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1 000 000 000 Mark Deutsche Reichsbahn
| Issuer | Deutsche Reichsbahn (German National Railway) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1923 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 000 000 000 Mark (1 000 000 000) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Green letterpress note with a guilloche underprint overall. The denomination "Eine Milliarde Mark" is printed in large Gothic script across the upper centre, with the issuer heading "Deutsche Reichsbahn" above it. A multi-line legal tender text occupies the centre field, below which the date "Berlin, den 18. Oktober 1923" and serial number prefix appear at lower left alongside a small imperial eagle vignette at lower centre-right. The vertical left margin bears the denomination "Eine Milliarde" in large Gothic lettering, and a facsimile signature of the Reichsverkehrsminister appears at lower right. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit |
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| Comments |
Deutsche Reichsbahn issued its own emergency currency during the hyperinflation of 1923 because the Reichsbank simply could not print fast enough to meet demand. State railways, municipalities, industrial firms, and even department stores all became de facto note-issuing authorities that year — not by legal right but by practical necessity. The Reichsbahn's billion-mark notes were notgeld in everything but name, accepted by workers and merchants because there was nothing else to hand.
The watermark is the sole security measure, which tells you everything about how briefly these were expected to remain valid. By November 1923, a billion marks wouldn't cover a tram fare.