German hyperinflation banknote used as a postcard

JBK

Here is a fun one, for me, anyway.

It's a 1923 200,000 mark banknote that was mailed, with the address, stamp, and correspondence on the blank back of the note.

There is a 1,000,000 mark postage stamp on it, but "1,500,000" is written in blue pencil suggesting that the postage was insufficient.

johnny9434

thats different, cool

sellitstore

Great piece.

He probably put 1,000,000 marks postage on it in the morning and by the afternoon the rate had risen to 1,500,000 marks. The next morning it may have been 2,000,000 marks. Now that's some inflation.

Serial_no_8

It's possible that the original hyperinflation note would have been cheaper than the postcard! Very interesting (nevertheless).

sellitstore

@Serial_no_8 said:
It's possible that the original hyperinflation note would have been cheaper than the postcard! Very interesting (nevertheless).

I think that's exactly correct since the note's face value of 200,000 Marks is so much less than the postage for a postcard, 1,000,000 or 1,500,000 Marks.
It looks like it was postmarked at Stuttgart on Oct 16, 1923, the same day that it was written. The printed date on the note is August 9, 1923, just over 1 month earlier. That's not very long in circulation before someone found a better use for this than as money.

Staircoins

They must have shopped where I shop today.

Seems just about as bad.