Germany

German banknotes tell the story of the 20th century, from the Kaiser’s Reichsbank to the 1923 hyperinflation, the Nazi era, occupation currencies and the Deutsche Mark.

The Weimar inflation notes, with denominations in the millions and billions of marks, are a popular entry point for collectors of extreme currency.

Every German note in this collection is authentic, honestly graded and described with its Rosenberg or Pick number where relevant.

History and frequently asked questions below ↓

About Germany banknotes

The Reichsbank issued Germany's marks from 1876. During the First World War Germany left the gold standard, and by November 1923 hyperinflation had made one trillion paper marks worth a single Rentenmark. The Reichsmark followed in 1924, the Deutsche Mark in 1948 in the West and the Mark der DDR in the East. Germany adopted the euro in 2002 at 1.95583 Deutsche Mark per euro.

See also: Austria, World War I banknotes, World War II banknotes and hyperinflation banknotes.

Frequently asked questions

How bad was the 1923 German hyperinflation?

By November 1923 one US dollar cost 4.2 trillion marks, and notes of up to 100 trillion marks were printed.

What replaced the German mark?

The Rentenmark in 1923, the Reichsmark in 1924, the Deutsche Mark in 1948 and the euro in 2002.

What is German Notgeld?

Emergency money printed by German towns, districts and companies between 1914 and 1923, when official notes and coins ran short.

Are your Germany banknotes genuine?

Yes. Every Germany note we sell is a genuine banknote, never a copy or replica. Each listing states the grade, gives the Pick catalogue number where one exists and shows the front and back, and every order ships tracked from Hungary.