History Main / AMacguffinFullOfMoney

* The Philosopher's Legacy in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3'' is a microfilm with details of bank accounts containing a ''colossal'' amount of money. Enough, in fact, that despite the usual trapping of this trope, [[spoiler:the group that gets their hands on it does take over the world]].

** In the end, it's still valuable, but because [[spoiler: it's actually the "body" (read: power) of a god in metallic form, and the BigBad (the god it was essentially scooped out of) wants to re-ingest it to get himself back to full strength]].

* ''ASimplePlan'' is about a group of characters who find a wrecked plane full of cash (which turns out to be [[spoiler: the ransom from a kidnapping]]).

* ''ASimplePlan'' is about a group of characters who find a wrecked plane full of cash (which turns out to be the ransom from a kidnapping).

See also MockGuffin, BriefcaseFullOfMoney, HatePlague, ZillionDollarBill, PirateBooty and TreasureMap.

The problem with this trope is that it can't be generally used to power stories that involve things like the villain seeking world domination. As such, it tends to show up most often in mundane fiction, although ironically, a [=MacGuffin=] full of money can make characters who would otherwise be normal act kind of insane -- compare GoldFever.

* This is the basis of several CoenBrothers films including ''NoCountryForOldMen'', ''{{Fargo}}'', ''TheBigLebowski'' and ''BloodSimple''.

A popular subtrope of the {{MacGuffin}} concept. Rather than make the [=MacGuffin=] be a piece of obscure technology, or the ChosenOne brought back to life, it is quite simply a giant pile of cash. Because money has intrinsic value, the viewer can instantly understand why it is that the characters are so determined to retrieve it.

The problem with this trope is that it can't be generally used to power stories that involve things like the villain seeking world domination. As such, it tends to show up most often in mundane fiction, although ironically, a [=MacGuffin=] full of money can make characters who would otherwise be normal act kind of insane.

* This is the basis of several Cohen brothers films including ''NoCountryForOldMen'', ''{{Fargo}}'' ''TheBigLebowski'' and ''BloodSimple''.

* The Philosopher's Legacy in ''MetalGear Solid 3'' is a microfilm with details of bank accounts containing a ''colossal'' amount of money. Enough, in fact, that despite the usual trapping of this trope, [[spoiler:the group that gets their hands on it does take over the world]].

* The titular PirateBooty treasure in ''OnePiece'' is ''probably'' this trope, given the genre trappings, but as yet no one really knows for sure.

* This is the basis of several Cohen brothers films including ''NoCountryForOldMen'' ''Fargo'' ''The Big Lebowski'' and ''BloodSimple''

* Subverted (kinda) in the Mistborn Trilogy. The atium cache is initially desired for its monetary value, but when they finally find it near the end of the last book, [[spoiler:money of any sort is kind of worthless...]]

See also GoldenHelmetOfMambrino, BriefcaseFullOfMoney, HatePlague, ZillionDollarBill, PirateBooty and TreasureMap.

[[AC:Comic Books]]

[[AC:Film]]

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC:Manga and Anime]]

[[AC:Video Games]]

----

[[AC:Theatre]]
* ''TheLittleFoxes'': Horace's safe deposit box.

* ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' has the characters spend much of the early part of the movie gradually progressing from "let's be reasonable" to "screw it, every man for himself" regarding the location of a cache they discover in the opening minutes.

[[AC:Unsorted]]
* ''Millions'' is about a 7-year-old boy who finds a duffel bag full of money, and what he and his brother do with it.
* ''TheLittleFoxes'': Horace's safe deposit box.

* The Philosopher's Legacy in ''MetalGear Solid 3'' is a microfilm with details of bank accounts containing a ''colossal'' amount of money. Enough, in fact, that despite the usual trapping of this trope, [[spoiler:the group that gets their hands on it does take over the world]].

* The titular PirateBooty treasure in ''OnePiece'' is ''probably'' this trope, given the genre trappings, but as yet no one really knows for sure.

* ''Millions'' is about a 7-year-old boy who finds a duffel bag full of money, and what he and his brother do with it.

* An old DonaldDuck comic involves Donald knocking loose a concrete egg and discovering that the thing's actually filled with money. After cracking it open with a wrecking ball, he finds out it belongs to Uncle Scrooge, -and he kept it around in case of emergency. [[IncrediblyLamePun Yes, it was his nest egg.]]
* ''DumbAndDumber'' centers around the protagonists trying to return a briefcase full of ransom money, which they picked up in the belief it was left behind by mistake. [[spoiler:Once they spend it all on luxuries, it becomes a briefcase full of IOUs instead - and they can't understand why the bad guys won't accept those, since they're practically the same thing.]]

See also GoldenHelmetOfMambrino, BriefcaseFullOfMoney, HatePlague, ZillionDollarBill and TreasureMap.

* An old Donald Duck comic involves Donald knocking loose a concrete egg and discovering that the thing's actually filled with money. After cracking it open with a wrecking ball, he finds out it belongs to Uncle Scrooge, -and he kept it around in case of emergency. [[IncrediblyLamePun Yes, it was his nest egg.]]

* In ''TheTwelveChairs'', the McGuffin is a chair stuffed with diamond jewelry. To make things worse, there are the [[GottaCatchThemAll other eleven]], looking the same.
* ''Millions'' is about a 7-year-old boy who finds a duffelbag full of money, and what he and his brother do with it.
* Subverted (kinda) in the Mistborn Trilogy. The atium cache is initially desired for its monetary value, when they finally find it near the end of the last book, money of any sort is kind of worthless...
* An old Donald Duck comic involves Donald knocking loose a concrete egg and finding the things actually filled inside with money. After cracking it open with a wrecking ball, he finds out it was actually Uncle Scrooges, =and he kept it around in case of emergency. IncrediblyLamePun Yes, it was his nest egg]]