Those damn Canadians and their colorful but non-radio transmitter money win this round.
Call it Canada’s contribution to the 21st century Cold War.
This country’s poppy quarter sent the intelligence community into fits last year after the U.S. issued a warning about radio transmitters concealed in a coin. That alert had Canadian intelligence officials scratching their heads. Which Canuck coin was the U.S. talking about?
Just declassified information obtained by The Associated Press now indicates that it was Canada’s commemorative quarter — the world’s first coloured coin — that set alarm bells ringing in Washington.
Not bad for a piece of metal worth just 22.6 cents US.
Here’s how it played out. Sometime from October 2005 to January 2006, U.S. defence contractors travelling in Canada became suspicious of the shiny coins that kept appearing in their pockets and cars. And since no change they knew of had colour, they assumed that something nefarious was afoot.
(Thanks Alex)