DISCOVERING A SELECTED COIN.
In this experiment the performer has an assistant, usually a young lady as the effect is better, whom he blind-folds, and she takes a seat in the room. He next borrows a number of coins from those in the audience, and has some one person select a coin. The performer asks this person to notice the coin carefully so that he can identify it. He then asks the person to hold the coin tightly in his hand and think very intently about it. The rest of the coins are now placed in a hat, and after a short period the person who has selected a coin is asked to drop the coin into the hat with the others. The coins are now well shaken up, and the hat taken to the blind-folded assistant. She puts her hand into the hat and promptly withdraws the selected coin. This, while a very simple trick, is very effective. The coin which the person selects and holds in his hand becomes slightly warm from the heat of the hand, and the assistant is thus able to distinguish it from the other coins, which are cool.