A childhood belief about money

I used to believe for quite a long time that the paper money was made from was worth almost as much as the money note itself. I wondered which kind of trees the various notes were made of and also whether money notes in Europe would have to be made from paper coming from exotic trees like ebony if they were to be worth a large sum, whereas african money of high value would for instance be coming from a pine tree. I asked my father about it and he explained. I wasn't concinced though.