An SCP-XXXX instance, prior to being counted.
Item: SCP-XXXX
Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is held in a locked box in a secure locker in Area-57. Access is strictly forbidden except for testing purposes. All tests must be recorded via both reports and video. All personnel are to be informed before testing that attempting to steal, withhold or keep any of SCP-XXXX-1 for personal gain is strictly prohibited. All instances of SCP-XXXX-1 must be returned to SCP-XXXX after the conclusion of the tests except when the test differs from the standard procedure. Should any instance of SCP-XXXX-1 originate from a country where the primary language is not English or where there are multiple primary languages, testing can only commence if the D-class involved speak the primary or most common languages in that country. D-class are not to be used for more than one test consecutively. The potential usage and accepted uses of SCP-XXXX-1 are currently under discussion by the Ethics Committee.
Description: SCP-XXXX is a small wooden box resembling a jewellery or trinket box. The words ‘1 Timothy 6:10’1 have been carved into the back of the lid. There are no other marks on SCP-XXXX’s surface, or any lock or catch. SCP-XXXX was found by police in an abandoned house in [REDACTED], New South Wales, along with a number of projects in various states of completion. After being brought to the Foundation's attention by police liaison, SCP-XXXX was transferred to Area-57. Analysis of the available security camera footage of the area around the house suggests that the person responsible for SCP-XXXX's creation was A█████ Dawson, an anartist with suspected ties to GoI-5869 ("Gamers Against Weed") and GoI-0267 ("Are We Cool Yet?"). Dawson's present location is unknown.
SCP-XXXX’s interior consists of a single compartment; whenever SCP-XXXX is opened, this compartment will contain a quantity of currency (henceforth SCP-XXXX-1). Both the amount and type of currency changes each time SCP-XXXX is opened. The inner compartment possesses spatial warping properties, as it is able to contain amounts of SCP-XXXX-1 that are larger than SCP-XXXX itself. If the current instance of SCP-XXXX-1 is left within SCP-XXXX and the lid is closed, it will dematerialise; all attempts to utilise tracking devices in conjunction with this effect have failed.
All recorded instances of SCP-XXXX-1 remained inert while within SCP-XXXX, with their anomalous effect only activating when used in an attempt to make a purchase. Tests have shown that all instances of SCP-XXXX-1 are legitimate currency; however, when any instance of SCP-XXXX-1 is utilised as payment for any good or service, all parties involved in the transaction undergo a parapsychic hallucination or vision wherein they witness a death linked to that instance of SCP-XXXX-1.
Analysis of the collected data from the SCP-XXXX tests has established that SCP-XXXX-1’s anomalous effect activates as long as at least one instance of SCP-XXXX-1 is used in a transaction, regardless of whether any person involved is aware of the origin of the money, if all of the singular SCP-XXXX-1 instance is used or only part, if SCP-XXXX-1's effect has already activated, or if the transaction is legitimate or only for testing purposes. However, the effect does not activate if the SCP-XXXX-1 instance is given away, donated to a charitable cause, or deposited in a bank account and then used to make the transaction, implying that SCP-XXXX-1’s effect is proximity-based and applies only to transactions.
In addition, analysis of post-test statements given by test subjects has established that all persons involved in a transaction utilising SCP-XXXX-1 experience a psychic vision from a third-person experience, showing the circumstances of the death linked to the instance of SCP-XXXX-1. Afterwards, all test subjects will perceive SCP-XXXX-1 as being soaked in the victim’s blood, no matter the circumstances of the death. While the statements have been used to support police cases (and have led to multiple convictions), Area-57’s staff are investigating potential methods of empathic shielding in conjunction with the continued tests, as all test subjects reported feeling the emotions and physical sensations of all parties shown in the visions until their conclusion.
Addendum.XXXX.1:
When SCP-XXXX was first brought into Foundation custody, initial tests determined that each instance of SCP-XXXX-1 consisted of valid currency; some instances had fingerprints, but no complete prints were able to be obtained. All successful investigations into SCP-XXXX-1 instances have confirmed that the instances are the same banknotes used in the original incidents; however, there remains a number of instances where the origin of the notes is unknown. While these instances are still believed to be valid currency, attempts to trace the serial numbers have universally failed. Traces of various bodily fluids, bacteria and recreational drugs were found on the majority of each instance at levels consistent with non-anomalous equivalents.
The fifth test resulted in the inadvertent discovery of SCP-XXXX-1's anomalous effect when part of the SCP-XXXX-1 was used in an experimental purchase. Following this discovery, a number of tests were conducted to investigate SCP-XXXX-1’s anomalous effect. The table below lists all tests with notable results.
| Number of test | Type and amount of currency | Name of deceased | Name of person/s determined responsible | Circumstances of death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #5 | $20000 USD in $100 notes | Carol Holmes, 20 | Marcus Denman, 36, and Jason Brown, 40 | Denman hired Brown, a friend of a friend, to kill Holmes, his partner, after forming the belief that she had been unfaithful to him (later proven to have been unfounded). Brown broke into Holmes’ residence; after a brief struggle, he murdered Holmes with an axe and dismembered her corpse for disposal. | First test where SCP-XXXX-1’s anomalous effect was activated and the first showing two perpetrators held equally responsible despite one not being physically present for the death. Moreover, Denman was found to have paid Brown with a wire transfer, not cash. The origin of the notes is presently unknown. |
| #22 | A cheque for ¥312,945 yuan (roughly equivalent to $45000 USD), with the name of the payee left blank. The sum of ¥2,781,739 yuan (roughly equivalent to $400,000 USD) has been written and crossed out, but is still legible. | Yao Ming, 12 | Zhou Wei, 37 | While driving, Zhou failed to remain adequately aware of his surroundings and failed to stop in time, striking Yao when the latter attempted to cross the road. Yao was injured, but not fatally; upon realising this, Zhou repeatedly drove over Yao to ensure his death. | First test where SCP-XXXX-1 appeared as a cheque, and so far the only test where two differing amounts have appeared. Chinese laws state that the person responsible for a death by traffic accident pays one fine only, but if the victim is left alive and requires medical care for life, the person responsible must pay the medical bills, leading to drivers choosing to kill victims who would otherwise survive to avoid paying these bills. In addition, cheques are rarely used in China, and investigation found that Zhou paid the fine with a bank transfer; discussion concerning the reason for SCP-XXXX-1's appearance as a cheque is ongoing. |
| #37 | ₹510 Indian rupees in coins | Kiran Rai, 58 | Isaac Eves (age unknown), CFO of Mendéz India | Rai, a lifelong farmer, purchased SCP-9680 rice seeds from Mendéz. Due to failures in Mendéz’s genetic engineering process, the crops died before reaching full growth. As Mendéz required all buyers to sell any seeds they owned before being able to make a purchase, Rai was left with no seeds and could not afford to buy more, having taken out a predatory loan to purchase the original seeds. Mendéz provided replacement seeds for free, but the crops were eaten by pests. Mendéz refused to provide replacements, blaming Rai and other farmers. Left with no crops, crippling debt and no way to alleviate it, Rai hanged himself. | First test involving a suicide, first test involving an anomaly already known to the Foundation2, and the first test involving an unintentional and unforeseen death. Mendéz did not sell the seeds with the intention of causing any deaths, Eves and other Mendéz officials did not know Rai beforehand, and Rai’s death could not have been reasonably predicted as a result of purchasing the SCP-9680 seeds. The SCP-XXXX-1 total is believed to be the amount Rai received for selling the seeds he had before making the purchase from Mendéz, which was subsequently used as a partial repayment for the loan. Mendéz offered no comment on Rai’s death. |
| #55 | $5 AUD, one note | Thomas King, 10 | Adrian Jones, 10 | Jones found the SCP-XXXX-1 note in the street and kept it. King later confronted him at their school and attempted to steal the SCP-XXXX-1 note. Jones pushed King away, leading to King falling down the stairs they were standing on at the time. King’s neck broke on impact. | First test involving a child perpetrator. Police investigation found that King had repeatedly bullied and stolen from Jones in the past. Jones was questioned as to his intentions and insisted that he never intended to harm King and was only trying to defend himself. King’s death was ruled an accident. |
| #79 | $200 USD in $50 notes | Maria Reynolds, 30; Paul Reynolds, 10; Sarah Reynolds, 8; Richard Reynolds, 5 | Tessa Lyons, 47 | Interviews established that Lyons was a habitual reckless driver who routinely ignored road laws, but had managed to avoid serious consequences in the past. Collected footage showed that while driving at over 50 mph above the speed limit, she swerved to dodge a car making a turn and hit the Reynolds’ car head on, with no survivors. | First test where the SCP-XXXX-1 instance was taken from the perpetrator rather than given or hoarded- interviews with Lyons’ family and friends revealed that she had been fined for speeding in the past3 and considered it to be the price for being able to drive as fast as she liked, rather than a deterrent. |
| #103 | £1,000,000 pounds, as a cheque with the name of the payee left blank | Carmella Davison, 39 | Joelle Davison-Michaels, 43 | Victim and perpetrator are siblings. Upon the death of their mother, Davison inherited the sum of one million pounds, while Davison-Michaels was left the family home and car. Davison-Michaels was not content with the provided explanation (that she had been given more opportunities and assistance than Davison), protested and attempted to ‘trade’ her inheritance with Davison, who refused. After a week of continued refusals, Davison-Michaels set fire to Davison’s house. | First and so far only test where the victim did not die: Carmella Davison survived the fire, but was left comatose and with second- and third-degree burns covering most of her body. Davison remains in hospital; her condition remains stable but with little improvement speculated. Davison-Michaels was convicted of Davison’s attempted murder, arson and grievous bodily harm and sentenced to life imprisonment. |
Addendum XXXX.3:
In January 2026, Area-57 analysts conducted a detailed analysis of the results of every SCP-XXXX test, excepting those wherein the anomalous effect of SCP-XXXX-1 were not triggered. While the majority of categories (location, nationalities of those involved, age of victims, method of death, reason for the death) showed no noticeable recurrences, there were two exceptions: first, the form of currency that appeared most frequently in the tests was the US dollar5, and second, in contrast to several of the tests shown in Addendum.XXXX.2, the majority of SCP-XXXX-1 instances came to less than $50 USD in value.