Are You a Code Breaker? Try Decrypting Secret Messages in This Newly Launched Australian Limited Coin

Australian collection coin. (Source: asd.gov.au/Colage VOI)

JAKARTA - Amateur codebreakers have been invited to try to decipher a secret coded message, on a limited edition Australian 50-cent coin.

The coin was released on Thursday 1 September to mark the 75th anniversary of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), the agency in charge of signal intelligence, cyberwarfare, and cybersecurity.

The agency teamed up with the Royal Australian Mint to design a limited edition coin, which was coated with a layer of secret code.

When violated, the code contains a specific message about ASD and its evolutionary history as an organization in Australia since the Second World War.

"The launch of this exciting coin challenges Australians to engage with the kind of problem solving that our talented people at ASD do on a daily basis, and may even mark a new career with us for those who can solve them," US Director General Rachel Noble said in a statement. The Guardians September 1.

There are four layers of code on the coin, each more difficult than the last. It combines code that is thousands of years old, to the modern binary code invented during the computing era.

Caption

One layer was inspired by the coding technology used during the Second World War by ASD personnel, where pencil and paper were used to decode Japanese military codes.

This was then re-encoded and sent to the allies, telling them where the Japanese war fighters were.

"We've used parts of our history at different layers, representing 75 years of encryption and technology advancements," said Noble.

There are hints on both sides of the coin, and those with a general understanding of encryption and encoding, will safely pass through the last layer of requiring computers.

"Although some of the encodings for coins date back to the Roman empire, there is still a place for them in modern intelligence," Noble said.

"I am very impressed with the people who work at ASD and this coin celebrates their work, and provides all Australians with a glimpse into our history of protecting the nation from harm," he said.

To note, after being officially launched, as many as 50,000 coins were sold through the Mint online portal.

As for the riddle, ASD will reveal the answer at the end of September.

To commemorate our #75YearsOfASDHistory, today we are excited to unveil a limited edition 50c commemorative coin. The coin, designed in collaboration with @RoyalAustMint will be a keepsake for years to come. Learn more about our anniversary coin at https://t.co/zdWpcQP8IG pic.twitter.com/DiHIaOi5c1

— Australian Signals Directorate (@ASDGovAu) September 1, 2022