

asked to set the tumbler over the t e n-ce n t piece .

N o w upo n ra isi n g the h a n dke r chie f the

, ,
te n -
ce n t
piece ( which should be u n der the gl a ss) had van
ish e d T h e secret co n sist s in the fa ct th at a r ou n d
.

di sc of paper of the s a me sort ,

as th a t on which th e

t umbler stood was , n e a tly p a sted on the mouth of

the tumbl e r j u st coveri n g it

, . Of cou rse whe n , ,
.

u n der cover of the h a n dkerchie f the , t umbler was

set over the dim e the p a pe r di sc cove r ed an d c a used
,

it to a pp a re n tly v a n i sh . N o w this is the

,
ne w ve r
sio n of the trick . U se pl a i n white p a per , an d wh e n
you come forw a rd with th e gl a ss holdi n g it with
,

th e bottom toward s th e a udie n c e ,

and the p aper
cn d aga i n st you r shirt b osom . Th e gl a ss will thu s
a ppear devoid of p r ep a r a tio n . H o weve r there ,
is

the disc of white p a pe r on the mouth of the t um

bler but this doe s
,
n ot s ho w a g a i n st you r white shirt
bo som . N o w b e hi n d thi s di sc
, , an d a g a i n st i t you ,

hold with you r fi n ger a pe n n y ,

and whe n you se t

the tu mbler bottom u po n the sh eet o f p a per th e re ,

will be u n der it a pe n n y but it will , be i n vi sible .

15 4 MO D ERN COI N M A N I P ( I L A TI ON .

leav es it in the left ha n d . Th e fi n gers recomme n ce

the ru b bi n g of the elbo w as though they still held
,

the coi n ; b ut mea n while the left h a n d which ,

is

b r ought by t he be n t positio n of the ar m closer t o

’
the n eck drop s the coi n i n side the performer s col
,

lar to be fou n d at ple a sure

, . M ea n while the per
former co n ti n ues t he rubbi n g pr e se n tly removi n g
,

the fi n gers , an d showi n g that ap p a re n tly the coi n

has p assed i n to his elbow both ha n ds bei n g emp ty
,
.

TO T E L L D AT E O N BO R R O W E D CO I N .

T his is one of the very best parlor tricks in ex

ist e n ce . P e r former, whil st bli n d folded desire s spec,

tator to h a n d him a h a lf doll a r which

-
,
he, pe r form e r ,

simply drop s on the t a ble i n st a n tly n am i n g the date

,

on s am e .

To com me n ce the t r ick you h ave a duplic a te coi n ,

t he date of which you a re a cqu a i n ted with palmed ,

in the right h a n d ,
an d as you t ake bor r owed coi n
bet wee n fi n ger and thumb e x ch a n ge it for the
p a lmed o ne in the a ct of th r o wi n g s a me on the
table . You no w state the date on the du p licate ,
 M ODE RN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI ON

which u po n bei n g exami n e d is fo und t o be

, ,
co r

rect .

T his method is rarely i f ever detected

, , ,
an d pro
duce s a se n satio n .

EN TI R EL Y N EW P A SS WI T H T W E N TY .

F IV E CO I N S .

T his is a m ost excelle n t p a ss ,

an d , the auth or
feel s su r e will be a p preci a ted
,
. T we n ty-fi ve coi n s
a re p laced in the le ft ha n d , an d the right show n
empty . R ight ha n d no w st r okes left , which is
o pe ne d , an d coi n s have disappeared ,
s am e bei n g
pr od u ced by right h an d from wherever de sire d .

Sta n d with the ba ck of left h a n d faci n g audie n ce .

T he coin s are app a re n tly pl a ced in the left h a n d ,

whic h clo ses bu t , in r eality a re st a cked on the out

side of fi n g ers bei n g ,
s uppo r ted by the little fi n ge r
of left ha n d . R ight is no w show n empty an d

p a sse s over left d uri n g which m oveme n t the c oi n s

,

ca n very easily be p a lmed o ff i n to the right h an d

without a s ou n d or suspiciou s m ovement bei n g
ma de . L eft ha n d is the n ope n e d a n d sho wem pty
n ,

coin s be i n g prod uced as fa n cy d ictate s . F ive min

 M ODERN C OI N M AN I P (I L A I I OI V .

’
utes practice will s u ffi ce to show wh at a re ally
brillia n t move th is i s .

T H E N E W G L A SS C O I N J AR .

Th e followi n g will be fou n d a p retty e ffective

little trick wo r ked either with a coi n s how or by
itself . A p r etty g la ss jar cont a ini n g a silk A mer
i ca n or other fla g is b r ought on an d placed on table ,

the stopper is re m oved and tho r ou ghly exami n ed .

T h e fla g is t a ke n out and l a id on table , an d the

j ar held horizo n t a lly by the top and bottom and

looked th r ough by perfo r mer to s ho w n o trickery .

J ar is repl a ced on t a bl e and stopper pu t in , an d

the whole covered with the fla g . A s ilver t r ipod ,

with ri n g at top to receive di sh ,

is n ext p l aced over
j ar . F our coi n s are no w pl a ced in a gla ss dish ,

and pl a ced on top of the t r ipod . On r emovi n g fla g

the coi n s a r e see n an d he a r d to fa ll i n to t h e j a r a n d to

h a v e left the di sh o n t r ipod . D i sh , t r ipod
j ,
and a r ca n

no w be tho r oughly e x a m i n ed . N o w for the s olu

t io n e a ch side of n eck of j a r which is roughly
. I n ,

cu t so a s to b e op a que a r e d r ill e d t wo hole s through

, ,

which is p u shed fro m on e sid e to the ot her a

 MODERN COI N M AN I P (I L A TI 0 1V .

ner of flag o n ly being allowed to s t ic k out of t he to p

of j a r so as to be at ha n d Th e coi n s a re n o w .

placed o n the wire a n d hidde n by the corner of

the flag . The jar can no w be shown r ou n d ,
the
coi n s be in g kept steady
(
by the fi r st fi n ger of left
h an d . N o w pl a ce jar on table still k ee p i n g first ,

fi n ger of left h a n d on coi n s ,

an d dra w ou t th e flag
quickly with the right h a n d which p r oves i n directly ,

th a t n othi n g is co n ce a l e d in the n eck of the jar ,

an d

h a vi n g t ake n up jar hori zo n t a lly by b oth e n ds an d

looked through it pl a ce sto p per ,

in an d cover with
flag , t h e corn er with thread attached h a n gi n g at
back . P l a ce tripod in po sitio n (o n e le g in fro n t) .

Show your four coi n s an d throw o n table ta k e u p ,

glass dish which is also roughly cut

, , an d , holdi n g at
back of t a ble ,
sweep the coi n s , on e at a time i n to ,

a n oth e r gl ass di sh o n serva n te ,

and place empty dish
on t r ipod . Th e re st is easy .

R emov e t h e fla g lowly
s ,
and i mmedi a tely the last
cor n er is d r a w n o ff the coi n s are see n an d he a rd to
fall i n to the j a r F o r st a ge pu rpo se s the wi r e ca n
.
,

b e pulled out by a ssist a n t in whi ch case t h e j a r ,

would not be covered . The obj ect in usi n g the fla g

 MODERN COI N MA NI PULA TI OI V
. 15 9

is twofold viz ,
.
, that it is a means of int roduci n g
some good patter ,
and serves the object of conceal
ing the prese n ce of the thre a d by its dazzli n g colors .

( T h coi n j a r as above can be obtai n ed of

e a ny fi r st

class de ale r i n magical ap p aratus ) .

TH E WI N G E D CO I N .

Th e e ffect o f this sple n did piece o f magic is as i f

you had p a ssed a m a rked h alf dollar from a dista n ce
-

i n to an u n cork e d bottle whose , n eck was so smal l

th a t the bottle m ust be broke n to get the coin out .

I n appeara n ce it is as follow s : A ny ge n tlema n is

i n vited to as sist you , an d is seated in a chair in t h e

c e n ter of the stage fa ci n g the audie n ce , . You t ake

an empty sod a w a ter bottle ( on e of the rou n d e n d
va r iety) an d st a n di n g it upright upon its head you
, ,

ask him to steady it with both ha n d s so that it does

n ot fall . N o w you bo r r ow any h a lf doll a r an d h a ve
-

it ma r ked by the ow n er ; taki n g it in you r r ight ha n d ,

you ,
in full vie w of the a udie n ce m a ke , as i f to th r ow
it towards the bottle . The s ou n d of a fa lli n g coi n is
h e a rd , an d u
p o n you r biddi n
g the ge n tlema n to tak e
 MODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI OI V .

dow n the bottle and sh a ke it a half dollar is see n to

,
-

be withi n . You take the bottle dow n to the audi

e n ce an d tur n i n g it over it is see n th a t the neck o f
same is sm a ller tha n the coi n . You no w ste p to
you r table ,
an d t aki n g a hammer bre ak the bottle
over a small bo x ,
and picki n g up the bottom of the
bottle you p a s s it co n tai n i n g the coi n to the ow n er ,

who ide n tifie s his coi n . The secret is this : You

have two bottles , on e of which is p r e p a red i n thi s
ma n n er : the r ou n d bott om is s a wed of
f, a n d a half
doll a r pl a ced in it ,
a nd the bottom ceme n ted on

a ga i n . On the b a ck of the chair (which is s olid) is

fa ste n ed a little wi r e bottle ra ck in which the pre
’

pa r ed bottle is pl a ced beforeh a n d . B e sid e this little

rack is a cloth b ag, an d a s you s tep up behi n d the
seat e d subject to pl a ce the bottle upon his head you ,

rapidly drop the bottle i n to the bag , an d , with the

s a m e m otio n b r i n g up i n to view the prepa r ed bottle
, ,

which you place upo n h is head with ,

t he request
that he hold it . A s t he bottom is rou n d the coi n
,

c a n n ot be see n fr om a d ist a n ce , and the sam e reaso n

al so n ece ssit ate s h is hold i n g on to it el se it will
,

tu mble over . A fter va n ishi n g the coi n by palmi n g

1 62 MODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI 0 1 V .

top o n e the rest are the ma n u factured coi n s for sale

, ,

at a re aso n able p r ic e by the m a gic a l de a l e r s . N o w

over this set of coi n s m ak e a shell to re p r e se n t a like
n umb e r of coi n s the top bei n g ,
a r e a l coi n tu r n ed
do wn thi n and the r est of the f ak e a tube of Germ a n
s ilv e r or b ra ss silve r pl a ted and g r oov e d and milled .

Th e fi r st st a ck of coi n s are ea ch one s n i gl e but , co n

n e ct e d with a r iv e t th r o u gh a ll o f th e m thi s a llow s

,

the m t o be mov e d a t r ifl e on ea ch othe r which helps

to di sp e l any su s picio n th a t m ight i e
ar s as to thei r
g e n ui n e n e ss . To p r e p a r e the t r ick pl ac e th e s h e ll
st a ck ov e r the fi r st or hollow st a ck . For a bb r e via
k e we will c a ll it st a ck
’
t io n s sa 1, the oth e r st a ck 2

is the ou t si d e sh e ll both no w l o ok as o n e . I n side

of i n t e r i o r of N o . 1 pl a c e a d ie or b a ll ; we will su
p
po se we h a v e a co r k b a ll . N o w pl a c e ove r the ope n
en ds a re al s il ve r coi n ,
and h ave this in a pl a ce of
co n ce a l m e n t e as ily got at . You no w h a ve a st a ck
of ten i m it a ti o n coi n s an d o n e r e al one . A sk for a

n u m b e r of h a lf d o ll a r s st a r ti n g by ,
us n i g o n e o fy o u r

o wn ,
an d a ft e r you h a ve bor r o wed ten you pl a ce
them on the t able and th e n st ack th e m up on e at a
ti m e cou n ti n g th e m
, . S u ppos e no w t h e fake coi n s
 MODERN COI N M AN I P (I L A TI ON

are co n c e aled in the left tail coat pocket . P ick up

the pile of coi n s from the table in left ha n d an d
‘

remark th a t you will try to se n d the coi n s through

the table prete n di n g to take them
, in the right ha n d ,

bu t rea lly r etai n i n g them in the left strike the table

,

with the r ight h a n d , an d advan ce the left ha n d with

co n cealed coi n s u n der the t able as you do so a llow
, ,

the coi n s to e sc a pe from you r ha n d qu ickly b ut

si n gly i n to the left h a n d pocket , and g r a sp the

co n ce a led fake set . Th e pocket should be double
so the re al coi n s ca n be dropped an d n ot i n terfere
with the co n j urer obt a i n i n g the other set in por
tio n of pocket ,
or thi s se t ca n be in p a n ts pocket .

Th e fa lli n g o f the coi n s in the pocket sou n ds to the

’
spect a tors like the coi n s fa lli n g i n to the co n j urer s
ha n ds after p a ssi n g th rough the table . B ri n gi n g

up the f a ke set he pl a ces them on the table with ,

real coi n and ope n side of fake dow n . A gai n cou n t

in g t h e coi n s as they set on the table he re marks he
,

has eleve n i n stead of ten whi ch is all he requ ires he ,

p ushes a way the bottom or real coi n an d pl a ces it

in his p o cket a nd takes ou t a lit t le cork b all p laci n g
it on the table . T aki n g up a piece of p aper he ,
 MODERN COI N M A N I P (I L A TI 0 1V .

m ak es it i n to a little cap or co n e to fit over the

coi n s bu t rema r ks that it fits too tight he r emov e s
, ,

it and says he will use it to c ove r the co r k b a ll ,

which he does ; he the n m a ke s an othe r cover fo r

the coi n s a nd thi s se e ms to be a ll r ight . Th e coi n s

an d co r k bei n g cover e d fo r a fe w mome n t s the ,

cove r s are r em oved and the obj e ct s are fou n d to

h a ve ch a n ged pl a ces . T hi s is a ccou n t e d fo r by the
fa ct th a t th e cov e r fi r st m ade and pl a c e d ov e r the
coi n s ,
an d th e n re mov e d c a r r i e d a way with it the

out side sh e ll . I n rem ovi n g both cov e r s aft e r wa r d s ,

th e holl o w st a ck N o . 1 is ca rr i e d a wa y with the .

cove r thus , e x po si n g the b a ll ,

and t h e oth e r hell
s

N o . 2 is left b e hi n d cov e r i n g the b all . While this

ch a n ge is b e i n g obs e r v e d the hollo w st a ck , N o . 1

is a llowed to d r op i n t o the h a n d fro m the p a per

co n e which ,
is to sse d c a r el e ssly on th e t abl e , and

the fake d r o pp e d i n t o the t a il pock e t ,

r i g ht h a n d
s ide . A ga i n cov e r i ng s h e ll N o . 2 with the p a p e r
he pick s u p the co rk b a ll an d v an i sh e s it by sleight .

He no w pick s up the p a p e r co n e and c a r r i e s a w ay

th e sh e ll wi t h it to ssi n g p a p e r , on t abl e l e a vi n g
,

however the s h e ll in h is h an d whi ch

,
h e ge ts r id of ,
 C H A PT E R V I .

KO I N C L U D I N G O BS E R V A T I O N S .

U N DER the above headi n g the A utho r in t e n d s

givi n g magical frie n d s the benefi t of his experie n ce ,

not so m uch as regards the actual worki n g of tric ks ,

but as t o the corre ct m e thod of prese n ti n g same to

an audie n ce . H e is awa r e that a g re a t de a l has

already bee n writte n on this all importa n t subject
-

in th e n u merou s exce lle n t tre aties on Sleight o f

Ha n d in existe n ce, but he hopes t h at at the least , ,

these few re marks will p rove interesti n g to co n

j u rors .

Th e writer assum es in the fi rst p lace that the

”
reader will be performi n g one or m o r e “
sleights
or combi n atio n s de scribed inthe foregoi n g page s .

T hi s bei n g so the author a dvise s the pe r form er

,
n ot

to prese n t the trick in d e t a il as herei n be fore de

scribed . H e should take the idea of a certai n trick
1 66
 MODERN COI N MANI P (I L A TI ON 1 67

as h is fou n d a tio n so to speak upon which to bu ild

, ,

up his illusio n s . T his will no t be fou n d at all di th

cult of accomp lishme n t but will , , on the other ha n d ,

p r obably c r eate in the m i n d of the arti ste a se n se of

o r igi n ality hitherto a b se n t . I n co n j u r i n g ,
as in a ll

other p r ofes sio n s o r igi n a lity st a n ds

, p r e -e mi n e n t as
the root of s ucce ss , an d , u n l e ss the a spi r a n t for
ho n o r s in t h e m agical wo r ld posse sse s a c e r t ai n
a mou n t of a b sol u te o rigi n ali t y , th e A utho r fe a rs
h is ch a n c e s of e ve n m a ki n g a res p ect able livelihood
are ve r y r em ote i n d e e d .

Whe n a p a r ticul a r p erformer i n t r oduces a ne w

id e a th e sa me is imm e di a t e ly copi e d and imit at e d a d
lib .
,
bu t th e imit a tors an d copyi st s ne ve r d o m u ch ,

fo r t h e s impl e re as o n th a t they are l o o k e d up o n as

n ot pos se ssi n g su ffi cie n t o rg in ality to produce a n ov el

a ct .

A lmo st without e x ceptio n all the i mit a to r s of

T h e M i se r wit
’
s D re am t h a t the A ut h o r h a s

n e sse d h av e ,
in t h e c o u r se of th e i r e n te r t a i n m e n t ,

us e d his o r i g n a l p a t t e r wo r d ,
fo r wo r d . T hi s ca n be

e x cused in you n g co n j u r ers st a r ti n g up the l a dde r ,

1 68 M ODERN COI N MANI PULA TI 0 1V .

but whe n certai n p erformers each with something

,

of a reputatio n not o n ly perform the ide n tical tricks

,

but use exact ly the same bon imen t , it certai n ly d oes

n ot add to their repu tatio n but on the co n trary
, , ,

un doubtedly does it i n j u ry .

T h e A uthor was prese n t a fe w weeks si n ce at o ne

of the most popula r p lac e s of e n t e rt a i n me n t in L o n

d on , where a certai n g r eate st on e th a t ev e r lived ,

”
T h e M i se r
’
etc was
. doi n g s D re a m , with som e
of the addit io n a l e ff e cts d e sc r ib e d in t h i s book ,
and

for each particul a r e x pe r im e n t th e p e r fo r mer s p oke

the e xact p a tter as u sed by the w r ite r du r i n g h is e x
t e n sive P alace T he a te r en g ageme n t .

Th e A uthor does n ot wi sh to a pp e a r e gotistic a l ,

but simply me n tio n s the fore goi n g fa ct s to show the

amateur how a reput a tio n is n ot m ad e .

A spi r i n g coi n m a n ipul a tors a n d j

co n u r e r s have the
’
writer s best wi shes for thei r succe ss ,
a nd s hould on e

ever do h im the ple a su r e of c a lli n g upo n him in any

city where he is pe r fo rm i n g ,
h e will be o n ly too
p leased to give him a ny p erso n a l a dvic e in his p ower .
1 7 0 MODE RN COI N M AN I P (I L A TI ON .

If th e perfo rmer is at all heavy and too serious ,

no matter how clever his dexterity is the audie n ce ,

feel the same whereas , , on the other ha n d i f the ,

artiste possesses a ple asi n g m a n n er flue n t speech , ,

an d exhibits the ap p earan ce of bei n g qu ite at home ,

doi n g n othi n g in a sti ff or awk ward m a n n er the ,

audie n ce likewi se are ple a se d . O f course , it will be

all ve ry well but e n o r mous p ractise
’
s a id , Yes th a t ,
s ,

an d public pe r form a n ce are esse n tial to a perfect

”
stage ma n n er . T hi s may pe r h a ps be t r ue to a
, ,

certai n exte n t but , ,

n evert heless i f the ,
n ovice sets
his mi n d on prese n ti n g an act in a ce r t a i n m a n n er ,

and a lw ays sticks to that m a n n er will th a t

'

, he fi nd

he will n ot have much fu r ther trouble about stage

prese n ce .

Th e co n j u r i n g p r ofe s sio n is e x actly like a busi n ess

’
of any oth e r d e sc r iptio n . It s the one that sells his
good s in a p r oper m a n n er th a t comma n ds succ e s s .

A g r oce r ,
fo r i n st a n c e may h a ve a sple n did
,
s tock
of good s but u n l e ss he t r e ats his custome r s
, ,
in a
p r oper m a n n e r he fa ils , . So it is with the co nj u r er .

H e may po ss e s s the g reat e s t po ssibl e de x terity but , ,

u n less he ca n prese n t same in an e n te r tai n i n g a nd

 MOD E RN COI N MA NI P (I L A TI ON . 1 7 1

i n terestin g manner to the a udience his success

,
is

mediocre .

M any of the leadi n g p e r formers of the pre se n t

day rely u p on old tricks ; co n fi n i n g their origi n ality
to the method of prese n ting same . Any re ade r s
who may have witnessed the excellent drawi n g room
e n tertai n ment o f D r By r d P age
. will the A uthor
,

feels su r e , a p preciate this fact . T his gentleman

p rese n ts almost withou t excepti on old tricks but
, , ,

dressed in such new clothi n g that they are almost

u n r ecog n i z able . M r D avid D evant is a n other cele
.

b r at e d p erformer wh o possesses a t alen t for modern

izi n g and improving old t r icks . Some othe r per
formers who have lo n g since made t heir reput a tion
rely s imply on the old t r icks , an d n ever trouble
about a n ything new .

T h e A uthor advises the you n g prestidigitateu r t o

wit n ess the performa n ces of all the co nj urers he ca n ,

and the n n ot make t he u s ual mi st a ke and copy one

’
artiste s particular style but e n deavor to i n itiate a
,

style or manner of his o wn .

H orace Golden is o n e of the most successful A m er

ican co nj urers wh o h as come to the “
fro n t ”
very
 1 7 2 MODER N COI N MANI P (I L A I YON .

r apidly in the p a st few y ea rs ,

an d s r t ictly on h is

m e r it s . Mr . G old e n , wh o is no w bil le d as .
“
Th e

o we s
”
G r e a t Gold e n , h is su cc e ss to his or igi n a l
m e th o d s . A side fr om his m a r velou s t r ick s ,
na tu r e
e n dowed himwit h a
“
fu n n y di a lect ,
which a dd s
’
g r e atly to h is s u cce ss . Gold e n s bag of fu n n y
t r ick s ne v e r fa il s t o m ake good with a ll classe s
of a udi e n ce s , as h e h as a p e culi a r an d origi n a l style of
h is o wn . Th e w r it e r h as a l way s a d mi r ed M r . G ol
’
de n s pe r fo r ma n ce ,
and p r edict s for hi m a gre at
futu r e in t h e m a gic a l wo r ld .

A n othe r A me r ic a n c o n j u re r an d my st ifi e r , who is
w c r e a ti n g tio n in E u r op e , is H a r ry H o u
'

no a se n sa

di n i . Mr . H oudi n i is s tyled th e Ki n g of Ha n d
cu ff s ,
an d j u stly too . H oudi n i h as com pl e t e ly
b a ffl e d the po lic e a u t ho r itie s a ll ove r the wo r ld by r es ,

l e a sin g h im se lffr o m a llki n d s of

a nd p r ison ir on s . I n D r e s d e n , Ge r m a n y , H oudi n i wa s
l o ck e d se c u r e ly by the polic e au th o r itie s with ov e r
9 0 po u n d s of p r i so n i r o n s , an d s ucc e e d ed in rel e a si n g
hi m se lf f r o m a ll the lo ck s in l e ss tha n e ight seco n d s ,

ret u r n i n g a ll of th e i ro ns ,
e tc .
, u n lock ed . H oud in i
d oes t r ick cu ffs a n d cla im s he does
“
n ot u se , x
n ot
1 74 MODERN COI N MA NI PULA TI 0 1V .

o n ly records the doi n gs an d whereabouts of j

co n u r

ers but publishes excelle n t idea s

, an d sleights which
may be of great service in the worki n g up of any
combi n a tio n . T his p a per which is published
, in

A me r ica , bu t has a great cir cu la t iOn in E n gland

an d her C olo n ies , m u st n ot be co n fused with a re

ce n t publicatio n issued to imitate and suppleme n t

M ahatma in G reat Britai n . A casual gla n ce at
both p a pers will e n able the reader to i n sta n tly make
u p his mi n d as to which he shall subscri be .

M O D E RN C O I N M A N I P U L A T I O N is now fi n ished ,

and the Ki n g of Ko in s wa n d or rather

,
”
, p ,
e n in

h an d m akes his bow afte r p resenti n g his first act as

,

an A u thor trusti n g th a t thi s work which will be

, ,

followed by an elabo ate r T reatise on all rou n d

-

Slei ght -o f- H a n d embraci n g n e w Sl e ights with C ards

, ,

E ggs , H a n dkerchiefs , B illiard B a ll s, C igars , etc will

.
,

prove a useful ma n ual to all wh o are i n terested in

l A r t M ag iq ue
’
.

TH E E N D .
 iN D E X .

C H A P TE R I .

T H E M I SE R
’
“
S D REAM .

D escrip t io n of t h e act

C o n t in u o us F r on t and B ack H an d P alm

L a t estimp r o ve me n ts in co n nectio n with same .

M e th o d of ge ttin g fi rst s tack of co in s in to h at

Th e ap pa re n t ca t chin g of th e coin s

P assin g coin th ro ugh bo tt o m of h at

Passin g co in t h r o u gh sid e of h at
C oin th rown in th e a ir a n d in visibly ca u gh t in h at
M an n e r of ge t tin g a se con d load in t o h a t
M e th o d fo r co n tin uing t h e ca tch in g afte r se con d loa d is ex

h a u st e d
P r o d uct io n of a n y n u mbe r o f co in s a t fi nge r tips
T o p ass a coin th r o ugh th e k n e es
Th e Elusive P ass
N w C h a n ge O ve r
e P alm
D o wn s n e w C lick
’
P ass
Te n p assin g in to t u mble r
co in s

D o wn s n ew F a n
’
P ass
D o wn s E u rek a
’
P ass
Th e T u r n o ve r with 40 co in s

Th r ee d istin ct me th o d s of
p al min g co in s a t th e sa m e time

T o p alm a n d mak e th e p ass wit h 40 coin s

To p r o d u ce same in a sh owe r fr om th e vest .
 1 76 IN DEX .

C H A P TE R I I .

A SE R I ES OF A BSO LU T E LY N E w AN D O R I G I N AL C O I N
V A N I SH E S AN D P ASSE S .

M e th od s fo r ca u sin g th e d isap p e a ra nce of o n e coin . .

With t h e aid of a p ie ce of h air .

V a n is h in g co in fro m h a n d k e r ch ie f .

C o in va n is h with t h e a id of t h e ve st . .

D isa pp ea ra n ce o f a co in wh ile lyin g on t h e table

C o in with th e aid
va n ish of th e o u t sid e of sle e ve

C o in va n is h wit h th e a id of t h e t r o u se rs k et
p o c
N o ve l p ass wit h a co in .

N e vs i
b a ck p a lm d e a
T he sle e ve va n ish

Th e sle e ve va n ish in j
co n u n ctio n with ba ck p alm
The co in a n d t u mble r
N o ve l a d a
p a tio n o f t h e
t ra t tle b ox id e a
A r ap id
p ass with six co in s

D isapp ea ring p ile of coin s

C H A P TE R I I I .

M I SC E LL AN EO U S C O I N a I LLU SI ON S 3
c k s, , AN D

C O M B I N AT I O N S .

Th e e q u ilib riu m of silve r

T o p as s 20 co in s fr o m o n e h a n d to t h e o t h e r

Q u a d r uple co in

G o ld ve r su s silve r

T h e t r a n sm u ta tio n of me t als
V a n ish in g fr o m goble t
co in s

M ult ip lyin g co in (sle igh t o f h a n d -

N e w co in p r od u ct io n fr o m b a r e h an d s
T h e m o n e y-p r o d u cin g ciga r e t te

The co in o f P h oen ix .

N e w m o n ey p ro d ucin g
- ca r d

T h e m a r velo u s t r a n sit o f c o in s

N o vel a p p ea rin g coin

£78 I N D EX .

Th e obe d ien t coins

Th e coin a n d a
p p e r t ube

An o ld t ric k imp r o ve d
A goo d coin t rick
T o t ell d at e o n b o r r o we d co in

E n tirely ne w p ass with 2 5 coin s

The ne w glass co in j ar

The winge d coin

N e wco in s an d die

C H APTE R V I .

Ko in cluding obse rva tion s

 B RI D G E

HO W T OP L AY IT
BY

ARCHI BALD DUNN, J r.

SEV EN T H E D I T I O N ,
R EV I SE D A N D E N L AR G E D

1 60 1 0 , C lot b, B oa r dr , 40 a

I t is diflicult to believe t h at the g oo d ol d game o f

W hist c ou l d be impr oved u on ,
p bu t the su
pp ose d impos

sible has bee n acco mplished, an d Bridge , at the West

En d C lu bs in deed , wher ever car d la er s con r e ate
p y g g
has su erse
p ded the d
ol er
g
a me .

T his little book n ot on ly give s a l

c ear description of

w
t he gam e, an d hin t s for t he g d ui an ce o f beginn er s, but it

goes tim ber an d a t te m

pt s
( hich no book has hither to

don e ) to for mulate i

a sc en ce o f the game an d even the

most experien ced Bridge player s will n ot fi n d it lost time

-

t o study it s cou n se s l .

G EO R G E RO U T L ED G E 8c SO N S, LI M I TED

I 1 9 AN D I 2 1 WEST T W EN T Y -T H I R D ST R EET

N ew Y OR K
 I mron m !
m HOD“ ! cu m m .

I Fu ry Boar ds, 60 a ; Clad , 80 s.

THE GAMES OF GRECO

T mush ted and Edit ed by Professor I I OFF I I AN N :

GI OACHI N O 6 1mm , of Calabr ia, has been well

d escr ibed as th e M orphy of the Sevenm mh C entur y .

H is lit erar y remains consist but of a single volume,

Tr ait! d u ”2: stable ! a t dos E r a ,
”
but in th at m
and b rilliancy have never been sur passed .

Q fr om
uot ations Gr eco s Ga m es abo un d in ch ess
’

treatises, but the work itself h as for more th an h alf a

cen tur y been in accessible t o Br itish read ers, the la tes t

E n glish version h aving been pu blished in 1 8 1 9, and not

repr int ed since 1 833 .

Pr ofessor H oflm is an entir ely new tran slation

’
'

ann s .

The g ames are recor d ed in mod ern notation , arr anged

in th e most convenient for m, with cOpious notes, and
illustr a ted by numer ous d iagr ams .

N o lover of th e R oyal Game can fail to appreciate

“
m
—Th
u ost en m ng , if m t tfi c m far m J OB

W
—
”
C M : boot s
. e late . L E WI S .

“
W rat, “ an d : W e Gm a wn Tho 1 m
8 . 8 . Boom .

G EO RG E RO U T L ED G E 8: SO N S, D u m p

1 1 9 AN D 1 2 ! Wm T wsm -fl n uu Su m
N ew Y ou
MODERN CHESS PRI MER .

By th e Rev E E CUN N I NGTON , I L A . . . .

I n Fm ! B oa r ds, 60 a ; Clark , 8 0 ‘

SEC O N D E DI T I O N .

OP I N I ON S O F T HE P RE SS .

“
The chap ter on Ch ess Tra
‘
p—
s and St ra e ms
’
is q uite a t reasure of
sen sa tions
”
. L ite r a ry gg
07 14 .

H ith ert o t oo much has been tak en for an te d T he ty ro h as been t old .

t ha t cer tain moves in cer tain p osmons ar e t c hest , an d ha s been left t o fi n d

ou t for himse lf, if h e a n , wh y cer t a in ot h e r moves whic h look e q ua ll g ood y
are n ot so in rea lit y
Abo ve all, litt le or n o a t t e m t h a s bee n ma d e t o e re ct p
p p p
.

war n in g osts over t he t ra s a n d itfa lls t h a t lie a lon side t he more fre
uen t ed t hs of t h e g ame These are d efe ct s t ha t he M od er n C h ess
P p
.

’ ’
r imer oes mu ch t o r emove T he ch a t er on T r a s an d St ra ta g ems
a lone wou ld be su m
.

c ie n t j ustifi ca tio n for t e a pp e aran ce of t h e volu me ; the

on ly cri ticism we h a ve t o ma k e on t his se ct ion be ing tha t it is all t oo sh or t
y
.

An oth er inn o va t ion , mu ch t o be commen d ed is a se r ies of eas ch e ck ma t es .

in t wo or t h ree move s Alt og e th e r , we d o n ot r e me mbe r a n y C h a s u h

pp y
.

ob ta in it
” —
lica t ion of rece n t issu e t ha t be t t e r d ese rves success, or a ea rs more lik e
B r itis1¢ Che ss M a g a z ine
. .
to

— y p
A Pock e t E n c clo e d ia of lea r ning
’
conn e cted with t his ancient in te l
lec t ua l ga me S t ya m es s Ga z e t te
. . .

Mr C un nin gt on
.
’
s hin t s a re pith y a n d ad mir able .
”

“
Th e com pil
ha s se le c ted a n d a r r a n ge d his ma terial in su ch a man n er
er
as t o co n d u ct t h e be gin n e r o n war d b
y g e n t le
gra d a t ions t ill h e is in a osit ion p
p
t o g r as t h e e n e r a l id ea of t h e var i ou s o e n in s, an d t o d e ve lo a n in t e lli
g g p p
e n t in sig h t I n t o e n d -ga me s an d r oble ms p
W it h t h is gr ou nd-wor k , a ll t hat
y y
.

e n e ed s is ca a cit an dp p
ract ice t o ma k e a ra pid a d va n ce as a p la er
”
.

M r C u nnin g t on is n o t con t en t t o t m ch t h e n ovice the mere r ud imen t s

bu t gives h im a n u mbe r of care fu ll ann ota t e d e xa mple s of y
.

of t h e ga me
y
,

sk ilfu l la , sh owing him t h e wh y an d t h e wh e r e fo re of t h e var iou s m ove s

p .

I n a d d it ion t o tea ch in g h im h ow t o a void mis tak es h e g ive s h im a h ost of

y
t ips , wh ic h , car efull st u d ied , will e na ble him to cope su ccessfu lly
,

—St
’
cle ve r
wit h pla y er s of far g r ea t e r p
e x e r ie n ce .
”
. P a ul s
'
.

We ar e ofte n a sk ed t h e q ue st ion ,
‘
Which is t h e be st che ss book for
We sha ll be a ble in fut ure
— y
’
be g in n er s ! t o un hesita tin g l recommen d
th e M od er n C h ess P rime r
’
L eeds M e r cu ry . .

Th e best , t h e most com le t e , an d t h e most in tere stin g ch e ss pr imer

p
e xt a n t a nd b

z
,
ct I s I t fu ll 0
aIn
a lon g wa y
y
or t h ou g h I t be a r imer , an d as a
.

gold e n instr u ction for su ch a s a lr ead y p la y well

”
r ime r , A I ,
B im
p
.
—
p

m
‘

G EO RG E RO U T L ED G E SO N S, Lxm

1 1 9 AN D I 2 1 W EST T W EN T Y -T H I R D STR EET

N aw Y o u
 ’
H O Y LE S
GAM ES MO D ERN I ZED .

E D I TE D B Y

P R OF E SSO R H O F F M AN N .

6
44 pp .
, 24mo. With nu merous diagr ams . I n fancy boards,
60 C . C loth , 8 0 C.

This han dy little volume is an abrid gmen t

from t h e l a rger work THE BOOK OF CARD ,

AN D TABLE GAMES which was written by ,

experts in the v a r ious subjects treated o f under ,

t h e E ditorship o f P r o fessor Ho ffma n n It con .

tain s in a sm a ll compas s all esse n tial p a rticu

, ,

la rs o f th e Ga mes following with valuable hints ,

as to how to p lay them .

SY N O P SI S O F C O N T E N TS .

All Four s B a ccar a t B ez iq u e Blin d H ook ey

C r ib b a e —E
ca t é — E h —L — N a poleon P iqu et
J
g r u c r e o o

P ok er — P op e — — —
Solo W h ist V in gt U n W h ist
—B illiar ds—Chess
oa n

B r id g e mm
B a ck g a B a g a t elle
— — —R
on

D r au gh t P l S s oo n o ok e r P ool oulette.

G EO RG E RO U T L ED G E 8L SO N S, L I M I T ED
1 1 9 AN D I 2 1 W EST T W EN T Y -
T HI RD ST R EET

N EW Y O R K
 C U T C AV EN DI SH

WH I ST I N A FEW WH I F FS
WI TH A POSTSC RI PT ON s Gs ” .

C AP TAl N A E . . MA l N WAR l N G .

6g pages . I n Fa ncy B oa r ds, 40 a ; Clad , bot .

Thi s li ttle work gives, in an easy, gossiping style,

an d in a form w hich rend ers its teachings exceptionally
easy of remembrance , th e e ssence of mod ern sci en tifi c
Whist I t is n ot too much to say that any read er of
.

th i s b ook may, at a very small e xpen d iture of ti me

and patience , b ecome a really good pl ayer , and able

to h old his ow n w ell at an y or d inary Wh ist table .

SY N O P SI S O F C O N TE N TS .

Wi t! Me
—
fi r st I N TRO D U CTO RY
—
.

W f t/u
— Second : TH E L sAD The Suit to L ead
Suit L eads Rema rk on the for egoing L ends, and
— —
Plain

th em up I n fe rences Trump Variations.

m T hi L
r d : C O N C U D I N G R nu a a xs —
h y of Second
—
y the P
H and Play of Third H and Play of Fourth Hand Returning
’
ur Partner s L ead —
Kee ping the C ommand of a Suit The —
iscard
— —
C onversation of the Game
T r umps Rufi ng I n ferenoes
Trumps

—
.

POSTSC R I PT : Wha t is B RI D GE The Answ er .

G EO RG E RO U T L ED G E 8: SO N S, L u a n n

l 1 9 AN D I u WssT T WEN T Y -T HI RD Su m
N EW Y ou:
 H OW A R D
’
TH U R S T N 5
CA R )
TH E M O S T A D VA N C E D AN D C O M P L E TE

B OOK E VE R WR I T TE N

ON CA R D M A N I P U L A TI O N S .

45 I LL U S T R A TI O N S .

12 M O, P AP E R , 5 0 C E N TS .

Th e C o n t in u ou s Fr on t a n d Ba ck Ha n d P a lm wit h Ca r d s
is fo r t h e fi r st t im e t h or o u g h ly e x p la in e d u s in g d r a win g s illu s
,

t r a t in g t h e c o r r e ct p o sit io n of th e h an d s a n d ca r d s, wit h c om

p le t e in st r u c tio n s , a lso man y c o m b in at io n t r ick s a n d sle ig h t s

u se d in co n n e ct io n with and by th e a id o f t h e Ba c k H a n d P a lm .

Th e “
Th u rs t on ’
s Sy s t e m of Expe r t C ar d M a n ip u
la t ion is fu lly d e scr ib e d , b y t h e a id o f wh ich syst e m t h e
p e r

fo r m e r ca n e x h ib it Tr ic k s wit h C a r d s ,
, wh ich t o th e u n in it ia t e d

se e m to t r a n sce n d h u man a b ilit

y . Th e y ar e r e co mmen d ed
a like t o t h e p r o fe ssion a l, a m a t e u r , a n d n o vice , as th e y ar e

a b so lu t e ly n e w, n e ve r h a v in g y e t b e e n p u b lish e d . Th e y a re

c o n sid e r e d t h e b e st se r ie s o f C a r d Tr ick s for D r a win g R oo m or

C lub e ve r in ve n t ed .

M any o th er ne w and M isce lla n e o u s C a r d Tr ick s,

o r ig in a l

in clu d in g t h e co rr e ct m e t h od wit h illu st r a t ion s o f p e r for m in g

,

’
Th u rs t on s Ris in g Car d s .

G E O R G E R O U TL E D G E ! SON S ,

(L I M I TE D )

119 <3: 12 1 W E ST 23 13 S TR E E T,

N E W Y OR K .