The Cards, Coins And Glass After a tumbler and a pack of cards have been subjected to close examination, the glass is placed on the table. The pack of cards is then laid over the top of it, thus shutting out all access to the interior of the glass. The conjurer borrows a few coins, usually half dollars, and proceeds to pass them through the cards into the glass, into which the coins are seen and heard to drop. Several years ago, the effect was accomplished by the use of mechanical packs. Lately these have gone out of fashion, owing to the greatly simplified methods of performing the trick that have been invented since then.   First Method Fig 42 This form of the trick is the simplest imaginable, a description of it being given here for the sake of completeness only. After having placed the glass on the table, the conjurer obtains from the Servante or Pochette a half dollar, which is then secretly placed on the bottom of the pack. Holding the pack by one of its ends with the top card turned towards the company, the coin is held on the rear side of the pack by the thumb. The fingers rest on the other side of the pack, which the performer now places on the glass (Fig. 42) slipping the coin between the edge of the glass and the cards. The glass and cards are next covered by a handkerchief &endash; apparently to make the trick the more difficult, but in reality to prevent the spectator from seeing where the coin comes from when it falls into the glass. The conjurer then borrows a half dollar and pretends to transfer it from the right hand into the left, really retaining it in the right with which is then used to pick up the wand. The conjurer then places the wand on the end of the pack opposite to the one under which the coin is concealed. Holding the closed left hand above the pack, the conjurer suddenly opens it and hits the upper end of the wand a gentle tap whereby the end of the pack holding the coin against the glass tilts up and releases the coin, which drops into the glass. The performer removes coin and, after substituting for it the coin that was earlier palmed, returns it to its owner.   Second Method Fig 43 The plan employed in this version of the trick is a very ingenious one indeed. In one of the cards of the pack, previous to the performance, four slits, A B and C D, are cut with a sharp penknife. The distance between B and C must be adapted to admit of a half dollar being placed into the slits, as shown in Fig. 43, being held neither too loosely or too firmly. The card and coin thus prepared is placed in the second one from the bottom of the pack, which may now be freely spread out, fan like, and shown from both sides (the performer exercising a little care not to expose the prepared card). Fig 44 Just before placing the pack on the tumbler, the performer removes the bottom card and places it on the top of the pack. Taking the borrowed coin and pretending to place it in the left hand (in reality keeping it palmed in the right, which is then used to pick up the wand), the performer holds the wand in a vertical position with its lower end resting on the pack. The closed left hand then strikes the upper end of the wand a quick blow, causing the pack to bend inward a trifle. This forces the concealed coin out of the slits and to drop visibly and audibly into the tumbler with very pretty effect. The left hand as it strikes the wand is opened and shown to be empty. Our second diagram, Fig. 44, shows a plan by which two coins are held by the slits A B, C D, E F, G H, made in the bottom card. By this method one coin at a time is made to apparently drop through the pack into the tumbler underneath; the performer for this purpose applying the lower end of the wand to one end of the pack and dislodging the coin held there, afterwards moving the wand to the other end and releasing the second and last coin in a similar manner.   Third Method Fig 45 This version of the trick differs materially from the methods just described, as during the course of the trick the magician stands at some distance from the glass. In addition, while in this position the conjurer invites a spectator to come forward and examine cards, glass and coins, proving the absence of preparation. The table on which the tumbler is placed must be either a regular conjuring table with a bellows or box top. If a conjuring table is not available, a parlor table with a partly open drawer may be used. Face downwards on the table is placed a card, the back of which is painted the same color as the tabletop. To the edge of this card is attached a black silk thread A, Fig. 45, about fourteen inches in length. This thread is firmly tied to a small ring C, to which also is secured a black, elastic cord B. The end of the elastic cord is fastened to the inside of the table or table drawer. To set this combination of thread, ring and elastic, the elastic is drawn out to its full tension, and prevented from flying back by the needle C, which is driven partly into the top of the table. To the eye of this needle is fastened another thread D, which is either passed behind the scenes to an assistant, or may be secured to the performer's wand that is lying on the table. After borrowing two half dollars, which for the sake of better effect the performer causes to be marked by the owners, the performer apparently places them in some conspicuous place where they may be seen until the moment they are required. What the performer really does, however, is substitutes two prepared coins for the borrowed ones, keeping the originals concealed in the hand. Having shown the glass and cards, the performer places the pack in front of the prepared card on the table. Holding the pack in such a way that the spectators cannot see behind it, the performer secretly places the palmed coins beside each other on the prepared card, and then places the pack on it. The performer now picks up the pack and prepared card and with the coins, placing them evenly on the glass. Taking the other two coins, which the spectators believe to be the borrowed ones, the performer makes the pass with them and pretends to throw them into the glass. At this moment, the thread D must be pulled, either by the assistant or by the performer with the attached wand, thereby pulling the needle out of the tabletop. This releases the ring E and the elastic, with great rapidity, recedes within the table. With the elastic is carried the ring, thread, and card F. The card is so quickly jerked from below the pack that the coins underneath, on account of their inertia, do not accompany the card but fall directly into the glass. As all preparation has vanished into the interior of the table with the elastic, the performer generally requests some spectator to come up and inspect cards, glass and coins &endash; the marks on the coins identifying them as the borrowed ones. Home | Card Tricks | Card Trick Skills | The Pass | The Force | Changes False Shuffling | The Glimpse | Card Palm | Card Sleights Copyright © 2003-2006 HowToDoCardTricks.com. All rights reserved worldwide.   You can quickly get a copy of every trick on this web site in a downloadable PDF book. That's over 40 classic card tricks to amaze and astound your friends, all stored on your computer to refer to at any time! Just click the link below to get your own copy today for just $5.