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I've just got my Wilson, Complete Course and thought I'd have a go at some coin technique. Man, doesn't a coin palm feel and look awkward!

I'm using a 2p piece.

Having read around a bit, it seems there are more than one school of thought on the placement of the coin.

I notice one of the tricks uses the right hand to actually do some work on the table. That seems imposible.

My hands have a span (little tip to TT) of about 24cm (9.5 inches). If I try and grab the coin as desribed in the book, I can't help but curl my whole hand over. Not just a bit, loads. My fingers are only just over 90 degreeg from the back of my hand, it seems so wrong.

Now, I know it says practice and so does everyone else, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be practicing. I could really do with some picture of multiple views of the same hand. Just to see what's going on. Or a video. Someone with a 2p and big hands would be splendid.

Any tips would be most welcome.

Try using a 10p because of the milled edge gives you a better grip.


I actually hate doing a classic palm has you said it feels awkard but over the motnhs it will feel better. Plus keep doing it till it feels natural, type point and eat with a palmed coin . well use a fork but hold the coin.

Markdini wrote:Try using a 10p because of the milled edge gives you a better grip.

I tried, that, but because it's smaller, and make my hand look clawed before I can grip.

Would it be helpful if I took some pictures?

There is no way on earth I could type with coins palm without some more understanding about position.

Hmmm Sankeys revoloutionary coin magic or David stones coin magic or David Roths expert coin magic made easy allthoug they use Half dollars but try that a large coin like £2 and then work your way down.

Coins shouldnt be palmed in a tight grip either i read some where that a slight tap on the back of a hand should be able to dislodge the coin. I dont want to go in to much because of expsure, Just thought get Nicolas Eihorns book colour pics of of how to palm coins quit a good card magic bit as well as other bits and bobs in that.

Markdini wrote:they use Half dollars but try that a large coin like £2 and then work your way down.

That sounds reasonable, but I understand that there is some muscle memory involved which sort of means you have to get it right first time, doesn't it?

Using 2 pound coinds looks suspicous in trick and makes your average matrix trick quite expensive

If you still think it's a good idea, then I'll do it.

What you got to lose? I would try £2 i started with Half dollars and £2 , 50ps now i do 2ps.

I hate to say it, but it really is just practice. It took me several months to become comfortable with the classic palm. You just need to train your hand muscles to recognize that there is a coin there.

When I first started doing the classic palm, my hand was all cramped up and I kept thinking "there is no way this will ever look natural". But the more you do it, the easier it will become and eventually it will feel perfectly natural.

I use a loonie (Candian $1) which is the perfect size for my hand but once you get one size, you can pretty much work anything from there.

I recommend just having a coin in your hand as much was possible. Don't worry about picking up the coin yet, just focus on holding it in your hand. Once you get completely used to holding it, the pick ups will follow.

When I was learning, I always had coins in my pocket. There's always time to practice, whether you are walking down the street, sitting on transit or whatever - just keep a coin in your palm.

It's one of those things that just takes time, I've been working on it for a while now, started with £2 and am now happily palming 2p and 10p coins. I find Mark Wilson's method just about spot on once it clicks. Which it will do if you keep working on it.

Also its a bit of cheat see if you can get some palming coins to help you.

Start big practice to you feel comfotable then drop down in size. And you be palming like David Roth in no time.

TOJennie wrote:I hate to say it, but it really is just practice. It took me several months to become comfortable with the classic palm. You just need to train your hand muscles to recognize that there is a coin there.

Well, if that's the case then good.

I'm quite happy to put in months of practice to get something right. I was worried about practicing something that was wrong. When I practiced the palm and pass with cards, I'd do them at least 40 times a day.

Thanks for the advice people.

I've had a pm with a pictorial reference. I'm now typing this with all of my fingers and thumbs whilst palming 2p. I've only dropped it once.

What a revalation. It's not the (dropped it again) same as Complete Course or Bobo, it's much nearer my wrist. It's more natural for my fingers to put it in.

I'm well chuffed.

thats all goo till you try and do a false transfer and hold it in there.

I can place it there and hold it there all day but when I try to falst transfer and hold it in classic palm... my eyes start to bleed again!!!

I.D wrote:thats all goo till you try and do a false transfer and hold it in there.

Which false transfer. I can't see which one would cause a problem.

The false transfer keeping the coin in classic palm.. the only coin sleight i dont seem to be able to do, but the only one im botherd about learning at the moment.

I can put a coin in classic palmwith my fingers and type this message with it held there, but if i have a few coins in my hand and toss three out and keep one in classic coin my hand shrivels up like a sundried tomato again!!

I can hold it there, but the muscle memory aint memorising what position it needs to be in to convingly hold a coin in classic palm without it being palced there by my fingers

Classic palm is really hard, but i do it all the time, literally, walking round town, have a coin palmed, typing right now, i have a coin palmed. My palm is almost undetectable and i can palm a 5p like i palm a 50p. But enough bragging, you want to practise getting it in the right position. Also when it's palmed dont force anything on yourself, dont straighten out the fingers, just let them curl. If you need to pick up something, keep the thumb quite curled so the coin doesn't fall. But, like all good magic, practise. A US half dollar works quite well, but i use 2p or a dollar.