A security tag and system for securing objects, the system and security tag includes an acousto magnetic (“AM”) electronic article surveillance (“EAS”) component that has a housing with a defined surface area. The housing of the EAS component includes a perimeter boundary that defines an EAS component plane. The system and security tag further include a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) component that includes an integrated circuit and a dipole antenna defining an RFID component plane that is substantially coplanar with the EAS component plane. The integrated circuit and the dipole antenna are positioned externally along the perimeter boundary of the EAS component.