Special 150 Celebration Penny

That takes the cake. The strangest thing I remember ever reading about coins ever.
It is amazing but then why?

This is strangest thing I ever heard.

The hole will be plugged by who knows what.. and that poor flag will be buried.

Impractical, but way cool!

Great way to waist money like mentioned probably tax payers money.
Way to go Canada

Wow that is incredible,
I'm always amazed by technology like this.

Of course you wouldn't... by your logic, is the local fire department truck available to any taxpayers who want to borrow it to come your bonfire? Can the taxpayers borrow the local Sherriff's department car to chase speeders on their own street? What about walking into any taxpayer funded high school and signing up for courses? Maybe you can stroll into any hospital and use their taxpayer-funded MRI scanner when you feel like it...

These are research instruments. They are used for research. The researcher in Montreal who made this flag in a penny wanted to demonstrate what his instrument was capable of, in a way that any common person could understand. Part of what researchers have to do, is to try and explain how their research is relevant - without losing their audience in the heavy science and details. I use my instruments with collaborative research between my institution and the Bank of Canada Currency Museum, so that Canada's rarest numismatic treasures can be better understood and properly documented. It is cheaper than the taxpayers buying a second set of analytical instruments just for the museum...

But, to answer your question, Yes. If that taxpayer can demonstrate to me that they understand the instrument - it is not simply black box technology (by having a PhD and relevant research experience, or enrolled as a student in a graduate student program) and they can prove that their own research has relevance (either as archeological, historical or numismatic significance), and that they intend to publish their results - then yes, they can use my instruments (assuming they can get the security clearance to enter my lab). Some people have done exactly that.

Dr John Deyell analyzed several hundred ancient hammered India silver coins with my XRF - the results of which will published as a sequel to this book:

https://www.amazon.ca/Living-withou...86091&sr=1-1

Also, Dr. Chris Faulkner used my XRF to study early Canadian pre-confederate tokens - to be published in an upcoming book.

When I use it - I share my results in papers published with the Canadian Numismatic Journal, which include the Canadian 1859 brass cent and 1944 War Victory 5c coins.

In all publications, the use of the instrument and my organization, was duly acknowledged.

That said, I digress. If you want to simply go test your valuables... then go to a jewelry store or coin shop. Use of my machine is for numismatic research...

The first sentence in my post was meant to be
sarcasm ( think it failed ) . If it were not
for these "taxpayer" purchased types of equipment
I would probably have a chunk of pig in my chest
instead of the longer lasting unit I have now.
SPP-If offended my apologies