The note chosen today is another controversial Canadian note, the new $100 issued in November 2010. The rub? It seems that The Bank of Canada simply wanted to give its citizens some snazzy new bills but when it came to the images that would grace the currency’s faces, it was not so simple. First, focus groups felt the draft art on the new $100 bill was racist because it featured an Asian woman looking into a microscope, which they felt reinforced the stereotype that Asians excel in science. Some believed other ethnicities should be represented. The bank eventually released the bill last year, replacing the figure with a Caucasian woman, only to be called out recently by Chinese groups for bending to racism and not representing minorities on currency.

The bills are overall brownish in color. The front of the bill features former prime minister Sir Robert Borden and the Back depicts the discovery of insulin. Security features introduced into the bill design include two transparent windows, which make the bills much harder to counterfeit than the older notes. One window extends from the top to the bottom of the note and has holographic images inlaid. The other window is in the shape of a maple leaf. Additional features include transparent text, a metallic portrait, raised ink, and partially hidden numbers. It also has the denomination in braille for the sight impaired. ENJOY!!! (Image is from the Bank of Canada)