Now began his search for the money. As he moved about the stage the audience was allowed to see that the right hand was empty. Suddenly he grasped at the air, and then peering into his hand, he struck his forehead as if in despair at finding nothing. Then as the right hand fell to his side the sleeved half-dollar slipped into it.
Now began the money hunt in earnest. With his right side toward the audience, he again clutched at the air, and this time, letting the coin drop to his finger-tips, showed it. Then he tossed it visibly, so that all might see it, into the hat, where it was heard to fall. The next moment, as if with the instinct of the miser, he took it out again and pressed it to his lips, and once more threw it into the hat. This time, however, he only apparently did so, for as the hand went inside the hat he palmed the coin, and let drop one of the coins from the left hand instead.
Round and round the stage he went, catching the coin, palming it, and apparently adding it to the store in the hat, which was each time supplied from the left hand.
When only four or five coins were left in the hand, he actually threw the coin which he "caught" into the hat, turned the empty hand toward the audience--without speaking, however, for the whole trick was carried out in pantomime--and then placing it inside the hat, as if to hold it, took the remaining coins from the left hand. Withdrawing that hand, he turned it, palm outward, toward the audience, and then took the hat with it again, this time keeping the fingers outside. In the mean time he had palmed the four or five remaining coins, for it is as easy for the practised conjurer to palm six as one. These coins he proceeded to "catch," one at a time--which requires considerable practice--and threw each visibly into the hat. This last move set at rest any suspicions which might exist that he had been using one coin throughout the trick.
During the course of the trick, Herrmann at times pretended to pass the coin through the bottom or side of the hat. To do this he merely showed the coin, which he palmed as his hand approached the hat, and let the tips of his fingers touch the plush, as if pushing the coin through. At the same time he dropped a coin from the left hand, and the chink as it came in contact with the others heightened the illusion.