German Papiermark

German Papiermark
Mark (German)
100 trillion mark
Denominations
Subunit
1/100	Pfennig
Plural	Mark
Pfennig	Pfennig
Symbol	ℳ
Pfennig	₰
Banknotes	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 Mark 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 thousand Mark 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 million Mark 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 billion Mark 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 trillion Mark
Coins	1, 2, 5, 10, 50 Pfennig 1, 3, 200, 500 Mark
Demographics
User(s)	German Empire Weimar Republic Free City of Danzig Bavarian Council Republic
Issuance
Central bank	Reichsbank
This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete.

The name  Papiermark  (English: paper mark, officially just Mark, sign: ℳ) is applied to the German currency from 4 August 1914 when the link between the Goldmark and gold was abandoned, due to the outbreak of World War I. In particular, the name is used for the banknotes issued during the hyperinflation in Germany of 1922 and especially 1923.

From 1914, the value of the Mark fell. The rate of inflation rose following the end of World War I and reached its highest point in October 1923. The currency was stabilized in November 1923 after the announcement of the creation of the Rentenmark, although the Rentenmark did not come into circulation until 1924. When it did, it replaced the Papiermark at the rate of 1 trillion Papiermark = 1 Rentenmark. Later in 1924, the Rentenmark was replaced by the Reichsmark.

In addition to the issues of the government, emergency issues of both tokens and paper money, known as Kriegsgeld (war money) and Notgeld (emergency money), were produced by local authorities.

The Papiermark was also used in the Free City of Danzig until replaced by the Danzig Gulden in late 1923. Several coins and emergency issues in papiermark were issued by the free city.

During the war, cheaper metals were introduced for coins, including aluminium, zinc and iron, although silver ½ Mark pieces continued in production until 1919. Aluminium 1 Pfennig were produced until 1918 and the 2 Pfennig until 1916. Whilst iron 5 Pfennig, both iron and zinc 10 Pfennig and aluminium 50 Pfennig coins were issued until 1922. Aluminium 3 Mark were issued in 1922 and 1923, and aluminium 200 and 500 Mark were issued in 1923. The quality of many of these coins varied from decent to poor.