posted 06-20-2011 08:16 PM               

Bank of Canada's $5 note: Canadarm2, Dextre

The Bank of Canada unveiled a new polymer bank note series today at its head office in Ottawa. Information on the polymer material and advanced new security features was released, along with the images and designs of the soon-to-be-issued $100 and $50 bank notes, and the themes for the remaining notes in the series.

Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty and RCMP Commissioner William J. S. Elliott joined Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney for the unveiling ceremony.

Minister Flaherty spoke of the importance of cash as a means of payment in the daily lives of Canadians, adding this is why it is important Canadians see their story reflected in the designs. "These bank notes evoke the country's spirit of innovation, and their designs celebrate Canada's achievements at home, around the world and in space," he said. "Bank notes are cultural touchstones that reflect and celebrate our Canadian experience."

The notes will contain a number of unique features that expand the frontiers of bank note security and will make them difficult to counterfeit but easy to check. Most prominent are two transparent areas: the larger area extends from the top to the bottom of the note and contains complex holographic features; the other is in the shape of a maple leaf.

Starting with the $20 note in 2012, the remaining bank notes in the polymer series will be issued by the end of 2013. The themes of the other denominations will be...

$5 - Canadarm2 and Dextre -- symbolize Canada's continuing contribution to the international space program through robotics innovation. (Portrait: Sir Wilfrid Laurier)

The specific designs and detailed images of these notes will not be released until their official unveiling dates.

posted 04-30-2013 02:50 PM               

Canada launches new space robot-themed $5 bill with astronaut in orbit

The Bank of Canada had appropriate help Tuesday (April 30) launching its new space-themed $5 bill – the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station (ISS).

"Let me show you an example of how we can reach new heights of innovation," Canadian Space Agency astronaut and Expedition 35 commander Chris Hadfield said, while revealing the astronaut- and robot-arm-adorned bank note from on board the orbiting complex.

Hadfield held up the new blue-color note and let it float in front of him during a live broadcast from the space station.

posted 11-04-2013 03:27 PM               

A ceremony to officially issue the new $5 note, which symbolizes Canada's continuing contribution to the International Space Station program through robotics innovation, and features the Canadarm2 and Dextre on the back of the note, will be held at the Canadian Space Agency in Saint-Hubert, Quebec.

Joining Bank of Canada Governor Stephen S. Poloz to speak at the event will be Chris Hadfield, retired Canadian astronaut and former Commander of the International Space Station.

posted 11-07-2013 12:42 PM               

Canada launches new space robot-themed $5 bill into circulation

Canadians can now cash in on their country's contributions to the International Space Station with the release of a new five dollar bill emblazoned with the orbiting outpost's Canadarm2 robotic arm.

The Bank of Canada began circulating the new $5 note on Thursday (Nov. 7), seven months after debuting the space inspired design aboard the space station. Recently retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who in April revealed the first of the blue-color bills while serving as commander of the station's Expedition 35 crew, came to the Canadian Space Agency's Quebec headquarters to help launch the polymer currency.

"To put technological imagery onto a five dollar bill — it shows that something that was intended as an engineering or exploration achievement can far exceed that," Hadfield told collectSPACE. "It can become culturally symbolic of what people can achieve and part of what people identify as what they are proud of in their civilization."

posted 01-13-2014 08:10 PM               

Monetary currency cannot normally be part of the Official Flight Kit. A document had to be signed by the Bank of Canada’s Chief of Currency Gerry Gaetz, certifying the flown note will not be sold or used for fundraising purposes. NASA approved the flight kit once it received that reassurance.

And because the bill was being taken into space months before making its debut, Bank of Canada representatives were keen to keep it all hush-hush.

They drew up a contract precisely detailing how the banknote was to be safeguarded: the $5 note was to be under the control of Chris Hadfield at all times, and when it was not in use, it — along with all information relating to it — had to be secured in a locked safe.

On Oct. 4, 2012, Bank representatives dutifully arrived at the Canadian Space Agency — contract in hand — to present the banknote to Hadfield. He launched into space on Dec. 19...

posted 01-14-2014 02:14 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Dennis Beatty:
All of this security over five dollars?

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Remember we're discussing five CANADIAN dollars Dennis

Bonjour to all my fellow Canuck space geeks!