1923 Germany 50 Millionen Mark Reichsbanknote P-95 Weimar Hyperinflation Era Authentic Note

1923 Germany 50 Millionen Mark Reichsbanknote P-95 Weimar Hyperinflation Era Authentic Note

This 1923 German 50 Millionen Mark banknote (Fifty Million Marks) is a vivid relic of one of the most infamous monetary crises in modern history—the Weimar Republic’s hyperinflation. Issued in Berlin on 5 September 1923, this note reflects the desperate velocity with which the German government printed currency to keep pace with spiraling prices and collapsing confidence in the Mark.

Authenticity:
This is an authentic Reichsbanknote, not a reproduction or fantasy issue. It bears the official seals of the Reichsbankdirektorium, the printed serial number 15 AK 029706, and was legal tender for a fleeting window before inflation rendered it nearly worthless and new currency reforms took place.

Historical Significance:
The economic collapse of post-WWI Germany saw inflation rise to catastrophic levels. By September 1923, paper money had to be issued in massive denominations just to maintain everyday trade. This 50 Million Mark note was part of a short-lived attempt to stay ahead of galloping inflation. Merely weeks after its release, even larger denominations—Milliarden (billions)—became commonplace, and the Rentenmark was introduced in November to reset the currency system.

This note exemplifies the middle phase of the hyperinflationary curve: already shockingly high, yet still not the highest values to come.

Design and Features:

• Obverse (Front):

  • Denomination printed boldly in Gothic blackletter as Fünfzig Millionen Mark.

  • Intricate red underprint with repeating motifs and decorative guilloche patterns.

  • Text assures redemption at the Reichsbankhauptkasse in Berlin, valid until January 1, 1924.

  • Dated Berlin, 5 September 1923.

  • Serial number 15 AK 029706 in green ink at the upper right.

  • Two Reichsbank eagle seals at the bottom corners, flanking printed signatures of Reichsbank officials.

• Reverse:

  • Unprinted reverse with light design bleed-through from the front, typical of high-speed inflationary printing.

  • Paper features light gray tone with subtle security fibers, as was common in Reichsbank issues of this period.

Catalog Number:
Pick #95 in the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money, Weimar Republic section