Prop Money on Set: The Art Department Checklist

Before the shoot

• Confirm every note is reduced scale, clearly marked and free of replicated security features
• File the supplier invoice or compliance statement with your props clearance paperwork
• Brief cast and crew that prop notes never mix with real wallets, tills or petty cash
• Decide fresh vs aged per scene and label stacks accordingly

On the day

• Store prop cash in a labelled container, separate from any real money on set
• Assign one person to count stacks in and out between setups
• Photograph the hero stack for continuity before the first take
• Keep a pristine top layer for briefcase and table shots — swap creased notes out

After the shoot

Undamaged stacks store flat for reuse on future productions. Damaged prop notes can go in general waste — they carry no value and are clearly marked as props — but shred any custom branded notes you do not want circulating.

Why the separation rule matters

The one hard line is that prop notes must never be used, or appear to be used, as genuine currency. Keeping them physically separate from real cash on set is the simplest way to make sure that never happens by accident. See the full legal guide.

Stock up

Browse the film & TV prop money range or the full catalogue, and read the production buyer’s guide for choosing notes.