The fold

Hold the square of paper upright facing the audience, or lay it flat on the table in front of you. Put the coin in the center.

  1. Bottom up. Fold the bottom edge up and over the coin, stopping about half an inch (1 cm) short of the top edge. The coin is now in a pocket. Its mouth faces up, just under the top edge.
  2. Right side back. Fold the right side of the packet back, away from the audience, just past the coin. Crease it.
  3. Left side back. Fold the left side back the same way. The pocket is now closed at the bottom and both sides.
  4. Top back. Fold the top strip back, away from the audience. This is the important part: it looks as if it seals the top, but it only folds the back layer. The pocket’s mouth is still open, now hidden behind the top fold.
  5. Let them feel it. Hold the packet by its sides and let a spectator feel the coin through the paper. It is genuinely inside.

Why it works: from the front, the packet shows a fold on every side. Only one of those folds closes anything at the top, and it closes the wrong layer. Turn the packet so the open edge points down and the coin slides out.

The vanish

  1. Turn it over. Take the packet in your right hand, fingers in front, thumb behind. As you casually turn your hand so the packet’s top edge points to the floor, the coin slides out into your right fingers. Hold it in finger palm (see the coin from behind the ear).
  2. Hand off the packet. Pass the empty packet to your left hand. The right hand drops naturally to your side, or goes to your pocket for a pen.
  3. Tear it up. Tear the packet in half, then in quarters. Let the pieces fall onto the table. The coin is gone.

Practise the turn

Step 1 of the vanish is the only moment that matters. The coin should drop into your hand during a movement that has another reason, such as handing the packet across or pointing at it. Practise in a mirror until the turn and the hand-off are one motion.

Angles

Perform with everyone in front of you. The open edge is never shown, so the trick is safe close up.

Credit where due: A classic of beginner coin magic, taught in many books and kits under names like the paper fold or coin fold. The method is the fold itself.

Next: A quarter through a dime-sized hole