Cheap prop money has a place. For a drawer that never opens or a bundle sitting far from lens, a basic print is enough.
The gap shows up when the camera gets close: 1. **Print resolution.** Low-resolution scans go soft in a close-up. 2. **Paper finish.** Glossy stock throws glare under lights; matte archival paper does not. 3. **One side only.** Single-sided notes give themselves away the moment someone flips a stack. 4. **Compliance.** Imitation money from an overseas listing may have no specimen markings at all.
A sensible approach is to buy premium notes for the hero shot and a simpler stack for filler. Our Money Stacks range is built for the volume end, and the $50 and $100 notes are made for the close-up.
Before you decide, work out which shots actually need premium notes. A background drawer or a stack on a far shelf rarely does, while a hand-to-hand exchange or a counting scene always does. Splitting the order this way keeps the total sensible and puts the quality where the camera looks. Whatever you buy, check that the markings are present and visible.
