What does money look like? No, really. One of the interesting things I have noticed is the completely diametrical view European and Americans have on this issue. Many Europeans will say that dollar bills don't look like real money, because they're so dull and uniform, lacking the distinctive art work that goes into European bills. Conversely, Americans will cite exactly the same reason for claiming European bills are toy money, because they're so colorful and frivolous, lacking the gravitas of US dollar paper money. I guess it's a matter of pattern imprinting while growing up. The bills you handle every day become the benchmark for what you consider "money," and these perceptions become deeply engrained. There's no "natural" look to paper money, it's just what it is.