Hollow Spy Coins
Spy-Coins
Dereu & Sons Mfg. Co.
.50 euro
We often come across unique gadgets that catch our attention; these Spy Coins are no exception. You will never look at a pocketful of change in the same light after opening one up to reveal a concealed memory card that contains some of your most “confidential” information. Well it may not be the highest priority information, but it would be fun to think so.
All the same, these spy coins are made from real uncirculated/circulated coins that have been precision manufactured, cut in half, and gutted to accommodate for the microSD card. Because these coins are the “real deal” they are fairly indistinguishable from pre-altered currency. There is likely to be some buzz about the legality of this process but rest assured it is not illegal to alter currency that deems it to be untradeable within the open market. Nor would it make much sense to pay for your groceries with the coins when they cost considerably more than its face value.
The .50 Euro Coin and the Silver U.S. Kennedy Half Dollar were some great pieces that showed off the craftsmanship behind these coins. It was pleasant to see that the coins were not limited to only U.S currency but expanded to the Euro, British Pound, as well as Swiss and Russian currency. The pressing question I had upon seeing the coins, how do they open? Are they magnetized and if not, they must be a real pain to open to the extent of uselessness. However the question was resolved with an ingenious metal ring that takes the tinkering and time out of getting to your card. Fairly simple process, place the coin in double edged ring and pound it against a hard flat surface to separate the two halves. It sounds like a bit of a barbaric process that could potentially damage the microSD card, but that wasn’t the case. It’s easy to open and doesn’t take a considerable amount of force to do so.
Although these are coins are considerably indistinguishable from traded coins, they do have some slight differences. There is a bit of an edge where the two coins meet that could cause some discrepancy. Likewise, the hollow center makes the coin considerably lighter and gives it that hallowed out sound. If for some reason you receive a potential spy coin with your change at the local electronics store, give it a spin or a flip, and you can tell the difference.
The Spy Coins website also makes it a one-stop-shop for both the coin and microSD card. The coin is sold separately unless you purchase the package deal that includes up to a 16 GB card. Likewise, a 32 GB card could be purchased elsewhere on the internet or a local dealer.
Spy Coins also supplies additional U.S. currency such as the American Silver Eagle, Ike Dollar, and U.S. Peace dollar. Similar to the coins, there is also a selection of hollowed out bolts and spikes to conceal paper currency and similar sized objects. A full list of their product inventory can be viewed at their website http://spy-coins.com/products.htm. Before you decide on your purchase of a spy coin check out their radiopacity link for some additional fun facts http://spy-coins.com/radiopacity.htm.