New 50c coin contains a secret message only the best codebreakers can crack
If you can crack the code on this 50c piece, you might have what it takes to join one of Australia’s most secretive intelligence agencies.
The newly minted coin has four unique layers of code which contain special messages about the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD).
The coin was launched to mark the ASD’s 75th anniversary.
“This exciting coin release challenges Australians to engage with the sorts of problem-solving that our talented people at ASD do every day, and might even be a pointer to a new career with us for those who can crack it,” ASD Director-General Rachel Noble said.
“If you love puzzles and solving problems, and if you can discover the messages on our 75th anniversary coin, then a career at ASD may be just what you’re looking for.”
The coin won’t enter circulation, meaning you are unlikely to be handed it as change at the supermarket.
But it can be bought at the Royal Australian Mint from today.
Some of the coding on the coin dates back thousands of years, while another is a modern binary code.
The ASD is responsible for signals intelligence, cyber warfare and cyber security.
The agency functions as Australia’s chief codebreaking unit, and seeks to intercept messages sent by adversaries and decrypt them.
The ASD plays a powerful role within the Five Eyes intelligence network.
