With the help of Commander Chris Hadfield aboard the ISS, the Bank of Canada yesterday launched its new robot- and astronaut-themed five dollar bill. Hadfield had been keeping the new bill under wraps for months.
The new polymer $5 bill shows the Canadarm2 and Dextre manipulator robots, along with an ambiguous astronaut meant to symbolize all Canadians who have contributed to its space program.
The new bill, along with a new $10 note, will enter into circulation this coming November, joining the recently updated $20, $50 and $100 bills. The polymer series is being hailed as Canada's most secure bank notes ever, owing to state-of-the-art security features like holography and transparency.
"By giving prominence to Canadian achievements in space, this banknote reminds us that not even the sky is the limit," said Hadfield.
Of course, as we geek-out over how cool this new bill is, a Canadian focus group complained that it's cartoonish and out-of-step with modern Canada. Most did not recognize Dextre.
The flipside of the bill features Canadian Prime Minister Sir Wilfred Laurier.
For those of you with nothing better to do, here's the 15-minute long ceremony aboard the International Space Station.