The trick: After taking a coin from your left hand with your right, you close your fist around it, inviting onlookers to keep their eyes fixed on the hand holding the coin. Then, with the simple utterance of a magic word or a snap of your fingers, you open your hand to reveal that the coin has vanished.
How it's done: Not only is the disappearing coin trick one of the oldest in the world of magic, it's also a necessary skill to perform countless others, including a few included here. To perform this sleight of hand, hold the coin between your thumb and first two fingers, palm facing up, so it's visible to the audience. When you reach for it with your right hand, move it in front of the coin so the back of your hand momentarily hides the coin from the audience's view. Just as you make a fist around the coin, allow it to slip down into the palm of your left hand.
Then move your closed fist up and away from you as you discreetly deposit the coin into your pocket with your left hand. While this might seem like an obvious move, don't discount the audience's eagerness to figure out the trick. Their eyes will be fixed on your right hand, just as you told them to do, which will be in motion.
The trick: After dropping a coin from one hand to another three times, you hold out your hand to reveal the coin has changed to one of a different denomination.
How it's done: As with the disappearing coin trick, hold the coin between your thumb and index finger of your right hand --- only this time face your palm toward the floor. Conceal a second coin in the same hand by keeping your remaining fingers slightly curled around it.
On the third drop, release the hidden coin and allow it to fall into your left hand. As you begin to open your left hand to reveal the changed coin, move it away from your body to keep onlookers' attention on it as you discreetly deposit the original coin in your right pocket.
The trick: Produce a handful of coins from your right pocket, asking a spectator to take one and write his initials on it with a marker. After returning the rest of the coins to your right pocket and placing the marked coin in your left pocket, you again produce the handful of change to reveal that the marked coin has magically rejoined the others.
How it's done: After the volunteer marks the coin, ask him to return it to the pile of change in your outstretched hand. When you reach into your hand to retrieve the coin with your left hand, flip it over to hide the identifying marks. As you withdraw your left hand, keep your fist clenched as if you're holding the coin, while displaying the remaining coins as "proof" that the marked coin has been removed.
The trick: After telling the audience you plan on rubbing a coin into your elbow, you proceed to do just that.
How it's done: Hold the coin in your left hand just as you would when performing the disappearing coin trick --- but this time, really grab it with your right hand. Placing your left hand on the back of your neck, begin rubbing the coin against your outstretched elbow with the palm of your right hand. While doing this, "accidentally" let the coin fall to the floor. Apologize, pick up the coin with your left hand and start over again. Repeat once or twice more, dropping the coin each time.
After dropping the coin for the last time, pick it up with your left hand and only pretend to take it with your right. When you raise your left elbow and place your hand behind your neck, drop the coin down the back of your shirt. Vigorously rub your elbow with your right hand as before, only this time pull your hand away from your elbow to reveal that the coin is gone.