Between uses, keeping a stack banded and flat — rather than loose in a bag or box — is the single biggest factor in how long it stays crisp, since loose notes crease and curl far faster than a banded stack under its own light pressure.
Currency bands aren't just packaging: re-banding a stack after each use keeps the edges aligned and prevents the slow fanning-out that loose handling causes over repeated shoots or events.
Direct sunlight is the main long-term threat to colour and crispness alike — a stack or display piece left in direct light for months will fade noticeably faster than one kept in a drawer or a UV-resistant display case.
For notes going into permanent display rather than repeated handling, a proper display case does more to protect long-term condition than any amount of careful handling on its own.
None of this changes the product itself — every note stays reduced-scale and marked NOT LEGAL TENDER whether it's freshly unpacked or a few years into display.
Frequently asked
What's the easiest way to keep a prop money stack looking crisp?
Keep it banded and flat between uses — loose handling in a bag or box causes creasing and curling far faster than a banded stack.
Does sunlight actually affect prop notes over time?
Yes — prolonged direct light fades colour and crispness faster than notes kept in a drawer or UV-resistant display case.