Counterfeiting is serious business, especially in a sparsely populated country like Canada where large amounts of counterfeit bills can have a sizeable negative impact on the nation’s economy and the Canadian dollar’s status as the world’s fifth most-held reserve currency.
At one point, the Canadian government claimed counterfeiting was the sixth-largest crime category in the country. In an earlier article we described how master counterfeiter Wesley Weber’s fake Canadian 100s shook confidence in the country’s money and led to the redesign of it and other smaller bills.
But it seems not every counterfeiter in Canada took their work as seriously as Weber. Around the turn of the 21st century, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian FBI, reported seizure of several bills that seemed designed to amuse as much as deceive. They included:
$5 Gordies
The Canadian $5 bill has carried the portrait of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, considered one of the country’s premier statesmen, since 1972. But his status pales in comparison to Canada’s greatest athlete, Gordy Howe. Even though he spent most of his career with the Detroit Red Wings, some hockey fans printed phony Canadian fives with Sir Wilfrid’s likeness replaced by that of the late Canadian legend.
Merchants may have figured the bills were worth more than $5 worth of laughs when they turned up at their counters.
Who is on the $10 Bill, Alex?
John A. Macdonald, of course. The country’s first prime minister graced the $10 note from 1971 until 2017, when he was replaced by civil rights icon Viola Desmond. Except on a few on which Jeopardy! host and Canada native Alex Trebek subbed for the old PM. Not many cashiers were fooled by it, though. Maybe because “What is Counterfeiting, Alex?” was printed below his picture.
That’s a Twenty, Eh?
Since shortly after her 1953 crowning, Queen Elizabeth II has graced the front of the Canadian $20 note. Over the decades, the reverse has featured portrayals of Canadian wildlife and landscapes. Except for an unauthorized series printed with comics Doug and Bob MacKenzie in their signature knit tuque hats on the back. If you didn’t bother turning the bill over, the counterfeiters left a clue on its face, too. Under the queen’s portrait, they added the phrase,
"Take off, eh, you hosers."
$50 Worth of Candy
Some fifties were printed with Canadian comedian John Candy’s portrait on the face instead of long-serving Prime Minister William MacKenzie King’s. Both men were a bit on the stout size, so the phonies were easy to overlook if you weren’t paying attention.
Is This Hundred Clean?
Finally, some counterfeit Canadian $100 notes were discovered with former Prime Minister Robert Borden bumped in favor of noted Canadian germophobe and comic Howie Mandel on their front. Fortunately, the two men look nothing alike, so, unlike the Weber counterfeits, the fake hundreds were easy to spot.
But Seriously Folks
Counterfeiting is a serious crime that causes millions of dollars in financial loss annually, and Canada is one of the leading nations in taking security measures to ensure the safety of its money. But sophisticated technology in the hands of criminals keeps nations struggling to stay a step ahead of crooks trying to make a fast buck the easy way.
If you handle cash on a regular basis, stay abreast of the latest developments to keep from falling victim.
