Prop Money Australia: Prices, Legal Rules and How to Buy

What prop money is

Prop money is currency made to be seen, not spent. Film and television productions use it for payments, heists and briefcase scenes. Theatres use it for cash exchanges that must survive a hundred performances. Photographers use it in styled shoots, magicians use it in routines, and creators use it in cash-reveal and flex videos. People also buy it as a gift, because a stack of notes makes a funny and memorable present.

Search terms vary: aus prop money, prop money au, Australia prop money, fake Australian money prop, or simply fake money Australia. Related searches such as prop money AUD, ready prop money, fake money prop money or realistic fake money Australia online mean the same thing. They all point at the same thing: notes that read as Australian currency on screen but are not currency, are clearly marked, and carry no replicated security features. Buyers who ask for realistic fake money Australia wide usually mean notes that look right on screen, and that is achievable within the rules. The difference between a good supplier and a poor one is whether the notes are lawful, whether the pricing is clear, and whether the notes arrive when you need them.

Is prop money legal in Australia?

Yes, when the reproduction follows the rule. The Reserve Bank says a physical reproduction of an Australian banknote must be smaller than three-quarters, or larger than one and a half times, the length and width of the genuine note, and it must be printed on one side only. You can read the full wording on the RBA's page on reproducing banknotes, and the offences sit in the Crimes (Currency) Act 1981.

In practice that means compliant prop money is visibly smaller than the genuine note, single-sided, clearly marked as a prop, and free of the security features genuine notes carry. Our notes are reduced-scale and marked NOT LEGAL TENDER on every note. We never offer custom or buyer-specified serial numbers, and our serials are system-assigned placeholders only.

The other half of the answer is what you do with it. A compliant prop is lawful to own and use for film, theatre, education and novelty purposes. It is never lawful to use it to pay for anything or to pass it off as genuine, and posting it online with a claim that it is real invites trouble. If a supplier tells you their notes will "pass" in a shop, match the real thing exactly or defeat a detector, walk away.

Prop money prices in Australia

Our prices are set per note, by denomination, so you can compare them with any other supplier by dividing the pack price by the note count. All prices include GST and shipping is free.

Pack size changes the rate. A 50-note half pack costs a little more per note, a 250-note jumbo pack costs less (the $100 jumbo pack is $249, about $1.00 a note), and the larger case sets cost less again: a 500-note briefcase set is $479, a 2,500-note set is $2,319, and a 5,000-note duffel bag set is $4,629. The mixed denomination starter pack gives 56 notes across all three denominations for $49, and the bulk production pack gives 660 mixed notes for $579.

Our minimum order is $350 in goods. A single stack does not reach it, but a stack plus a jumbo pack, or a briefcase set on its own, does. Orders for productions that need more can be quoted through our wholesale page.

Which prop money should you buy?

Choose the denomination for the story, then the quantity for the camera.

Film, TV and streaming. The $50 is the workhorse for wallets, registers and hand-offs, and the $100 carries big-money scenes. Mix denominations for variety. See our guides to prop money for TV and streaming productions and music videos.

Theatre. Notes that handle a long run need spares. Plan spares for every cash scene and replace notes that have creased.

Photography and content. The $20 is cheapest and looks relaxed in lifestyle shots. A banded $100 stack reads best in a cash reveal. Our guide to prop money for content creators goes deeper.

Gifts and parties. A mixed pack or a money gun kit is the simplest gift. See our money gun buying guide for parties.

Education. Younger children are better served by play money. Our play money guide explains the difference.

How realistic should prop money be?

Realistic enough that the audience understands what they are looking at, and different enough that nobody could mistake it for the genuine note. That is the goal of the reduced-scale rule: the notes follow the colours, layout and portraits closely so they read correctly on screen, while remaining clearly smaller and clearly marked.

Resist the temptation to chase exact replicas. Notes that are the same size as genuine currency, or that copy security features, are exactly the notes that cause legal problems, and they add nothing to a shot. A well-lit stack of reduced-scale notes looks authentic on camera, and the audience cannot tell the difference. The condition matters more than the exactness: crisp notes for a fresh payment, worn notes for a character who has carried them for weeks.

Buying from an Australian supplier vs overseas

Overseas suppliers can look cheaper, but the landed cost adds freight and sometimes customs holds, delivery can take weeks, and the notes may not follow the Australian size rule at all. A local supplier dispatches quickly, prices in Australian dollars with GST, and can answer questions about the rules. We dispatch within one business day of confirmed payment, and delivery by tracked Australia Post usually takes three to five business days, free.

Returns matter too. If an order arrives damaged, misprinted or incorrect, contact us within 14 days of delivery for a replacement or refund, and returns by mail are free. Notes are printed to order, so change-of-mind refunds are not offered once an order has shipped. Payment options are PayID/Osko, bank transfer via Osko, and crypto with 10% off the goods subtotal; payment details are sent after your order request is confirmed, and printing starts when payment clears.

Common mistakes when buying prop money

Buying by printed face value. The number printed on a prop note is not what it costs or what it is worth. Prices are per note, so work out how many notes the camera will see, then multiply by the per-note price.

Skipping the spares. Notes that are thrown, folded or counted on camera wear out, and a shortfall on shoot day costs far more than ten or fifteen extra notes.

Ignoring lead time. Notes are printed to order, so ordering the day before a shoot is risky. Allow for production, dispatch within one business day of confirmed payment, and three to five business days of delivery.

Believing a "passes anything" claim. A supplier who promises notes that pass in a shop or fool a detector is describing exactly the notes that cause legal problems. Reduced-scale, clearly marked notes are the lawful kind.

Not testing under your lights. Colours that look right on a table can look different on a monitor. Shoot a quick test before you commit to a large order.

A simple checklist for a production order

Write down the scenes that involve cash, and the denomination each scene needs. Count the notes visible in each shot, and add a spare allowance for repeated takes. Choose pack sizes that match: stacks for most scenes, a jumbo pack for long shoots, a briefcase set for a reveal. Add up the order and check it reaches the $350 minimum, then confirm the dispatch date against your shoot calendar. Keep the invoice and packaging with the notes when you transport them, so anyone who stops to ask can see what they are.

Prop money versus fake money: what to do if you are handed a suspect note

Many people searching for how to identify fake money, or what to do with fake money, are not buying props at all. They have been handed a note they are worried about. A prop note is not the same as a note made to deceive, and the difference is intent and marking: a prop is made to be seen, clearly marked, and smaller than the genuine note, while a note made to deceive tries to pass as the real thing.

If you are handed a note you think is not genuine, do not try to spend it. Politely decline it if you can, note where it came from, and take it to a bank or the police. Never pass a suspect note on to someone else, because that can create serious legal problems for you.

Official video and further reading

To see how Australian banknotes are developed before you brief your art department, watch the Reserve Bank's New Banknotes: From Concept to Circulation, an official video in which the RBA explains how a new banknote is designed, tested and brought into use. It is a useful way to understand why genuine notes look the way they do, and why the rules for reproductions exist.

Ready to order? Start with a mixed denomination starter pack to try all three denominations, or choose by denomination: $20 notes, $50 notes or $100 notes. Prop notes are for film, theatre, education and novelty use only. They are reduced-scale, marked NOT LEGAL TENDER, and cannot be spent.