But the "hole" contains a secret -- a hologram -- only visible when the bill is tilted, just so.
The distinguished gentleman on the front side of the $50 bill is (William Lyon) Mackenzie King, our tenth Prime Minister who was our longest serving PM at 22 years.
But like the bill itself, dear Mr. King had a secret that few were aware of during his political tenure. Our Prime Minister, consulted psychics, ouija boards, crystal balls, and his dead mother (among others).
"Privately, he was highly eccentric with his preference for communing with spirits, including those of Leonardo da Vinci, Sir Wilfried Laurier (an earlier PM), his dead mother, and several of his Irish Terrier dogs, all named Pat except for one named Bob. He also claimed to commune with the spirit of the late President Roosevelt. He sought personal reassurance from the spirit world, rather than seeking political advice. Indeed, after his death, one of his mediums said that she had not realized that he was a politician.". (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lyon_Mackenzie_King#Personal_life)
But in spite of (or because of?) his predilection for consulting the great beyond, a survey of scholars in 1997 ranked King first amongst ALL Canadian Prime Ministers. The scholars were not impressed with King the man, but rather, with his political skill and attention to Canadian unity.
Kind of cool that his image comes and goes, almost magically. I think he'd like that.
