In the time-honored tradition of surfers rebelling against authority, the Silver Surfer — a Marvel Comics’ superhero who first emerged in the mid-’60s riding through outer space on his galaxy-bombing 7’4” — will be appearing on a run of 40,000 U.S. quarters. 20th Century Fox pioneered the marketing ploy as a promotion for the release of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, in theaters June 15th, by commissioning a private mint to alter 40,000 U.S. quarters.
In a press release, the U.S. Mint denounced any affiliation to the bootleg coins. “The promotion is in no way approved, authorized, endorsed or sponsored by the United States Mint,” said their official statement, adding that the alterations are illegal and violators may face fines.
The altered coins are scheduled to enter circulation this week, with around 800 in each state. Fleets of silver armored cars delivered the shipments of coins.
Franklin mint, the private mint responsible for the alterations, specializes in producing commemorative coins. Fox assumed they were not breaking any laws, because Franklin mint regularly produces novelty coins of this nature.
The contest behind the quarters encourages contestants to “search for silver.” The coins will direct contestants to a website where they can register for a chance to attend the world premier of the Silver Surfer in London. The movie is rumored to have more aerials than Dane Reynolds’s First Chapter, but is already disappointing surf purists because, well, it’s all bullshit CGI fakeness.
What’s next? Surfing penguins? Yes, Hollywood hates us.