Magic tricks with banknotes: recommended tricks for parties and performances
Magic tricks using everyday items like banknotes are beloved classics.
Watching the bills we use all the time transform brings surprise and delight.
In this article, we’ve collected ideas for bill-based magic that people of all ages—from children to adults—can enjoy.
We’ll introduce eye-catching tricks, such as making a hole appear in a bill or making something pass through it.
Learn these intriguing bill tricks—whose secrets everyone wonders about—and perform them with confidence!
Magic tricks using banknotes. Recommended tricks for parties and performances (1–10).
A finger pierces through a bill
A magic trick where you take a bill and make your finger pass through it.
Despite the simple moves, the impact on the audience is outstanding.
It requires almost no setup, so you can perform it anywhere on the spot, which is a big draw.
You can show the bill completely unharmed, which makes it even more mysterious.
It’s easy even for first-timers and is sure to grab everyone’s attention! At the moment your finger penetrates the bill, you’re bound to hear gasps of surprise from those around you.
A magic trick where a bill penetrates another bill
It’s impossible for an object to pass through another in real life, right? But with a bit of cleverness in magic, you can make it look like objects penetrate each other.
For example, simply adding a small crease to a bill and placing it a certain way can make it appear as though another bill passes right through it.
The secret is simple once revealed, but in magic, making the audience believe what they’re seeing is a crucial point.
You may also need deft hand movements so the method isn’t noticed.
It’s an easy trick to set up and perform, so why not practice it and show it off?
A magic trick where a banknote placed on the palm folds itself
Even with items from a 100-yen shop, you can create a professional-level magic gimmick.
Get some thin nylon thread used for crafts, which is also sold at 100-yen stores.
Fold a bill and make a small hole in one spot.
Using a safety pin is convenient because it makes a tiny hole.
Thread the nylon through the hole in the bill, and the gimmick is complete.
If you pull the end of the thread while keeping it hidden in your clothing pocket, the bill will fold up on its own.
The key is to pay attention to the order in which you thread the string through the hole in the bill.
Banknotes that can’t be cut apart
It’s a fascinating magic trick where you seem to place a 10,000-yen bill in an envelope and cut it with scissors, yet the bill inside remains uncut.
In reality, the envelope has been gimmicked to make it look like the bill is inside, keeping it safe from the cut.
You can substitute any piece of paper that fits entirely inside the envelope instead of a bill, so it looks like a trick you could perform in a variety of situations.
Magic trick where a large amount of money appears
A magic trick where bills multiply one after another.
It’s a mysterious act that captures the audience’s attention.
The key is that, despite the simple gimmick, you can create a visually impressive performance.
Since it uses neatly folded bills, preparation is easy.
Practice and timing are crucial, so rehearse repeatedly in front of a mirror before the real performance.
If you present it with a smile and have fun, it’s sure to be a hit.
Surprise everyone with a money-magic routine!
Mental magic using banknotes
Have you ever taken a close look at a banknote? In fact, the front side of a banknote has a serial number printed in a mix of Roman letters and digits.
The trick I’m about to introduce uses this number! First, the magician borrows about five banknotes from the audience.
From those, a spectator chooses one and memorizes its serial number.
Here’s the thing: since the serial number is only printed on the front side, up to this point the magician has only looked at the back.
Yet, the magician then reads the spectator’s mind and names the memorized serial number.
The secret is that not only was the spectator subtly forced to choose that particular note, but the magician has already used a small technique to memorize its serial number in advance.
It’s a baffling piece of mental magic you can do even when you don’t have a deck of cards!
Magic where five sheets of white paper turn into banknotes
The magic trick where blank paper turns into banknotes is perfect as entertainment for a special occasion.
Tricks that use money stick in people’s minds because they blend the familiar with the extraordinary.
Watching a stack of crisp bills appear right before the audience’s eyes is sure to become an unforgettable memory.
It does require careful preparation, but the moment you perform it, the excitement skyrockets.
Master this trick and you’ll be an instant crowd favorite.
Give it a try as a surprise for a special day.