Zimbabwe 100 Trillion Dollar Note Value
The Zimbabwean 100 trillion dollar note, issued in 2008, holds the record for the highest face value on any government-issued banknote. When it was released it could not reliably buy a week of groceries.
Unlike most hyperinflation currency, this one has become genuinely collectible. It circulated for only a few months before the currency was abandoned entirely in 2009, and demand from collectors and novelty buyers has been strong enough to push uncirculated examples well into three figures.
Quick facts
- Issued
- January 2008 series, released 2009
- Issuer
- Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
- Record
- Highest face value banknote ever issued
- Currency abandoned
- April 2009, replaced by foreign currency
- Series
- Trillion series ran 10, 20, 50, and 100 trillion
Zimbabwe Trillion Dollar value by condition
| Condition | Estimated value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 100 trillion, circulated | $50 to $120 | |
| 100 trillion, uncirculated | $90 to $250 | |
| 50 trillion, uncirculated | $50 to $130 | |
| 10 trillion, uncirculated | $25 to $70 | |
| Complete trillion series, uncirculated | $200 to $600 | |
| Graded 66 or higher | $250 to $700 |
Prices have risen steadily since 2015 as the supply of uncirculated examples has been absorbed. Counterfeits exist and are common on general marketplaces.
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How Zimbabwe got here
Land reform in the early 2000s collapsed agricultural output, export earnings fell, and the government financed the shortfall by printing money. Inflation reached rates that are difficult to state meaningfully, with prices doubling roughly daily at the peak.
The Reserve Bank responded by removing zeros from the currency three separate times and issuing ever larger denominations. In April 2009 it gave up, abandoned the Zimbabwe dollar entirely, and legalized the use of the US dollar and South African rand.
Spotting a counterfeit
Because these sell for real money and are widely recognized, reproductions are common. Genuine notes have a watermark of the Zimbabwe Bird visible when held to light, a metallic security thread embedded in the paper, and raised intaglio printing you can feel on the main design elements.
Reproductions are typically printed flat on smooth paper with a simulated watermark printed rather than embedded. If the note feels like ordinary paper and the watermark is visible without backlighting, it is not genuine.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Zimbabwe 100 trillion dollar note worth?
Around $50 to $120 circulated and $90 to $250 uncirculated. Professionally graded high-grade examples bring more.
Can I exchange Zimbabwe dollars for real money?
No. The currency was demonetized and a limited redemption program closed years ago. The value today is entirely from collectors.
Is the 100 trillion note the highest denomination ever?
It is the highest face value ever issued by a government. The 1946 Hungarian pengő issues reached higher nominal values but were denominated differently and largely never released.