This may seem like a lot of trouble for the vanish of a half dollar but it is so clean and startling that once you use it you’ll not stop doing it at all available times.

To a half dollar size coin solder a small wire loop near the edge but not projecting over. Tie one end of an 8 in. piece of catgut to the wire loop, attaching the other end to ordinary black elastic used for pulls. The pull is fastened to the back of the vest and comes around left side of the body through a belt loop. The performer must set the coin in his left thumb and forefinger where it is held in the classical “french drop” position. The attachment is near the thumb and the sketch is made to show, from a side angle, how the catgut part of the pull goes over and around the wrist in a most unorthodox manner.

The left sleeve is pulled up, and the coin shown to the person in front, thumb being uppermost, and fingers lowermost. Only the thumb and forefinger grip the coin. THE CATGUT CUTS INTO THE HAND AT SUCH A POINT AND IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT IS INVISIBLE TO ANYONE BEFORE YOU. THEY LOOK AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE BUT THE COIN APPEARS JUST THE WAY IT NORMALLY SHOULD.

Now take the breast pocket hank out and throw it over the left hand. “Please see that the hand does not move.” As you speak, turn the body to the right, grasping the left wrist with right fingers. “Will you please hold my wrist tightly, like this?” As you make the gesture, the coin is let go to whip across the back of the hand, under the wrist, and scurry to the left hip. The spectator holds on while you mutter abracadabra like words. Then the spectator removes the hank. The direction of vanish is so different, plus the deceptive absence of connections, that the effect is a bit of magical beauty.