From 1987 through 2016 patrons of Disneyland and Walt Disney World, along with a number of other venues owned by Disney, could have used or bought Disney Dollars. Backed with real money. Disney Dollars were primarily treated as souvenir items and came in a multitude of designs, including depictions of long-standing pillars of the Disney brand such as Mickey Mouse or Goofy. The presence of these figures was often matched by a scene from one of the company’s parks. Denominations of $1, $5, $10, and $50 were made, the fruits of marketing efforts led by Jack Lindquist who is credited with many developments specifically tied to the amusement industry.
The three lowest denominations account for the bulk of Disney Dollars found at auction, while the $50, only introduced for Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, is seldom ever offered.
Each of these notes was printed with a degree of sophistication and contained anti-counterfeiting measures ranging from microprinting to glitter, as well as a number of additional security measures. A company by the name of EPI (Embossing Printers Incorporated) out of Michigan and the United States Banknote Corporation of Chicago furnished and provided the notes for Disney, and they instantly became hot items with Disneyana collectors.
Many Disney Dollars never fulfilled their intended purpose with millions or even tens of millions sitting unused or kept as part of collections. By the time they were officially retired in 2016, collecting Disney Dollars had become a legitimate numismatic pursuit and retain a considerable degree of popularity in the present.
You can find a wide range of Disney Dollars in our upcoming March and April Collectors Choice Online Auctions.
For more information about our auctions or to consign your numismatic items, please call 800-458-4646 or email [email protected].
