20070111 Spy Coins

Spy Coins

January 11, 2007

This photo released by the Central Intelligence Agency shows a hollow container, fashioned to look like an Eisenhower silver dollar.

“Pentagon Warns Contractors About 'Canadian' Spy Coins”

I have been a coin collector every since I was a small boy and was fascinated with the standing liberty quarters that Mom would give me for my lunch money.

OMG, what I wouldn’t give to have a bunch of those quarters.

Yes folks, can we talk? Come a little closer and I’ll confide with you that I am a rabid “numismatist.”

Usually any news story about coins easily catches my eye. But the following story had a turn and twist in it that I thought was worth sharing.

In an interesting story I found on the Fox News web site, apparently, the United States government has issued a warning in which it described “a new espionage threat: Canadian coins with tiny radio frequency transmitters hidden inside.”

“The government said the mysterious coins were found planted on U.S. contractors with classified security clearances on at least three separate occasions between October 2005 and January 2006 as the contractors traveled through Canada.

“Intelligence and technology experts said such transmitters, if they exist, could be used to surreptitiously track the movements of people carrying the spy coins.”

Read the rest of the story here.

I’m guessing that I really don’t want any of these coins in my pocket while traveling in the future. However, I think it would be fun to have one in my collection.

Kevin

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