Snow White Disney Dollars

Disney Dollars are a form of currency that can be used at Disney theme parks and the Disney store. Backed up by real money, each Disney dollar is the equivalent to a US dollar. Printing quality is very near real US currency and each has its own unique serial number. Guests at the parks can use the bills like cash or keep them as souvenirs. The Disney Dollar was the brain child of Harry Brice, a silhouette cutter on Main Street in Disneyland. Read how the idea came to him while visiting a Disneyana Convention.

Every year tends to bring several new Disney Dollar bill designs although the vast majority have tended to feature Mickey Mouse or other members of the Fab Five. But in 2002, a dramatic change occurred with the the release of the Snow White five dollar bill (above). Printed in celebration of the 100 Years of Magic, this was the first of the Disney Dollars to feature a princess.

In 2006, Cinderella followed, appearing on a one dollar bill.

In 2007 in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the inception of the Disney dollar, Cinderella returned to grace the ten dollar bill. Joining her were Aurora on the five dollar bill and Ariel on the one.

Villionaire Dollars: In October of 2001 Disney announced a new online game called Who Wants to be a Villionaire patterned after the popular game show at the time. Each game had a different villain host, 13 in all, and each with its own downloadable bill. The Evil Queen is seen below on her One Villion Dollars. The bill, however, has no monetary value, except now as a collectible item.

Also released in 2001 was the El Capitan Disney Dollar, a currency that could only be redeemed at the Disney-owned El Capitain Theater in Hollywood. Snow White is featured on the back of the bill along with Dumbo and four out of the five "Fabs".

All images courtesy of DisneyDollars.net (except the Snow White five dollar bill)

For more great info and images of Disney Dollars, visit the DisneyDollars.net site.

Snow White Collector Note: At the time of this writing, the 2002 Disney Dollar five dollar bill featuring the first princess has been going for around $35-50(US) on ebay.

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[UPDATE 11/17/2010] Here's a page from the 1987 Disney News magazine in which is mentioned the introduction of Disney Dollars at the Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Image from personal collection.