SCP-1289 Prior to containment

Item #: SCP-1289

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-1289 is held within a .5m3 chamber composed of level 4 ballistic glass. The chamber is affixed with the display readout of a 24-hour atomic clock set to Greenwich Mean Time. The coin is secured centrally within a free-spinning armature, both ends of which are held in place by way of magnetic levitation. The chamber is to be observed at all times by a minimum of three cameras with feeds directly transmitted to an on-site monitoring and recording suite, Overwatch HQ and Information Logistics Unit-██. Any and all movement of SCP-1289 is to be called to the attention of the site director.

Description: SCP-1289 is a coin of indeterminate origin weighing exactly 10 grams. Although the coin shows signs of wear, sampling for purposes of metallurgical analysis has proven impossible. Linguistic analysis reveals the coin's writing to be a heretofore unrecorded evolution of Latin. Foundation linguists have translated the language and have found that the writing changes during activation events (see below). The obverse of the coin depicts a traditionally Greco-Roman profile, while the reverse depicts a robed man piloting a gondola-style boat.

Under specific circumstances (hereafter referred to as 'activation events'), the coin will, under its own power, jump and begin flipping in midair. The coin will reach and maintain a maximum flip speed of 170 R.P.M. for 5 minutes (measurements consistent in every event). No effective means to restrain the coin from activating have been found. When pinned, encased or otherwise restrained from jumping, the coin will pulverize any material interfering with flipping.

When allowed to land on a surface, the coin never lands on edge, bounces, rolls, or otherwise display any level of ambiguity concerning its heads or tails result. Current containment procedures satisfy the coin's need to jump during activation events, which still occur in containment with the coin 'freezing' on a result.

Activation Events: Submitted by Information Logistics Unit-██: A correlation between activation events and several persons of significance has been established. A 'person of significance' is defined as a person whom, in surviving, will directly influence global events and culture. Causality study 1289-Alpha has determined that the coin is neither portentous of nor causal to the death or survival of a person of significance, and yet displays a deterministic factor correlated by way of heretofore unknown means.

Partial log of significant activation events

Date: February 3rd, 1959

Result: Tails (indicates expiration, identity unverified, multiple possible subjects)

Translation: a word; translated as "Silence" or "Quiet"

Date: June 12, 1962

Result: Heads (indicates survival; identity verified 1979)

Translation: a phrase; translated as "Use Force" or "Utilize Might"

Date: March 30, 1981

Result: Heads (indicates survival, identity verified within 12 hours)

Translation: the phrase "Frozen blade" or "Ice weapon"

Date: January 27, 1984

Result: Heads (indicates survival, identity verified within 24 hours)

Translation: the phrase "Long Live The King" or "Life to the Ruler"

Date: March 31, 1993

Result: Tails (indicates expiration, identity verified within 72 hours)

Translation: the phrase "Do Not Look" or "Look Away"

Special activation log; ILU ██ access only

Access Granted

Date: January 10, 2016

Result: Inconclusive. (See notes)

Translation: A word; translated as "Home" or "Center" appearing on both sides of the coin.

Activation Notes:

This is the strangest activation of the obol we have witnessed. Although we were informed of the subject of the flip within mere minutes, the flip itself was a singular event. The coin spun in its housing as usual, however when the usual freeze event occurred the obol was facing as if on edge, and identical writing was recorded from both sides. This is the first and only truly ambiguous result the obol has expressed; I'm forced to wonder if this coin knows more that it usually provides.

-Dr. G. Maines, Director, Information Logistics Unit ██