1000000 Papiermark #183

Front

Reichsbanknote of one million marks issued during the Weimar Republic hyperinflation crisis of 1923. The note displays the Reichsadler (Imperial Eagle) emblem of the Weimar Republic at bottom, with Gothic blackletter typography stating 'EINE MILLION MARK'. The text declares that the Reichsbank main office in Berlin pays the bearer one million marks, and that from 1 September 1923 this note can be called in and exchanged for other legal tender. Dated Berlin, 9 August 1923, signed by the Reichsbankdirektorium. The note features an ornate green geometric security panel on the right side.

Back

Plain reverse with faint impression of the front design visible through the paper, typical of Weimar hyperinflation emergency issues which prioritized rapid production over elaborate designs.

History

This one million mark note was issued during the catastrophic Weimar hyperinflation of 1923, when the Papiermark collapsed in value due to war reparations payments and government debt monetization. By August 1923, the Reichsbank was issuing million-mark denominations; by November 1923, the peak of hyperinflation saw trillion-mark notes. The Papiermark was replaced by the Rentenmark in November 1923 at a rate of 1 Rentenmark = 1 trillion Papiermark, stabilizing the German economy. These hyperinflation notes are extremely common today due to massive overprinting, though they remain important historical artifacts of economic collapse.