These effects are not original, but as yet they have not worked their way into the literature of magic, and for that reason I offer them.
The first trick is now fairly well known. Clip a silver quarter between the first and second fingers ad pick up a glass of water as shown. The quarter is invisible to those in front. By applying pressure with the middle finger and allowing the edge of the quarter to slip from between the fingers, you can cause the quarter to strike the glass with a loud “click”. If you raise the glass to your mouth and pretend to bite the edge nearest you just as you make the click, the illusion of cracking the glass with your teeth is very effective. Particularly so if you have some bits of ice in your mouth which you proceed to crunch upon!
Dr Swenson, Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago, showed me the following little trick years ago. Two quarters are held by the thumb and middle finger of the right hand as shown. The tip of the forefinger bends down and raises the front quarter, then pulls it over the other quarter to the rear side, as illustrated. The move can be repeated indefinitely and you can challenge anyone to duplicate the feat. When they try to do so they find that the back quarter will move in the fingers and refuse to remain stationary.
The secret is subtle and invisible. To the audience your finger tip merely touches the far quarter and raises it. Actually it touches the edge of the coin near the middle finger and rolls the quarter upward against the thumb. This brings it to a position from which it is a simple matter to pull it back over the rear quarter. Unless this roll is made the other quarter will revolve in the fingers with the upper one. Practice the move so that you can execute it fairly rapidly.
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