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Ever since watching James Bond as a child, we’ve all dreamt about spy toys. Secret cameras, hidden guns, that kind of thing. Well here’s the real deal, straight out of the KGB vaults.
Pictured above, for instance, is a tiny film camera, concealed in a coat button, courtesy of English Russia. The handheld device let KGB agents photograph, well, whatever they damn well pleased. Most importantly, though, it let them do it while being discreet, too.
Sure, we’ve shown you the kinds of toys that CIA agents get to play with with before. But there’s something about this KGB kit that feels right. By which I mean, I could imagine a Russian foe of James Bond using them: it’s gritty, utilitarian and looks like it really works. Here are some more of our favourites:
A miniature gun hidden in the inside of a glove.
A 4.5mm gun hidden inside a lipstick.
A small camera hidden inside a pen.
A coin with a hidden recess on the inside.
An electronic listening system hidden inside a log.
You can see the full set of pictures, including cyanide guns and concealed AK-47s, by heading over to English Russia. It’s well worth it. [English Russia]
Coins with containers never went away:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/b308/
http://spy-coins.com/index.htm
They’re an excellent size for sd cards. I wouldn’t be surprised if modern day spies weren’t using something similar today.
The one problem is I imagine they’re very obvious under x-ray. (Although I don’t know, and google wouldn’t tell me. Anyone know?)
But why would you x-ray coins, unless you already suspected the person was smuggling data via this method, in which case you would be looking closely at them anyway. Also, do they weigh the same as normal coins? If not maybe you could add an amount of lead, which would have the added advantage of blocking x-rays.
You could probably get away with it in an x-ray but they do show up: http://spy-coins.com/radiopacity.htm
Those pics don’t show the pound coin one though, I would hope that the extra thickness would help.
The listening device inside that log looks incredibly Dr. Who-ish.
Those pics don’t show the pound coin one though, I would hope that the extra thickness would help. Incidentally you can now pick up video camera pens at Maplins.
I wonder how much spy world shooting went on…and does it still go on?
My mate, who is ex army, didn’t know any stories (need to know stuff) – but he reckons quite a bit goes on…Snipers and SAS type stuff. He knows lads in both fields, and they were never allowed to say what they’d been doing.
Could’ve been just going to Burger King for all we know?