What Is a Reichsbanknote?
Reichsbanknotes are old German paper money that were used as currency in Germany between 1876 and 1945. In 1945, the Reichsmark currency was replaced first by the Deutsche mark, then eventually by the euro in 2002.
Inflationary pressures caused by the war and the defeat of Imperial Germany in 1918 led to the production of paper marks and high value Reichsbank notes. The Reichsmark was the main currency between 1924 and late 1940s. German Reichsbank notes of high denomination are from the inflation period between 1922 and 1923, when money depreciated so quickly that currency became almost worthless. A note for 1,000,000 marks was considered enough to buy lunch one month and not even a postage stamp the next. During this period, notes of 1 trillion marks value were issued. These notes only had an equivalent value of $1. Many Reichsbank notes have survived and, since they are historically interesting, they have a large base of collectors. As with any collected currency, some notes are rare while others are exceedingly common.
