Vikings got there first
Around the year 1000, Leif Erikson sailed from Greenland and landed in North America, a place the Norse sagas call Vinland. Columbus arrived in 1492, almost 500 years later (Wikipedia). That’s the whole idea behind the coin: Vikings get there first.
The moon, 20 July 1969
Apollo 11 lands on the moon (Wikipedia). In the meme, the astronaut plants the flag, turns around and finds a longship already parked there. Shields on the rail. A cat in a horned helmet, unimpressed.
“Viking energy!” (25 Feb 2023)
Elon Musk posted “Viking energy!” on Twitter. DogeDesigner replied with the Vikings-on-the-moon meme. Elon answered with 🤣. We kept the receipt.
Viking meme coins: Floki and the cat
The best-known Viking meme coin is Floki (FLOKI). In June 2021 Elon Musk tweeted “My Shiba Inu will be named Floki”, people guessed the name came from a character in the TV show Vikings, and a wave of Floki-themed tokens followed when he showed off the puppy that September (Decrypt).
Floki is a dog. Viking Cat is a cat. Different ship, different crew, and no connection to Floki, Elon Musk, X Corp, NASA or DogeDesigner.
Why a cat
The real Viking Cat is a grey tabby in a riveted helmet with cream horns. The legend is the cartoon: the smallest Viking, the biggest warrior. Solana already has famous cat coins, like POPCAT and MEW. None of them beat Apollo to the moon.
Questions
Is Viking Cat affiliated with Elon Musk?
No. Elon Musk posted “Viking energy!” in 2023 and laughed at the Vikings-on-the-moon meme. That’s the whole connection. Viking Cat is not affiliated with Elon Musk, X Corp, NASA or DogeDesigner.
Is Viking Cat the same as Floki?
No. Floki (FLOKI) is a dog-themed coin named after Elon Musk’s Shiba Inu. Viking Cat ($VIKING) is a separate cat meme coin on Solana.
Did Vikings really reach America before Columbus?
Yes. Leif Erikson reached Vinland in North America around the year 1000, almost 500 years before Columbus. The moon part is the meme.