Money Magic for Beginners: The Best Coin and Bill Tricks to Start With
How to choose your first coin or bill trick, with a side-by-side look at the money magic we stock, from a $12 coin purse to a full chip set.
By The Online Magic Store
· 4 min read
In this story 8 sections
- What should I look for in a first money trick
- Which money tricks are best for beginners
- What is the easiest money trick to start with
- Which money tricks look best on camera
- I already do card magic. What should I add
- What if I want to learn real coin magic
- How much should I spend on my first money trick
- Frequently asked questions
Money magic works because everyone carries money and everyone cares about it. For a first trick, pick one clear effect you can do with your own wallet: a bill that changes value, money that appears in a spectator's hands, or a coin with a bite taken out of it. Start with one trick, learn it well, then add a coin set when you want to go deeper.
Money is the original everyday object. Tricks with bills and coins feel impromptu, need no explanation and get a reaction because the stakes feel real. Here is how to choose your first one, with prices as listed in our store today in USD.
What should I look for in a first money trick?
- One clear effect. "The $1 became a $20" is easier to remember and retell than a long routine.
- Uses your own money. Many bill tricks need a one-time setup with your local currency, so check the product notes.
- Fits your setting. Some tricks are made for close-up, some for the camera and some to be seen from all sides.
- Easy to carry. The best money tricks live in your wallet, so you always have them.
Which money tricks are best for beginners?
| Trick | What the audience sees | Good for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extortion (Patrick Kun) | A $1 bill changes into a $20 with a blow or a shake | Quick visual moments, social media | $35.00 |
| Cash In (Will Tsai) | A stack of bills appears in a spectator's own hands | Strong reactions, surrounded performing | $35.00 |
| Got Change? (Jason Yu) | A bill visibly changes into coins of the same value | Filming, low-light settings | $34.95 |
| Bitcoin Gaff: Bite Coin (SansMinds Creative Lab) | A bite is taken out of a coin, then it is restored | Comedy, no-skill first trick | $20.00 |
| Devil's Mark (Alan Rorrison) | A chosen card appears in the fabric of a borrowed bill | Card magicians wanting a money finale | $25.00 |
| Split Second (Nicholas Lawrence) | A single bill turns into a full deck of cards | Opening a card routine | $29.95 |
What is the easiest money trick to start with?
If you want something you can do almost straight away, look at the product descriptions that say so. Bitcoin Bite is described as needing no skill, and it gives you a modern reason to pull out a coin. Cash In is described as very easy, with the envelope and money examinable and the trick angle-proof, so you can perform it surrounded. Extortion is described as easy to do and easy to reset. Note that Extortion is a do-it-yourself version: the key material is included, but you supply your own bill and need scissors or a cutter.
Which money tricks look best on camera?
Got Change? is our honest pick for filming. Our store manager's note on the product page says it is designed for the camera, looks good but not as good in real life, and is perfect for promos or low-light performing. Extortion also lists social media among the things it is perfect for. For tips on filming, see our phone magic guide.
I already do card magic. What should I add?
Money and cards mix well. Devil's Mark uses a borrowed bill and a phone to reveal a chosen card in an impossible place, and comes with online instruction and three gimmicks. Split Second turns one bill into a whole deck as an opener; you attach your own bill, and it works with any currency at least as wide as a deck of cards. Find more in our card magic collection.
What if I want to learn real coin magic?
Once a single trick has you hooked, a learning set is the next step. Sucker Punch by Mark Southworth ($39.95) is a fourteen-piece poker chip set built around the kinds of effects usually done with expensive coin gaffs: vanishes, productions, colour changes, transpositions and penetrations. The red and blue chips are larger and higher in contrast than coins, so they read well for bigger groups, and Eric Jones teaches six effects to get you started.
Coin workers also need somewhere to keep their coins. Coin Purse 3.0 from TCC ($12.00) is a small microfibre leather purse that holds a Morgan set and stays open on the table while you perform.
How much should I spend on my first money trick?
Between $20 and $40 covers every trick in the table above. Start with one, perform it until it feels natural, then add another. For more gift-sized ideas, see our magic tricks under $20, or browse the full coins and money collection.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest money magic trick for beginners?
Look for tricks whose descriptions say they are easy or need no skill. In our store, Bitcoin Bite is described as needing no skill, and Cash In and Extortion are both described as easy to do.
Do I need to use my own money for bill tricks?
Often, yes. Many bill tricks need a one-time setup with your own bill so they match your local currency. Check the product description before you buy.
Can money tricks be performed surrounded?
Some can. Cash In is described as angle-proof, so you can perform it with people all around you. Others are designed to be seen from the front, so check each product's notes.
Is coin magic or bill magic easier to start with?
Most beginners find a single gimmicked bill or coin trick quicker to learn, because the prop does much of the work. Classic coin magic with a set of coins or chips takes more practice but gives you more routines.
