200 billion marks

The year 1923 started off in inflation-ridden Germany remarkably badly. The spring saw a significant fall in the value of the mark, resulting in a sharp rise in prices. By autumn, the situation in the money market was already critical. It became clear that without the introduction of replacement money bearing new, significantly higher denominations, there would be a shortage of cash in circulation. In the autumn of 1923, the Koszalin city council also saw fit to introduce another issue of replacement paper currency. The highest denomination in this series was a bill worth 200 billion marks. The paper used for the banknote came from Brazil and was watermarked with the inscription CASA DEL MOEDA (port. mint). The layout and colours of this issue were very modest. The pale green subprint has black lettering. The monotony of the colour scheme was broken by the lettering of the series and the consecutive number of the banknote printed in red ink. The denomination and its number 200 Milliarden Mark were placed in the centre. A similar designation was placed in the corners of the note. Text inscription was reduced to a minimum. The top of the bill featured the information that it was the replacement money of the city of Koszalin and that the city's main cashier's office would pay the owner the equivalent of the bill in the official state currency. Beneath the main denomination, it was stated that the voucher was legal tender and would be accepted at all city cash registers and that the end of its circulation would be announced to the public. The Koszalin bill is a typical copy of the replacement money used during the period of hyperinflation. At the cost of a simple graphic design, poor colours, and one-sided printing, it was possible to quickly supply the money market with large quantities of new means of payment. Mieszko Pawłowski