Science Bite - Mysterious Money Trick

Mysterious Money Banner

Make a coin disappear!  Learn the science of light behind this great magic trick - amaze your friends!

Always remember to ask your parent or guardian to help you.

You will need…

Materials required for Mysterious Money, Science Bite
  • A piece of plain white paper (or a white tablecloth)
  • A glass of water
  • A small plate or saucer
  • A coin

    • Instructions

    Mysterious Money 1

    Step 1


    Place your coin onto your piece of paper or
    white tablecloth.

    Mysterious Money 2

    Step 2


    Place your glass on top of the coin then show your audience how your coin can still be seen, by looking through the glass from above.

    Mysterious Money 3

    Step 3


    Carefully balance the plate on top.

    Mysterious Money 4

    Step 4


    Watch your audience gasp at how the coin 
    vanishes before their eyes.

    Stand back and enjoy the applause!

    How does it work?


    We need light to see and we see objects because light reflects off of them and into our eyes.


    The light bends each time it hits a substance.  The amount the light bends depends how dense the substance is. 


    The light reflecting off the coin needs to pass through three substances; water, glass and air. This has caused the light to bend many times and so the image of the coin does not get reflected into our eyes.  It looks as though it has vanished!