Novelty Cheques

A giant novelty cheque has become one of the most reliable set-pieces in Australian event marketing, charity fundraising, and award ceremonies — immediately understood, perfectly photographed, and impossible to miss. At Paperlust Print Shop, we print novelty cheques on 5mm TEKpvc foamboard — a premium material that delivers a cleaner print surface, sharper photography result, and more durable construction than the corflute alternatives used by most competitors.

The charity donation handover is the most iconic use for a novelty cheque — a large cheque changes hands in a single, camera-ready moment that is immediately shareable. For corporate award ceremonies, a novelty cheque transforms a standard recognition moment into a memorable ceremony. For grand openings, sponsorship announcements, and prize presentations at trade shows and competitions, the novelty cheque signals that something significant is happening and creates an image with immediate editorial value.

Most novelty cheque suppliers in Australia print on 5mm corflute — the same material used for election signs. Corflute has a specific limitation: the fluted internal structure creates a texture that can show through on close-range photographs and under stage lighting. Our novelty cheques are printed on 5mm TEKpvc foamboard — a smooth-surfaced rigid foam that eliminates the texture issue entirely. The result is a cleaner, more professional print surface that reads sharp and polished in every photograph and on every video recording.

A novelty cheque should instantly read as a cheque. The most effective layouts include: presenting organisation logo (top left), date (top right), pay to the order of — recipient name or cause in large legible type, amount in numerals (large, high-contrast, the visual anchor), amount written in words, signature line (bottom right), and optional memo line for the event or campaign name. Keep the background colour consistent with your brand — the standard cheque-green is recognisable but not mandatory.

Both presenter and recipient should hold the cheque facing outward. Position the cheque at chest height rather than waist height. Ensure your backdrop is visible but not competing with the cheque content. Brief your photographer to shoot both a posed hold and an active handover moment. Pair with a pull-up banner or media wall featuring your logo for a layered brand presence in the same shot.

For organisations running recurring award programmes or seasonal fundraising campaigns, a reusable novelty cheque is a practical investment. The standard PVC foamboard cheque is durable enough for repeated handling. If you need to update the amount or recipient between events, contact our team about lamination options that allow the variable fields to be written or printed on a removable overlay.

File requirements: PDF, SVG, AI (vector preferred) or high-res PNG/JPG; fonts and images must be outlined/vectorised and embedded; CMYK; 3mm bleed with crop marks; dieline in 100% Magenta Spot Colour on the top artwork layer; keep critical text and logos at least 8mm from all edges. No artwork? See our Artwork Services.

A novelty cheque is most effective as part of a broader branded event setup. Pair with pull-up banners for a branded backdrop at your stage and photography area, bow banners for event entrance presence and outdoor brand visibility, and PVC signs for directional and identification signage for event spaces.