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How to Perform Shadow Coins

Shadow Coins is the trick you have probably seen Criss Angel or David Blaine perform, wherein they place four quarters at different corners and seemingly make them, one at a time, disappear and reappear in different corners. The trick, itself, is not that hard--but the misdirection involved is very tricky. Here is how to do it.

Things You'll Need

  • Five Quarters
  • Table with table cloth
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Instructions

    • 1

      Begin by placing four quarters on a table to form a square--one at each corner.

      Corner 1 = Top Left, Corner 2 = Top Right, Corner 3 = Bottom Left and Corner 4 = Bottom Right.

    • 2

      Cup a fifth quarter in your right palm, hidden from view. It is essential that nobody sees this quarter.

    • 3

      Slide your right hand over Corner 1 and keep your left hand at Corner 4. You are going to leave the extra quarter at Corner 1 and cup the quarter at Corner 4.



      When this is done you will have 2 quarters at Corner 1, 1 at Corner 2 and 1 at Corner 3, with the quarter at Corner 4 missing.

    • 4

      Repeat Step #3 with Corner 2. You will be leaving the extra quarter at Corner 2 and sliding away the quarter at Corner 1.



      Now you will have 1 quarter at Corner 1, 2 at Corner 2 and 1 at Corner 3.

    • 5

      Repeat with Corner 3. You will leave the extra quarter at Corner 3 and slide away the quarter at Corner 2.



      This will leave you with 1 quarter at Corner 1, 1 at Corner 2 and 2 at Corner 3.

    • 6

      This time, leave the extra quarter at Corner 3 while sliding away the quarter at Corner 1.



      This will cause you to have 3 quarters at Corner 3 and 1 quarter at Corner 2. Corners 1 and 4 will be empty.

    • 7

      To complete the trick, leave the extra quarter at Corner 3 and slide away the quarter at Corner 2. Now you will have all four quarters in one corner and it will appear as if you made them all dissappear and reappear without visibly moving.

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