If you concede that the denomination makes a difference, as in, $1 to $6 bills vs $1 to $100 bills, you may want to try what I did.

I approached it from the point of view of how I use Slow Burn. I use it in some walk around (no reset problem) makes it good there. But in reality, I use it more often as I am paying a bill or some other “real life” situation.

I thought to myself, how cool would it be to start to pay a check with Monopoly Money. Then ask the cashier if he or she can break a $100 dollar bill. At this point a have a $100 Monopoly bill on top of the spread stack of Monopoly bills. The cashier say something akin to “we don’t take play money sir.”

At this point I “wave” my hand over the stack and it changes to US money. I do all of this without smiles or an explanation of any kind. The best reaction is the reaction I get from other people in line to pay their bill. Frankly, this works best with a line behind you.

I had to download good jpeg images of Monopoly Money from the net and resize them to US currency standards. Everyone recognizes the Monopoly Money and it get their attention because they wonder how on earth I think I am going to get away with using play money to pay a check.

The only problem I have encountered is getting good paper stock to handle the folding. My answer to that was to use the clear (white) backs of USPS non-tear mailing envelopes in my laser printer.

Bob

That's a great idea! Thanks for sharing.

Michael

The non tear paper you are using is tyvek. It just doesn't look or feel like real paper. You would be better off using a bond paper that is made out of 100% rag such as Cranes Bond. It will look & feel like the paper used to make real money. If it is just durability you are looking for, stay with the Tyvek.

Allan:
Thanks for your interest. However, I am not looking for a better alterative, Tyvek works just fine, I just wanted to share the presentation with the Café.

Crane actually makes the paper that is used in US money, and has for years. That special paper however is not available from them. I had already tried two bonds from Crane and one from GB before settling on Tyvek. Even the best bonds do not hold up with the handling done with Slow Burn. US currency holds up because there is very little paper in the mix.

The look and feel is not a factor. For one thing, Monopoly money is printed on very “non-bond” looking paper. But how closely it looks like “real” monopoly money makes no difference.

Secondly, the “feel” of the money is not an issue. The audience never gets to feel it and only gets a fleeting glance of the (somewhat oversized) Monopoly money. No one has ever told me that the money looked a little bigger than normal.

Bob

Really like your idea Bob, but where did you find the jpeg images of Monopoly Money?

-e-

Eirik:
I sent you (email) the file.
Let me know if you get it.
Bob

Bob,

I don't suppose you'd be willing to email me a copy of that jpg also would you?

Lowphat:
File is on the way.

I show all $100. Monopoly bills as it lends to the idea that I ask them if they can break $100.00. It is a nateral thing for them to look at the bills in dismay.

Bob

After magically turning the play money into real money, does the cashier ever question the validity of the real money?

No one has ever said anything, but many have held the bill up to the light and handled the bill (or bills) nore than a normal amount of time.

I think the “non-smiling” is a factor in them not verbalizing anything to me.
Bob

Bob...great idea buddy.Would you mind sending me a copy of the jpg file as well.Would love using that idea once I fork out shortly for Slowburn/Hundy..thanks so much...... Stevie

I have been doing this with homemade bills. I just made a bad black/white photocopy of the bills and colored them with a pencil. They look REALLY homemade. I paid my dentist once showing him this money but he wasn't happy, then I did the change and he looked like a question mark.

By the way: Monopoly Money

Stevie1:
Thanks to “el toro” (above) I now know where I got the original jpeg file.

Just “save” it to your desktop and take it to your graphic editor. Also, Publisher (Microsoft) dose a nice job on cropping and re-sizing one of the bills.

Monopoly Money

Bob

Great idea!

I like to use magazines scraps rather then blank or one coloured pieces of paper. That way, If a note is sleightly visible amongst the paper (or visa versa) its not as visible (or should I say visibill)

As for people in the line....Phil Cass does a surround version where he does the two 'moves' at two differen moments. Essentially he does for the cashier and the does it for the people looking over his shoulder.

Thanks Bob and El toro for sharing the link...look forward to trying it out

Nicholas J. Johnson:

It is interesting that you mention the magazine clippings. That is what I started out using many years ago, but it is not the same as Slow Burn.

I think the magazine clipping one started out as Caps Bills and I still use it more often than Slow Burn.

Basically, one you shake into the change, and the other you pass your hand over. Both are (for the most part) angle proof. Both also (for the most part) reset themselves. And both (in my opinion) work better with the Monopoly Money.

Bob