When Money Becomes Worthless: The Hyperinflation Crisis in Germany, 1923 In 1923, Germany experienced one of the most extreme cases of hyperinflation in history, rendering money practically worthless. Banknotes were printed in absurd denominations, wages were collected in wheelbarrows, and it became cheaper to burn cash for warmth than to buy firewood. What was once currency quickly became trash\u2014an unsettling reminder of economic instability at its worst.
