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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
260
CHAPTER
VIII.
TRICKS
WITH
COIN
REQUIRING
SPECIAL
APPARATUS.
THE
“HEADS
AND
TAILS”
TRICK.--This
is
a
pretty
little
trick,
of
an
unpretending
nature,
but
of
very
good
effect,
especially
if
introduced
in
a
casual
and
apparently
extempore
manner.
The
performer
borrows,
or
produces
from
his
own
pocket,
four
penny-pieces.
Placing
them
upon
the
table,
he
requests
some
one
to
make
a
pile
of
them,
all
one
way,
say
“tail”
upwards.
He
next
requests
the
same
or
another
person
to
turn
over
the
pile
so
made,
without
disturbing
the
relative
position
of
the
coins,
and
announces
with
an
air
of
supernatural
knowledge
that
they
will
now
all
be
found
“head”
upwards.
This
appears
so
ridiculously
obvious,
that
the
audience
naturally
observe
(with
more
or
less
straightforwardness
of
expression)
that
“any
fool
could
tell
that.”
“Pardon
me,”
says
the
performer,
“it
is
not
quite
such
a
simple
matter
as
you
think.
I
very
much
doubt
whether
any
of
you
could
do
as
much.
I
will
place
the
coins
again;
watch
me
as
closely
as
you
please.
I
will
place
them
as
before--Tail,
tail,
tail,
tail.
Is
that
fairly
done?
Now
I
will
turn
them
over.”
He
does
so,
letting
the
tips
of
his
fingers
rest
upon
them.
“What
are
they
now?”
A
general
chorus
replies,
“All
heads,
of
course!”
But
on
examination
it
is
found
that
only
three
are
“heads,”
and
one
a
“tail.”
Again
he
arranges
them,
placing
them
this
time
alternately--head,
tail,
head,
tail.
He
turns
them
over.
The
natural
order
(beginning
from
below)
would
again
be
head,
tail,
head,
tail;
but
they
are
found
to
be
head,
tail,
tail,
tail.
Again
he
places
them,
tail,
tail,
tail,
head.
When
turned
over
they
should
be
tail,
head,
head,
head,
but
are
found
to
be
tail,
head,
alternately.
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