How to Classic Palm a Coin

This web page is a mirror of Dan Watkin's web page How to Classic Palm of Coin. It is copied here with his permission.

Photo from Gray's Anatomy	To the left is an muscular view of the hand.  The muscles used in palming are the ones highlighted in yellow.
	A coin that is to be classic palmed usually starts out in the fingertips in fingertip rest position.
	The coin is pressed up into the palm of the hand.  The exposed view to the left is usually done with the palm pointing down (not up like this).  Notice that the thumb and the pointer finger touch.  This is good technique to keep your thumb from jutting out to the side telegraphing that you are palming a coin.
	The coin is now held in classic palm.  Notice which muscles are gripping the coin (highlighted in yellow).  Do not grip the coin where the arrow is pointing.  If you hold the other edge of the coin where the arrow is pointing your hand takes on an arthritic look and your pinky and ring fingers are not able to move freely.
	Here is a view of the hand pointed downward.  You can see the "V" that your hand muscles make.  The coin is held inside this "V" with proper muscle tension.  It will feel strange at first, but after constantly keeping a coin there during the normal course of a day, it will begin to feel very natural, and effortless.
	Here is a top view, again showing where the coin rests, and as stated above, it is not held by the muscle at the base of the fingers.  See how all fingers can be stretched out normally?
	Here I gripped the coin very tightly.  This is tighter than you normally hold the coin, but I wanted to exaggerate to show more clearly how the coin is being held.
	Here is a good view of the coin removed after I held it very tightly above.  You can see the marks in my hand left by the coin.  Again, this shows which muscles are holding the coin.

After you learn to palm a coin, here is some more details on working with the classic palm:

	A little advice on palming multiple coins:  To the left is an image of palming multiple coins fanned out to demonstrate that a coin can be palmed very deep in the hand (toward the wrist) or very shallow in the hand (toward the pointer finger).  Some routines that involve stealing a coin with your fingers may be easier if you fan the coins as shown.  Other routines that involve the controlled one by one release of a coin by relaxing the hand may be easier if you palm in a stack (not fanned) deep (toward the wrist).  The deeper you palm the coins the less "meat" of your muscles you have to hold the coins, so slight relaxation of the muscles will cause a coin to fall free easier.  I personally find it takes a little more muscle effort to hold a coin in deep classic palm, and tends to make my hand look slightly more strained.  You should be able to palm deep, shallow, or in the middle of your palm so that in a fast paced routine, during a quick palm, you are not stuck if it does not hit your palm perfectly where you wanted it.  You will be able to palm it anyway.
	To the left the top picture is 4 half dollars palmed in a stack at about mid classic palm.  This shows how the same information above with the single coin still applies to palming multiple coins.  The very same muscles are used, the fingers are free to move. To the left below I purposely palmed 4 half dollars improperly.  See how my hand is cramped looking and cannot go flat.  The muscle at the base of my ring and pinky fingers are holding the coins against my thumb muscle.  This locks my pinky and ring finger from moving freely and gives me that arthritic cramped look.
	One last note on palming from looking at the hand on the top side.  With a coin in classic palm, if you stretch your fingers out there will ALWAYS be some "dimpling" in your hand where the arrow points, however, usually only a fellow magician knowing what to look for would be able pick it up.  You can lessen the degree of "dimpling" by holding your hand with your fingers naturally curled in.  Look at your hand right now as you read this.  Your fingers will undoubtedly be curled to some degree.  When performing at a table, when resting your hand on the table, keep in mind to keep the heel of your hand on the table, not floating un-naturally above the table top.

After you acquire the ability to hold a coin in palm, what you want to do is concentrate on making your hand look natural.  I did not post pictures of what this looks like because the best example is to look at your hand empty, then look at your hand with a coin in classic palm.  You want the hand with a coin to look as much as it can to the hand without a coin.  Good luck!

Photographs and instruction by Dan Watkins Last updated 1/3/01