The Twenty One Cent Trick by Sasco Magic is a classic close-up coin magic trick where four normal-looking coins totaling 21 cents vanish completely from the performer's hand.
The Effect
- The Setup: The magician shows four coins on a table: two nickels, one penny, and one dime (totaling 21 cents).
- The Action: The performer places the coins one by one into their palm and closes it into a fist. They remove one nickel and place it into their pocket.
- The Climax: The magician asks the spectator how much money is left in the hand (expecting the answer "16 cents"). When the hand opens, the remaining 16 cents have vanished without a trace, and the nickel in the pocket can be examined.
- Gimmicked Coins: The trick relies on precision-machined, gimmicked coins (often nesting or locking shells) that allow multiple coins to look and act like a single coin.
- No Sleight of Hand: Because the specialized gimmick does the secret work, the routine requires no difficult finger-palming or complex sleights, making it very easy to learn.