A coin is held by the tips of the thumb, index and middle finger of one hand. The other hand comes over the top and grasps the coin in its palm. But when the palm is opened, the coin is gone.
What happens is this: When the second hand comes over the top of the fingers to snatch the coin, the coin is simple released from the fingertips and falls into the palm or the base of the fingers. The hand that held the coin closes around it as the other hand is brought back up and held out.
A coin is placed in the center of the palm of one hand. That hand is moved over the top of the open palm of the other, so the loose coin drops down into the other hand. That hand clutches the coin, is lifted and opened. Again, it's empty.
What happens is this: The thumb joint and lower pinky joint of the hand holding the coin are slowly brought in toward the palm as the hand is lifted. By the time the hand is moved over the other hand's open palm, the coin cannot drop because the joints have effectively come far enough to keep it in place. This is commonly known as palming.
A coin is placed in the palm of one hand. The other hand moves across the top of the first hand and grabs the coin. It is brought back, lifted and opened to show nothing.
What happens is this: Unlike the first two tricks, in this one the coin actually is taken. But just as it is picked up, the fingers of the hand that is taking it open slowly, from top to bottom, so the coin slips down through their grasp and falls back into the original hand just as the second hand moves away.