Which Hand

Effect: Know which hand a spectator is hiding a coin.

Method/Presentation: Use any coin, preferably the spectators, and ask them to place the coin into either hand while your back is turned.

Instruct the spectator to put the hand with the coin up to their forehead and “concentrate” on the coin. Make sure the audience knows you are not looking (maybe get someone to hold your eyes closed when you are turned around). Feign intense concentration for about 15 seconds and then instruct the spectator to lower both of their hands to waist level so you can’t tell which hand contains the coin when you turn around.

When you turn around and look at the spectators hands, you will notice that one hand is slightly paler than the other. This is due to the blood flowing down away from the hand when the hand was held up to the forehead. Also, the hand with the coin will usually have less veins popping out than the other hand. You should be able to correctly deduce the hand with the coin virtually 100% of the time, and the trick is even more impressive if you do it with line people and quickly point to each person’s hand which contains the coin. This is a very impressive display of the power of your mind. Remember, the audience does not know the method, so make a big show about being able to read minds.