When you make the first attempt, and appear to fail, in the upward
movement of your hands you open them and allow the shilling resting upon
the nail of your left hand to slip into the palm, while you permit the
coin in the palm of your right hand to fall, with the one above it on
the nail, on the table. If this is done neatly the company will suppose
it is the two coins from the nails which have fallen. You now have two
shillings in your left hand and none in your right. In the second
attempt you have only to catch the shillings resting on your nails in
the manner described, and on showing one shilling in your right hand and
three in your left, your statement that one has travelled invisibly from
one hand to the other will appear to be correct.