The news of beloved actor Leonard Nimoy’s passing on Friday has saddened his fans over the last few days, but we’ve got to hand it to our neighbors in the wintry north for their unique way of paying tribute: Reviving a past trend known as “Spocking,” mourning Canadians have been doodling on their $5 bills, turning the image of Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier into that of the half Vulcan, half human Star Trek character.
Trekkies in Canada are flexing their artistic muscles with variations on the Spocking theme, which works best on older, cotton cloth bills — though some have succeeded in drawing his likeness on the newer polymer currency as well.
This outburst in affection for Nimoy was prompted by a Tweet from Canadian Design Resource, urging Canadians to Spock their bills:
Canadians have been doing this since at least 2008, notes CNET, when the Facebook group “Spock Your Fives” promoted the practice.
It’s not illegal to change the bills into Spock as the denomination is still clearly visible — though PhotoShopping your own bills and trying to use them would be a big no-no — but the Bank of Canada said back in 2002 that it’s not a great idea.
“Writing on a bank note may interfere with the security features and reduces its lifespan,” the Bank of Canada said. “Markings on a note may also prevent it from being accepted in a transaction.”
Canadians ‘Spocking’ their currency in tribute to Leonard Nimoy [CNET]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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