[gimmick] 'The Coin Bite'

Today's trick is known as 'The Coin Bite'. This is a highly popular trick that David Blaine has performed in the past. It is an illusion that seems to twist the laws of physics and reality; like most magic tricks. Click here to go directly to Penguin Magic to buy your own 'coin bite gimmick'. The site offers numerous types of coins you can buy such as Canadian Loonies and Toonies to Canadian and American Quarters. This trick is definitely one that all street magicians should have.



The Performance: The magician asks a spectator for a coin such as a quarter. He than takes it and explains to the spectator about melting points and how if you squeeze a coin long enough you can actually bend the metal. He brings the coin up to his mouth and bites off a piece of the coin! Not only that, he than spits the missing piece back restoring the coin to its original state. The coin can than be inspected showing that its just a normal quarter.

The Secret: The quarter that the magician bites a piece off of is a gimmick coin. It is a quarter that has been sawed off in a way that makes it look like it has been bitten off. The two pieces are attached by an elastic. When the magician brings the coin to his mouth, he simply folds over the top piece with his tooth and when he brings the coin back down, he just holds the top piece down with his thumb behind the quarter. When he wants to 'spit' it back together, he just lets go with his thumb and the elastic brings them back in tact.

Method: This performance uses a little bit of misdirection and sleight of hand. When you take the coin that the spectator gives you, you need to switch it secretly with the gimmick coin. Once you have the coin switched than you are all set to go. When the trick is over, just simply switch the coin back to the one that was given to you.If you do not want to use misdirection or sleight of hand, you can do the trick by just saying "watch this" than do the trick and not ask for a coin. But asking for a coin gives the trick a little more of a kick.

Note: Its probably not the best to do this trick with people behind you but if you just happen to have big thumbs and can hide the piece, than go for it.

3 P's Practice, practice, Perform

'Coffee To Coins'

Today's trick as an illusion that takes a regular old cup of coffee and turns it into a cup of coins. Blaine performed this trick for a man living on the streets. Needless to say, he was impressed. Thid trick is really fun to do especially for your coffee attics at work. I am pretty sure they would rather of a cup of mullah than a cup o Joe.

The Performance: David hands the cup of hot coffee to a man on the streets. He is already gracious for the nice hot drink but than David does something remarkable. He first gets the man to take a sip of the coffee to make sure its legit. The man loves it but David takes it from him and holds it in his hands. As he holds it he ever so slightly shakes it and the coffee visibly disappears and turns into coins. The man loves it and so will anyone else who witnesses this magic trick.

This act of craziness has an impact that will last forever on anyone and everyone who sees this trick accomplished.

The Setup: You need one of those wax cups used for coffee. You usually find them in coffee vending machines. You need to then cut the bottom of the cup around 1 inch from the bottom using a knife of scissors. Put the two pieces back together by gently twisting the top half into the bottom base. After you have the cup back together, fill the cup three quarters full of coins and cover the coins up with coffee. That is all you need to do for this intense trick. From this point forward, it is as most times, just an acting job. Try to sell the fact that you can make the coffee turn into coins.

The Performance: This trick is best done in the break room at work or anywhere you would find coffee. You simply offer a cup of coffee to someone and after they take a drink of it you can now begin the trick. Ask them if they would rather of a cup of coffee or a cup of coins. More than likely they should say coins. You can now ask them if you can see the cup of coffee. Now comes the secret move. Hold the top of the cup with one hand and with the other, push up and with a slight screwing action. Give it a little shake and the coffee should settle in the bottom half showing a cup filled with money.

Note: It is pretty important to try and sell the fact that you think you could change the coffee into money. If you just take the coffee and do the move, they are more likely to suspect something. And as usual, the performance is really up to you. As most of the tricks on this site, the performance is one that I do but you could do it anyway you feel comfortable.

The Basics and the "French Drop"

Alright, now it is time to begin. One of the most important basics to magic is known as 'misdirection'. Misdirection is when, you as the magician, gets the attention of your audience off of something that you do not want them to see. You can do this by moving your hands a lot but not in the sense that you are having a seizure or anything. By talking to them constantly through your performance and always making eye contact. If you are holding something in one hand and do not want them to know, the last thing you want to do is to keep looking at it.This skill is very important to master in order to do any of the tricks on this blog and any trick really for that matter. 'Sleight of hand' is equally as important to performing these tricks and illusions.

The first trick that uses misdirection and sleight of hand is known as the french drop. This was the first trick I ever learned and is what got me hooked on magic. It is a very easy trick to do but does take a considerable amount of time to master. The best part about learning this trick though is that you can practice it in front of the TV or anywhere really. It only involves your hands and any small object like a quarter or marble. As time goes on, you will be able to make bigger and better things 'dissapear'.

The 'French drop' is a sleight of hand that makes it look like you just made an object dissapear.

The Effect:A quarter or small object one from someone). You hold it in your left hand and your right hand than comes and grabs it and squeezes it. You then open your hand and the quarter has vanished.

ct vanishes.

The Secret: The secret to this trick is the use of the move I already mentioned 'The French Drop'. The picture in the left hand corner, is a picture of how your hands should be when about to take the quarter. You hold the object in between your left thumb or right if you are left handed and your index finger. As you are coming to grab the quarter, drop it into your palm, at the same time making sure that your opposite hand covers the drop. After the move has been completed, make to drop your hand with the coin to your side and keep your eyes on your other hand. The trick is done and all you need to do now is reveal that the coin is gone. This is by far one of the best impromptu tricks that anyone can do. The only thing I ask is that you make sure you practice it alot before you perform it for anybody and that goes for any trick.