Ted’s Locking $1.35 Learning Page

www.tedssterlingmagic.com/product/locking-1-35-trick

Position the coin, head side up in the top of the black plastic ring.  The coin goes into one side only. With your fingers firmly holding it in the ring, strike the ring sharply on a hard flat surface several times.  The coin separates into a dime, a quarter a shell half and a tail side insert of the half dollar. 

Performance:  Place the four component parts onto the table.  Gracefully show your audience that both of your hands are empty.  Relax.  Holding your left hand in front of you, form it into a loose, fist, palm-down.

Use your open hand to pick up the coins one at a time and place them into your fist.  Begin by grasping the insert half between your thumb, index and middle fingers, pause and show the coin to your audience.  (Don’t let them see the machined side.)  Slowly insert into your fist thru the opening.  With your fingers holding the coins hidden from view, inside your closed hand, turn the coin over so that the tail side is down.  The machined side up and ready to accept the quarter. 

Next, pick up the quarter as you did the insert half and repeat the same moves.  Show it.  Place it into your fist.  Turn it over and quietly nest it into the other coin.  Finally, using the previous moves, place the dime into the quarter.  Now pick up the remaining coin (the shell) and add it to those already hidden.  However, this time don’t turn it over, but locate it over the nested coins as you would a cap over a bottle and squeeze!  This will lock the coin together.  Show your hand empty and relaxed.  To execute the vanish, reach back into your fist, remove the gimmicked coin and ask a spectator to hold it for you.

Open your hand and reveal, to the astonishment of all, that the coins have vanished into thin air. 

Hints:  Your coins will be easier to pick up if you place some sort of covering over your table (a table cloth or close-up mat or coin pouch.)

The dime can easily slip out of its nest in the quarter so it is important that you keep the coins in a horizontal position.  On some coin sets, the dime will seat more firmly if it is kept tail side up vs. the machined side up.  So experiment.  Keep the coins level.  If the coins are not nested properly, the shell and insert will not lock when you pass the gimmick out for examination.  Practice until you can handle them confidently. 

For assurance, give the coin an extra squeeze before you hand it to your audience.

COINS THROUGH THE TABLE

Preparation:  Secretly stack a genuine dime, quarter, and two half dollars on your knee or in your lap.  Place the gimmicked coins on the table in front of you.

The Routine:  Begin as in the basic vanish, concealing the coins in your fist, one at a time until all are hidden.  Keeping your fist closed, remove the gimmick half, and show it.  Look at it and tell your audience that this coin will attract the coins still hidden in your hand, and cause them to pass directly through the table. 

Hold the half dollar in your outstretched left hand for everyone to see.  Then casually move your hand under the table.  As you do, carefully leave the gimmicked coin in your lap and pick up the prearranged stack of genuine coins.  Now, move your empty right hand in a fist above the tabletop (knuckles on the table) pretending to look for the spot “right for penetrating coins.”  Suddenly, you find it!  With your fist resting on the spot, say “this is it!” Quickly open your finger so that your once closed fist is now an open hand palm down on the tabletop.  Simultaneously, hit the bottom of the table with the stack of real coins in your left hand.  It will sound like the penetration occurs.

Look at your audience with a gratifying smile.  Lift your hand that was palm down and show that the coins are gone.  Bring the hand from under the table and drop the coins on to the tabletop. 

You have made the coins penetrate the table.