# Why do so many of my $5 bills have Spock on them instead of Wilfrid Laurier? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 6, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871 "2010-02-06T01:19:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/61 "2010-02-11T13:13:06Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > He’s been there since the Scenes of Canada series in 1969. Prior to that, Laurier was on the [1935 thousand dollar note](http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/banknotes/general/character/1935_tho.html) and the [1937 thousand dollar](http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/banknotes/general/character/1937_tho.html) note. He disappeared from the 1954 series, which had Her Majesty on all the notes, probably to commemorate her recent ascension to the throne, but came back in 1969, as **matt** mentions. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/62 "2010-02-11T18:38:16Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > 'k. Where do you wanna put the sekrit code? ::Goes and gets bill:: How about right under his ear, by his collar, on the left side of the bill? Yup, it fits in there nicely. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/63 "2010-02-11T19:02:12Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > ::Goes and gets bill:: > How about right under his ear, by his collar, on the left side of the bill? Yup, it fits in there nicely. 🙂 :: checks in wallet :: Er, can you break a ten? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/64 "2010-02-11T19:06:26Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Sheesh! Next thing, you’ll be telling us that Spock was from Boston, MA, and played Shakespearean roles before joining Starfleet! 😉 He played a green alien in [Zombies of the Stratosphere.](http://www.wrongsideoftheart.com/wp-content/gallery/posters-z/zombies_of_the_stratosphere_poster_01.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/65 "2010-02-11T20:57:45Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > He played a green alien in [Zombies of the Stratosphere.](http://www.wrongsideoftheart.com/wp-content/gallery/posters-z/zombies_of_the_stratosphere_poster_01.jpg) (You get a “not found” on the direct link, but can see the poster by selecting “Z” and then “Zombies of the Stratosphere” from the list.) From the poster, though, that would have been an awesome movie: the actors playing the three lead characters appear to be Leonard Nimoy, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Karl Malden. Tell me you wouldn’t go to see them appearing together! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/66 "2010-02-12T12:38:17Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I’m in Saskatchewan, and I’ve seen them from time to time. When I lived in Saskatchewan (15+ years ago), I received and even made a few “Spock fives”. I guess the tradition lives on. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/67 "2010-02-12T22:21:12Z")
For reasons which are inexplicable, I read “Wilfrid Laurier” as “Wilford Brimley.” ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/68 "2010-02-13T00:46:49Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > For reasons which are inexplicable, I read “Wilfrid Laurier” as “Wilford Brimley.” heh, I did, too. And I wondered about the state of the union, if ol’ Wilford was on our money. And then I got educated a tad concerning just how much TREK RULES! No one’s doin’ a Chewy or Luke redo of money. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/69 "2010-02-13T00:49:26Z")
> [@malibu400](#): > > Is this a sign that i should live long and prosper or just that a large number of Trekkies who enjoy defacing canadian bills live in my area? Which area would that be, exactly? And isn’t the resemblance on the previous generation of bills uncanny? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/70 "2010-02-13T00:58:30Z")
I should have read the whole thread before posting. I saw this done 20 years or so ago, on the '88-'04 series. I dropped a few in Edmonton and sent one to a friend in Atlanta. On those bills you can put him in the white turtleneck, turn Laurier’s forehead into Spock’s entire head by colouring most of it in in Spock’s bowl cut, and touching up the pointy sideburns. You got Leonard Nimoy, it was spooky when done by someone good with a Sharpie. Edit: Something like[this.](http://www.thetoque.com/040120/pics/cana-spock.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/71 "2010-02-13T01:05:47Z")
Sigh. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/72 "2010-02-13T03:49:22Z")
“Revenge is a dish best served cold. It is very cold in Nunavut.” --Khan Nanookian Singh ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/73 "2010-02-13T03:54:16Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > “Revenge is a dish best served cold. It is very cold in Nunavut.” --Khan Nanookian Singh Now that’s Gawd damn funny, even if I don’t know where Nunavut is. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/74 "2010-02-13T04:22:04Z")
Parts of [Nunavut](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nunavut,_Canada.svg) are farther north than Alaska, if that helps you to place it. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/75 "2010-02-13T04:28:08Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > He’s been there since the Scenes of Canada series in 1969. I was doing that in the mid 1950’s actually. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/76 "2010-02-13T04:50:50Z")
What, you had a few $1,000 notes kicking around?? ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/77 "2010-02-13T05:42:18Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > heh, I did, too. And I wondered about the state of the union, if ol’ Wilford was on our money. And then I got educated a tad concerning just how much TREK RULES! No one’s doin’ a Chewy or Luke redo of money. 😛 But did you worry about your diabetes testing supplies? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/78 "2010-02-13T06:39:47Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > For reasons which are inexplicable, I read “Wilfrid Laurier” as “Wilford Brimley.” Great, now I’m picturing Wilford Brimley on our fives. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/79 "2010-02-13T07:06:58Z")
ETA: nothing relevant ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871/80 "2010-02-13T14:18:10Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > But did you worry about your diabetes testing supplies? :smack: No. But those commercials most likely did fuel the confusion. Also, I was totally caught up in Trekker joy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-of-my-5-bills-have-spock-on-them-instead-of-wilfrid-laurier/527871.md?page=5)