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concealed "nano-technology" transmitters to track the movements of the persons possessing the coins.

Feeding off this was a story that a U.S. contractor claimed he was certain he had emptied his jacket pockets of change, only to later discover two of the "spy coins" in the pockets hours later.

Another circulating story that raised some eyebrows in the U.S. intelligence community was a detailed examination by yet another contractor who reported that though the coins did not appear to be analog electronic or have an obvious power source, they did appear to consist of various clear materials containing something that resembled a wire mesh grid in the mix. He had made these observations using a high power microscope.

These, and other reports, prompted the Defense Department's Security Service to issue alert warnings, saying "mysterious coins with radio frequency transmitters 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."

"How silly was that?" asked one RCM official who declined to be identified. "Sounds as if those blokes in Washington and Langley (CIA headquarters) are reading too much Tom Clancy! When a transmitter of any type is attached to a person, or vehicle, isn't the intention that it remain there and send back vital tracking information? How would that be possible using a coin? Didn't it occur to anyone who gave credence to this ridiculous suspicion that coins could be spent and off on there way elsewhere?

"And this rubbish about ultraviolet light making the coins glow strangely being suggested proof that there is something afoot, something nefarious and sinister about the coins. Do you have any idea how many things we all come in contact with every day that routinely glow, or shine differently under various lighting conditions?"

At this writer's request, RCM communications associate Christine Aquino brought up the matter of why the substance covering the red center glowed under special lighting:

"They say that's simply a chemical reaction to the properties included to protect the paint. Nothing more, nothing less. The fact that it gives off a reflective glow under certain lighting conditions is just a harmless natural reaction."

She added that suspicions the glow produced under certain lighting could be used to counter counterfeiting was equally implausible. "It's just not the case. It had never been a major concern.

The

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