TORN & RESTORED PENNY

by Connor
(Mass.)

THE EFFECT: A penny is passed out for examination. The year and any identifying marks are remembered. The magician takes the penny back and rips it straight down the middle!


Again it is passed out for examination. The year and identifying marks are the same! Now the magician restores the penny and passes it out once more for total examination. Amazing!


THE SECRET: You need two identical pennies (with the same year). Use whatever tools you have to make a cut, about halfway down the middle of the penny. Bend it slightly so it looks torn, not cut.


TIP: A coping saw or hacksaw works best to cut the coin. Use a clamp preferably a vice to hold the coin still. Use plyers or similar to bend the coin. Be VERY careful when doing this so you do not hurt yourself.


Now, make a few SMALL and IDENTICAL scratches on both pennies. Now it's time for the trick! Hide the gimmicked penny in your hand (finger palm) while showing the other penny. Pass it out so the spectators can see the year and ask them to remember any identifying marks. Take it back and with a bit of misdirection secretly switch it with the gimmicked coin.


Now pretend to tear it. It appears as if you just tore a penny with your bare hands! Pass it out again for inspection. Because of the similar markings on each penny, spectators have no reason to think a switch was made. Take it back and switch it again for the normal coin, then pretend to fix it.


TIP: For a little humor, pretend to glue it back together with a tube of toothpaste! (Introducing the toothpaste will give you the added misdirection to switch the pennies). Show the "fixed" penny and if you want, give it to a spectator to keep as a little souvenir.