The 100 Trillion Mark Note of Weimar Germany (1924)
Germany's largest banknote hides a trap in plain sight. It reads Hundert Billionen Mark, and in German a Billion is an English trillion. This is the 100 trillion mark note, a face value of 100,000,000,000,000 marks, printed as the Weimar hyperinflation burned itself out.
Last updated: July 2026
The 100 trillion mark note, printed in German as 100 Billionen Mark, was the highest-denomination banknote Germany ever issued, and its definitive version is dated 15 February 1924, at the very tail of the Weimar hyperinflation. The wording confuses English speakers because German counts large numbers on the long scale, where a Billion means a million million. This guide unpacks that translation trap, what the note was worth on the day it appeared, why it is far scarcer than the common 1923 inflation notes, and how it lines up with Zimbabwe's 100 trillion dollar note, the only other famous note to wear fourteen zeros.
Is it a 100 billion or a 100 trillion mark note?
It is 100 trillion marks in English, and the confusion is purely linguistic. German uses the long scale for large numbers. A German Million matches the English million, but the next steps diverge: a thousand million is a Milliarde, which is the English billion, and a German Billion is a million million, which is the English trillion. So Hundert Billionen Mark means 100 trillion marks, written 100,000,000,000,000, a one followed by fourteen zeros.
Mistranslations appear constantly in auction listings, articles, and captions that call this the "100 billion mark note." The reliable rule when reading any German inflation note: Milliarde translates to billion, Billion translates to trillion. Keep that pair straight and every Weimar denomination falls into place. For more collector terms, see the banknote glossary.
What is the 100 trillion mark note?
It is the final and largest denomination of the Papiermark era. The Reichsbank announced the denomination on 2 November 1923, and the first version, a plain one-sided design, is dated 26 October 1923 (geldscheine-online, German banknote reference). The definitive note is dated 15 February 1924: a multicolor lithograph printed by the Reichsdruckerei, carrying a portrait of the Nuremberg humanist Willibald Pirckheimer after Albrecht Duerer and a thistle-pattern watermark (Muenzkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin).
It remains the highest denomination ever used on a German banknote, per the Bundesdruckerei, the modern successor of the Reichsdruckerei. The same source records that a 1,000 trillion mark note was produced in February 1924 but never circulated, so 100 trillion stands as the ceiling.
What was it worth when it was issued?
Roughly 24 US dollars, which makes it unusual among hyperinflation notes: it was issued after the crisis broke, not during the freefall. Germany introduced the Rentenmark on 15 November 1923 and exchanged it at one Rentenmark per trillion paper marks, with the US dollar stabilized at 4.2 trillion paper marks (documented stabilization record). At those rates the note's face value equaled about 100 Rentenmark, close to 24 dollars. It served as a working high-value note bridging the old currency into the new, redeemable until 5 July 1925.
The freefall it closed out was staggering. German monthly inflation peaked at roughly 29,500 percent in October 1923, an equivalent daily rate of 20.9 percent with prices doubling about every 3.7 days, per the Hanke-Krus World Hyperinflation Table (Cato Institute). The full story of that collapse is in our Weimar hyperinflation guide.
Why is it scarcer than the common Weimar inflation notes?
Because value at issue decided what survived. The 1923 denominations were printed in astronomical quantities: the Reichsdruckerei processed about 5.5 million kilograms of banknote paper in the final quarter of 1923, with some 60 private firms drafted as auxiliary printers (Bundesdruckerei). Those million and milliard mark notes became worthless, so nobody bothered redeeming them, and they survive today in vast numbers as affordable entry points.
The 100 trillion mark note is the opposite case. It arrived at the very end, represented real purchasing power of about 100 Rentenmark, and was mostly spent and redeemed rather than tucked away. Surviving examples are scarce by Weimar standards, and museum collections such as the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and the Berlin Muenzkabinett hold documented pieces. For a note like this, condition and third-party certification carry real weight, so read our banknote grading guide before buying, and consider graded banknotes for the strongest guarantee.
How does it compare to Zimbabwe's 100 trillion dollar note?
They are numeric twins. Both notes carry the written value 100,000,000,000,000, a one followed by fourteen zeros, and no other famous collectible note matches that figure. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe introduced its 100 trillion dollar note on 16 January 2009, near the end of a hyperinflation that peaked far above Germany's, second only to Hungary's 1946 collapse per the Hanke-Krus World Hyperinflation Table (Cato Institute).
The collecting profiles differ sharply. Zimbabwe's note was printed in large quantities and survives as the most popular hyperinflation collectible in the world, while the German note of 1924 is the scarce ancestor that set the fourteen-zero precedent 85 years earlier. Holding the pair side by side is the whole history of modern hyperinflation in two pieces of paper. See how every episode ranks in every hyperinflation ranked, or start with a curated hyperinflation set.
Frequently asked questions
Is the German note 100 billion or 100 trillion marks?
It is 100 trillion marks in English. The note reads 100 Billionen Mark, and German counts large numbers on the long scale, where a Billion equals a million million, the English trillion. The German word for the English billion is Milliarde. Written out, the face value is 100,000,000,000,000 marks, fourteen zeros.
What was the 100 trillion mark note worth when it was issued?
Roughly 24 US dollars. By its 15 February 1924 date, Germany had stabilized the currency, with 1 Rentenmark exchanging for 1 trillion paper marks and the US dollar at 4.2 trillion paper marks (documented stabilization record). That made the note equal to about 100 Rentenmark, real spending money rather than wheelbarrow paper.
Why is the 100 trillion mark note scarcer than other Weimar notes?
The common 1923 notes were printed in astronomical quantities, with the Reichsdruckerei processing about 5.5 million kilograms of banknote paper in late 1923 and some 60 private firms printing alongside it (Bundesdruckerei). The 100 trillion mark note arrived at the very end, held real value of about 100 Rentenmark, and was mostly redeemed rather than saved, so far fewer survive.
How does it compare to Zimbabwe's 100 trillion dollar note?
Both carry the same written face value, 100,000,000,000,000, a one followed by fourteen zeros. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe introduced its version on 16 January 2009, and it survives in large collectible quantities. The German note of 1924 is the scarce ancestor, while Zimbabwe's hyperinflation peaked far higher than Germany's per the Hanke-Krus World Hyperinflation Table (Cato Institute).
Was it the highest denomination banknote ever issued?
It was the highest Germany ever issued (Bundesdruckerei). A 1,000 trillion mark note was produced in February 1924 but never circulated. Globally, Hungary's 1946 pengo series went higher, reaching a 100 quintillion pengo note, a one followed by twenty zeros.
Planet Banknote is a family-owned dealership in Sarasota, Florida, founded in 2021. Every note is sourced direct from mints, central banks, and authorized distributors, inspected through our Planet Banknote Verified process, and ships with a free Certificate of Authenticity. US orders ship free via USPS Priority, and every order includes a free bonus gift.