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Hamburger Vanish by Jay Sankey

Created by: Jay Sankey

The Hamburger Vanish is a visually stunning close-up coin magic trick where a coin is held at the fingertips, seemingly dropped into the other hand, but vanishes into thin air. The secret lies in a clever finger movement that allows the coin to secretly return to the original hand. This trick is ideal for close-up performances and requires no gimmicks, just a coin and practice. It’s a great addition to any magician’s repertoire, especially for those who enjoy sleight of hand and misdirection.

Key features

  • No gimmicks required, just a regular coin

  • Visually impressive and deceptive

  • Requires practice to master the finger movements

  • Great for close-up or table magic performances

  • Works well with natural misdirection

Pros

  • Highly visual and baffling to spectators

  • Uses everyday objects (no special props needed)

  • Versatile for various performance settings

  • Adds a unique vanish to your coin magic routine

Cons

  • Requires significant practice to perfect the finger movements

  • May be challenging for beginners

  • Best performed at an angle to hide the secret move

Effect

The Hamburger Vanish is a visually striking coin vanish where the magician shows a coin at their fingertips, drops it into their hand, and it seemingly disappears. The audience sees the coin fall into the hand, but when the hand is opened, the coin is gone. The effect is clean and leaves no trace, making it a strong piece of magic.

Full details

The Hamburger Vanish involves a clever use of finger manipulation and misdirection. The magician holds the coin at their fingertips and pretends to drop it into their other hand. However, the coin is secretly retained in the original hand through a subtle finger movement. The key to this vanish is the extension of the pinky finger, which acts as a screen to hide the coin as it is pulled back into the hand. The magician then shows the hand empty, creating the illusion that the coin has vanished.

Who should consider the trick

The Hamburger Vanish is ideal for magicians who are comfortable with coin magic and have some experience with sleight of hand. It is particularly suited for those who want to add a visually impressive vanish to their repertoire. The trick works well in close-up settings and can be performed with any coin, making it versatile for different performance contexts.

Information on how difficult it is to perform

The Hamburger Vanish is considered one of the more challenging vanishes in the set of 10 techniques discussed by Jay Sankey. It requires precise finger control and timing to execute the vanish smoothly. The trick involves a specific movement of the pinky finger, which may take practice to master. However, with consistent practice, magicians can achieve a clean and deceptive vanish.

What magicians say

Jay Sankey describes the Hamburger Vanish as "probably the hardest vanish of these ten," but also notes that it is "the smallest and most amazing juggling feat in the world." He emphasizes the importance of practice and the subtlety of the finger movements involved. Sankey also suggests performing the trick slightly to the left to enhance the natural misdirection, making the vanish even more deceptive. Overall, the Hamburger Vanish is praised for its visual impact and the skill required to perform it effectively.

What people are saying about Hamburger Vanish

SankeyMagic says...

The Hamburger Vanish is probably the hardest vanish of these ten, but it’s visually stunning. They see the coin at your fingertips, see you drop it in the hand, but it’s gone. [...] The way it works is even though it left the right hand, it ends up secretly back in the right hand.

Tutorial videos