In December 1971, Experiments in Art and Technology (E.A.T.) held a gaming-fundraising event called the “Art Cash Benefit for Television Programming”. Andy Warhol, Robert Whitman, Robert Rauschenberg and some other artists were all commissioned to design currency for the event. Warhol made the ones, Whitman a three-dollar bill, Rauschenberg $12, Tom Gormley $24, Red Grooms $51, and Marisol $88. These Art Cash were then purchased by attendees and used for gambling at casino style tables set up for the event, to buy donated artwork and even to purchase drinks. The money was printed by the American Banknote Company on the same paper used for U.S. currency (though without the threads and watermarks present in the real bills in order to prevent counterfeiting).
Warhol’s one dollar bills recently went on sale at $300 a pop by online art auction house Exhibition A, making it probably the most affordable of all the Warhol pieces.
(Via: PAPERMAG)
Coquetry of a Class Act 