Like all our favourite toy cars, they're die-cast - and "shock-proof" too, so we're told. Which is a good thing to be when you're riding around with loose change.

At £19.99 for 4GB and £34.99 for 8GB, they won't (ahem) "break the bank" either. Grab them now from LaCie's online store. http://www.lacie.com/uk/

Press release:

LaCie Mints New USB Products with a Priceless Design

• Up to 8 GB of data that will fit in a coin pocket

• Hot-pluggable, driver-free and cross-platform

• Shock-proof, reliable and fast

• World-renowned 5.5 designers change the look of USB 2.0 flash storage

Today LaCie announced the first minting of the LaCie CurrenKey USB flash drives. Designed to carry in your pocket or coin purse, LaCie CurrenKeys are eye-catching, high-speed USB 2.0 drives that resemble contemporary coinage, ideally suited to hold customers’ valuable data.

Created exclusively for LaCie by the award-winning 5.5 designers, the LaCie CurrenKeys open with a simple rotation of the coin’s edge; an elegant and security-conscious design that easily reveals and hides the USB connector with a twist. For added data security, the LaCie CurrenKeys are made with a shock-proof, die-cast metal for resilience and safety, protecting a user’s on-the-go information.

The reliable LaCie CurrenKeys come with two levels of storage capacity: the silver LaCie CurrenKey can pack up to 8 GB of data while the bronze unit can handle up to 4 GB of information. And LaCie CurrenKeys have the maximum USB 2.0 data transfer rates of up to 480 Mbit/sec.

Both LaCie CurrenKey flash drives are compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. Also, they are backward compatible to USB 1.1, giving customers with older computer connectors the same advantages of function and style as those with the latest USB systems.

The LaCie CurrenKeys product family has already been given the prestigious Design Observeur 09 award from the Agency for the Promotion of Industrial Creation in Paris and was cited for “offering a novel design with a strong identity that makes the range stand out from the crowd.”

Availability

The LaCie CurrenKey USB flash drives are available now, starting at £19. LaCie products are available through the LaCie Online Store and LaCie resellers. For more information, visit www.lacie.com.

About 5.5 designers

Recipients of the “Grand prix de la creation” by the city council of Paris, the 5.5 designers studio focuses on research and consulting. Since its inception in 2003, 5.5 designers has consulted on projects ranging from electronics to public installations and household products. With its focus on “sublimating the ordinary” and talent for humor and simplicity, 5.5 designers has developed a client list populated with major French and international brands and organizations such as Baccarat, Bernardaud, Centre Pompidou and LaCie.