Prop money makes it possible to film almost any scenario involving cash without the cost and risk of real currency — but only if it’s used correctly.
Do source notes from a reputable prop supplier familiar with Bank of England guidelines. Legitimate suppliers build in the required differences — altered size, one-sided printing, distinct materials — so the production stays compliant without extra effort.
Don’t assume smaller or non-commercial productions are exempt from currency rules. Possessing non-compliant replica notes is a strict liability offence in the UK, meaning intent isn’t a factor. A student film faces the same legal standard as a studio production.
Do use the “hero note” approach for stacks of cash: a small number of detailed notes on the outside, with blank filler paper underneath. It’s cheaper, and it means a missing or stolen stack has little real value.
Don’t let prop cash leave the set unaccounted for. It occasionally gets kept as a souvenir or, rarely, spent somewhere it shouldn’t be — both of which can create legitimate legal headaches for the person holding it.
Do brief cast and crew if a scene involves large quantities of prop money, especially in public locations, so nobody mistakes it for real currency or treats it carelessly.
Followed properly, these basics let a production get the visual impact it needs from USD prop currency while staying entirely within the law