I’ve spotted some pretty odd patterns when I’ve toured the world. In a few small island nations the whole background of the note is a subtle wave pattern that, if you look closely, actually forms a stylised fish silhouette when you line up a stack. Some African currencies have a repeating motif of local wildlife—elephants, giraffes, even a stylised sun—where the animals, when arranged in a grid, spell out the country’s name in the native script. In one old Japanese yen note the background is a faint seaweed pattern that, when held to light, reveals a hidden silhouette of a koi fish. I also found a set of Colombian pesos where the background is a repeating, almost abstract cumbia rhythm that looks like a musical staff if you tilt the note. And on a few European notes you can see a tiny, almost invisible line of stars that, when you trace them with your finger, outline a map of the region. It’s these little hidden images that keep me chasing the story behind each coin and note.

I did a little experiment last winter, stacking the newest series of Thai baht, Mexican peso, and a few old Japanese yen. The first thing that jumped out was a faint silhouette of a dragon that ran the length of the stack – it was actually a composite of the tiny guardian motifs on each note. That was the coolest, because the dragon wasn’t just a line; it had scales that matched the pattern on the Thai currency, wings that looked like the Mexican eagle, and a tail that mirrored the Japanese koi. If you film it from the right angle, it feels like the dragon’s breathing. That could be a solid hook for a scavenger‑hunt video – people love hunting for those hidden beasts.

That’s the kind of project that makes my hands shake with excitement—slow‑motion, light, a whole stack of stories unfolding. I’m all in. Let’s gather the notes, set up the light source, and start filming those hidden dragons and whatever else we find. The treasure hunt’s going to be a hit. Ready when you are.