1923 AD., Germany, Weimar Republic, Reichsbank, Berlin, 7th issue, 1000000000 Mark, printer P (J. S. Preuss, Berlin ?), Pick 113b/1. 66 P·133950 Obverse
State: Germany, Weimar Republic
Issuer: Reichsbank
Location of issue: Berlin
Date of issue: September 1923 AD., 7th issue,
Value: 1.000.000.000 Mark
Size: 140 x 90 mm
Material: paper, completely brown
Watermark: Kreuzblüten
sheet number : 66
Serial no. : 133950 (6 digit green serial)
green Company logo: P (all observed: C, J, M, P, S )
Signatures: (12)
Printer P (J. S. Preuss, Berlin ?)
Obv.: Eine Milliarde Mark / 66 P·133950 / Reichsbanknote / Eintausend …. , portrait of mintmaster Jörg Herz (from a painting by Georg Penz), corrected value in red transverse letters across old print and to r.
Rev.: Eine Milliarde Mark / Reichsbanknote / R·B·D / 1000 / Mark / Wer Banknoten nachmacht …. , value and text in square ornamental design, denomination "1000" within, corrected value in red transverse letters across old print.
References: World Paper Money, Pick 113b/1 ; Rosenberg R-110f .
The portrait is of mintmaster Jörg Herz and comes from a painting by Georg Penz, who lived in Nürnberg during the first half of the 16th century. (Karlsruhe, Staatl. Kunsthalle, Germany)
For December 1922, the Reichsbank Directorate had commissioned a new 1000 mark bill. At the time of it´s issue, 1000 Marks were worth only 1/8 dollar. So the issue was cancelled. In September 1923, when banknotes of 1 billion marks were urgently needed, they remembered these old notes and simply stamped them 1 billion marks. Without a new date, the notes were finally put on the market after the announcement of 21 September 1923. At that time, one billion marks still amounted to $ 6.25. Once again it happened to the Reichsbank that the planning of a new issue failed: a bill of 5,000 marks of March 15, 1923, was issued only in October of the same year with the overprint of 500 billion marks.