# How Do I Know A 100 Trillion Dollar Bill Is Real? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 20, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-know-a-100-trillion-dollar-bill-is-real/628856 "2012-07-20T15:01:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-know-a-100-trillion-dollar-bill-is-real/628856/22 "2023-01-24T13:14:49Z")
They were paper, not plastic. The Government could not affort plastic at the time, and still cannot. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-know-a-100-trillion-dollar-bill-is-real/628856/23 "2023-01-24T13:16:15Z")
Yes, that pretty much clearly tipped me off when I got them. I was like, WTF is this? ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-know-a-100-trillion-dollar-bill-is-real/628856/24 "2023-01-24T13:21:03Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That says “One hundred million billion pengő,” with billion there being 10^12. Or more simply put, it says “one hundred million trillion pengő”. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-know-a-100-trillion-dollar-bill-is-real/628856/25 "2023-01-24T13:22:43Z")
It is ZW$, not US$, so a trillion is completely possible. Inflation became impressive. From Wikipedia, inflation reached > [@](#): > > 98.0% per day in mid-November 2008 or 8.97×1022% per year. The currency lost half its value every 24 hours and 42 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-know-a-100-trillion-dollar-bill-is-real/628856/26 "2023-01-24T20:21:47Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > 98.0% per day Old joke from Argentina during hyperinflation: Q- “Which is cheaper, the bus or a taxi?” A- “Taxi, because you don’t pay until the end of the ride.” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-know-a-100-trillion-dollar-bill-is-real/628856/27 "2023-01-24T21:45:55Z")
Years ago I had a One Million Dollar Bill, with Bill Clinton’s picture. It was actually sort of real looking. I was at a bar with friends and we all tossed our change on the table for the jukebox. I threw in the bill. One of my friends took the bill up to the bar and asked the owner if he could have change. The owner went nuts, screaming about how we were crooks trying to cheat him. He chased us out, screaming the entire time. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-know-a-100-trillion-dollar-bill-is-real/628856/28 "2023-01-24T22:12:12Z")
albeit, somewhat sad, this vid from venezuela seems relevant: > **[r/interestingasfuck - Inflation in Venezuela is so bad right now, people are...](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/sckei4/inflation_in_venezuela_is_so_bad_right_now_people/)** > > 20,835 votes and 2,028 comments so far on Reddit ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2023, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-know-a-100-trillion-dollar-bill-is-real/628856/29 "2023-01-24T23:42:51Z")
Reminds me of this historical Hungarian photo. I also feel I’ve seen a similar one from Germany. [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DsGVxYNXQAENj3s.jpg) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DsGVxYNXQAENj3s.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2023, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-know-a-100-trillion-dollar-bill-is-real/628856/30 "2023-01-25T02:00:15Z")
Wow. I’ve seen people toss pennies, but the idea that paper currency could be so devalued is just incomprehensible ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2023, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-know-a-100-trillion-dollar-bill-is-real/628856/31 "2023-01-25T02:06:59Z")
Here’s a pictures from post WWI inflation in Germany of a woman firing her stove with some worthless bills: [![](https://images-cdn.bridgemanimages.com/api/1.0/image/600wm.XXX.92673920.7055475/2934450.jpg) ](https://images-cdn.bridgemanimages.com/api/1.0/image/600wm.XXX.92673920.7055475/2934450.jpg) > Title > German women burning money to fuel her stove during the post World War I hyper-inflation in 1923. At the time, an American dollar was worth 800 million German marks Pretty sure I heard the same stories about hyperinflationary Hungary, as well. ETA: Another photo – no caption, but author implies it’s also from Germany (oh, and you can read “MARK” on at least one of the bills.) [![](https://keripeardon.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/burningmarxforheat.jpg) ](https://keripeardon.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/burningmarxforheat.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-know-a-100-trillion-dollar-bill-is-real/628856.md?page=1)