Materials: A coin (quarters, half dollars, and golden dollars work best)
Description: This is what a magician would call a "slight", as in "slight of hand". Don’t let the "basic" in the title fool you, this takes practice to master and is one of those tricks that anyone who wants to perform magic even on an amateur level should learn.
Directions:
1. Put a coin between the thumb and first finger (index finger, the one next to your thumb) of your LEFT hand.
2. Appear to pass the thumb of your RIGHT hand beneath the coin while the fingers from your RIGHT hand hide the coin from view.
3. Quickly close your RIGHT hand as if to snatch the coin from your left hand, but don’t really grab the coin. You are simply creating the illusion that you are grabbing the coin with that hand.
4. Slowly turn your RIGHT hand over and open your hand to reveal that the coin has disappeared into thin air.
5. The real secret here is that while your RIGHT hand was covering the coin in your LEFT hand, you simply dropped the coin into your LEFT hand. The movement of your right hand distracts the viewer from seeing you drop you LEFT hand out of sight.
6. Technically, the trick is complete when you open your RIGHT hand, however there is a common next step. Often you will see magicians reach up to someone’s ear or shirt pocket and make the coin reappear there. To do this, simply make sure to use your LEFT hand, where you left the coin, to make the coin reappear