Magic Tricks

By Richard Robinson
 
The magician causes a borrowed coin and a metal washer to change places under apparently impossible conditions.
A cup is shown to contain a metal washer. The washer is dropped out onto the table. The cup and the magician's hands are seen to be empty.

A spectator drops a coin into the cup. The magician picks up the washer, works it between his or her finger tips and it is seen to change into the coin.
The cup is tilted toward the spectators and the washer slides out. Again the magician's hands are seen to be empty.
Props & Setup

Two identical large metal washers, a cup or other container with the bottom slightly recessed, magician's wax or equivalent such as soft soap, or other putty like temporary adhesive.
Prepare the cup by turning it mouth down and applying a thick layer of the wax to the center. The waxed area should be thick enough so that the side of the coin/washer toward the cup is not touching the cup bottom. The waxed area should not extend to the edges of the coin/washer. These two precautions will eliminate any fumbling during presentation.
Stick one washer to the wax area, turn the cup mouth up and drop the other washer into the cup.
Handling
Cup Bottom Steal

One of the two washers is stuck to the bottom of the cup with magician's wax or other temporary adhesive. Enough wax should be used to hold the washer or coin away from the actual cup bottom. This makes it easy for the finger tip to engage the edge of the washer or coin and free it from the wax.
Once free of the wax, the washer or coin will fall against the third and fourth fingers. This finger palm position is used throughout the routine to conceal the extra object in play. Tip Out Switch

The coin slides out of the cup and lands in classic palm position. The washer is concealed in finger palm position. The fingers are curled up and the front of the hand turned towards the spectators so they cannot see into the hand.
Drop In Cup & Cup Pickup

To the audience it appears you are dropping the coin back into the cup. Actually the washer is allowed to slide off the fingers into the cup while the coin is retained in the classic palm.

After the washer has fallen into the cup, the classic palm is relaxed so the coin can drop to finger palm position. The hand then picks up the cup, the first and second fingers and thumb taking hold of the cup at the bottom so that as the cup is raised the third and fourth fingers are below the cup bottom.

As the cup is lifted, the finger palmed coin or disc is stuck to the bottom of the cup.
Transformation

With the coin finger palmed in the right hand, the washer is picked up off the table. The left hand turns palm up, the fingers curled in and the washer apparently dropped into the left hand. In fact, the finger palmed coin is released and the washer pulled back and finger palmed. The left fingers then mask the apparent washer as it is moved towards the tips of the left fingers.

The hands turn so the backs are towards the spectators. The apparent washer is rubbed and turned between the finger tips, slowly exposing it and creating the illusion that it is visibly changing into the coin.

With the coin visible at the left finger tips, the right hand moves to the cup, lifts it, attaches the finger palmed washer to the bottom of the cup, tips the cup forward so the washer inside the cup slides out and falls onto the table surface.
The Routine
Pick up the cup. Look down into it as you shake it so the washer will rattle against the sides.
Tilt the mouth of the cup toward the audience and allow the washer to slide out onto the table surface.
Put the cup down, pick up the washer, turn it between the fingers and then place it back on the table, making it obvious that both hands are empty.
Pick up the cup with the right hand in the following manner. The right thumb and first and second fingers go around the cup near the bottom so that when the cup is lifted the third and fourth right fingers are below the bottom of the cup.
Extend the right arm forward, asking a spectator to drop a coin into the cup. As this takes place, the right third finger tip rises up against the bottom of the cup, finds the front edge of the washer and pulls it free of the wax so that it drops into the right hand.
As soon as the spectator drops the coin in the cup, take hold of the cup with the left hand, bring the cup toward your body, look down into it while shaking it so the coin rattles.
Tilt the cup to the right and let the coin slide out into the right hand. The position of the right hand is palm up, fingers curled up slightly to obscure the spectator's view into the right palm, the washer resting in finger palm position against the bottom joints of the fingers. The coin should land directly on the center of the palm so that it can be classic palmed.
Move the left hand a bit to the left, rotate the right hand over the mouth of the cup and let the finger palmed washer drop into the cup. The coin is retained in the right hand.
Immediately move the right hand to the right of cup and lower the right hand down to the bottom of the cup. At the same time let the classic palmed coin drop onto the right fingers.
Take hold of the cup near the bottom with the right thumb and first finger, the rest of the fingers moving under the bottom of the cup and attaching the coin to the wax.
Shake the cup so the coin (actually the washer) rattles. Take the cup with the left hand and move the left hand a few inches to the left. The right hand will be seen to be empty.
Give the cup another shake or two. Then extend the left arm forward to place the cup down on the table. In performing these actions, free the coin from the bottom of the cup and let it drop into left finger palm position.
Just as the left hand is putting the cup down on the table, the right hand moves forward, back of the hand toward the spectators, and picks up the washer on the table. This pickup is done with the right finger tips on top of the washer, the right thumb under it.
The following right and left hand actions should be done simultaneously: Bring the left hand back, rotating it so that it palm up, but with the left fingers curled up to hide the coin. Bring the right hand back, rotating it to the left and finger or classic palm the washer as the right fingers move down into the left palm and touch the coin lying there.
Take hold of the coin with the right finger tips and move the coin toward the left finger tips. The right and left hands rotate to the right and move to the center of the body. The coin is now half hidden by the left and right finger tips.
Appear to be working the washer (actually the coin) between the finger tips. Move the finger tips back slowly to reveal that it is no longer the washer but the coin.
Hold the coin at the tips of the left fingers so it is visible and move the left hand up and away from the right hand.
The right hand moves forward, picks up the cup and tilts it forward to show that the washer is now in the cup. In doing so the washer finger palmed in the right hand is attached to the bottom of the cup.
To clean up: drop the spectator's coin in the cup, move cup toward the spectator and turn it over to let the borrowed coin drop out. Steal the washer from the bottom of the cup.
Performance Notes
This is a neat bit of prestidigitation that is based on a Sam Berland move. A fair amount of rudimentary sleight of hand is involved and a good deal of practice is recommended. An advanced version of the gimmicked cup can be made up using a magnet rather than the adhesive.