Is Fake Money Muktzeh?
There are poskim who suggest that playing with fake money on Shabbos in games such as Monopoly, is inappropriate, even for children.* This is despite the fact that, strictly speaking, the money is not considered real money, and therefore the selling and buying involved are not considered transactions. It is not clear whether the fake money is muktzeh. However, if the fake money “earned” in camps or other programs can be used to “purchase” prizes—it is certainly not considered fake money at all, as it is a valid currency in that particular camp, mishnayos b’al peh, or Mesibas Shabbos program. Therefore, not only may it not be used to “buy” anything, but that fake money is definitely muktzeh. Camps and programs should use other means to keep track of the participants’ learning, attendance, and good behavior, such as a ledger in which paper clips are used to keep track of how many mishnayos each child has mastered.
*Grown men should obviously not use their Shabbos for such pastimes. Playing games are of course absolutely discouraged, as their time should be spent learning Torah. #357