Take two pieces of fancy paper with one side in colours, patterns, or
marbling, about seven inches square, put the coloured sides together,
and cut them at the same time in the shape of Fig. 7.
[Illustration: Fig. 7.]
The success of the trick depends on their being exactly alike in size.
Place a sixpence in the centre of one of the pieces at the place marked
A, then fold it carefully over at the crease on the side marked B, and
also again at the side marked C. When you have done this, turn down the
end marked D upon the centre A and again fold over on E. You have thus
formed a small parcel the shape of Fig. 8, with a sixpence in the
middle. You must then put a shilling in the centre of the other piece of
paper, and fold it up exactly the same size and shape as the first
piece. When you have done this, paste the two parcels together at the
back of the ends marked F in Fig. 8, and the sides will be so even that
both will appear as one. You can then open the side of the paper
containing the smaller coin, and show it to your audience, at the same
time informing them that you are going to open a mint on a small plan,
and coin a shilling from a sixpence. Dexterously turn over the side
containing the shilling, and upon opening the paper, to the general
astonishment, instead of a sixpence they will behold a shilling.
[Illustration: Fig. 8.]