Zimbabwe wants its citizens to trade in $35,000,000,0000,000,000 for $1USD

You know your currency’s a joke when it’s sold on eBay as a gag gift. Such is the punchline in Zimbabwe, where years of runaway inflation — 500 billion% (no, really) in the past 15 years — has not only crushed the value of the Zimbabwean dollar, but sent it into the biblical abyss (far below the world's coolest currencies).

In order to finally remove the currency from circulation altogether, the Zimbabwean government has issued a new exchange rate that remains just as ludicrous: $1 American for 35,000,000,000,000,000 Zimbabwean dollars (that’s quadrillion, for those of you wondering what came after trillions). It seems like it would be difficult for Zimbabweans to get used to have quadrillions in their bank account to a few measly dollars — because imagine trying to do the math on that conversion — but that's what's about to happen.

Meanwhile, the government also is encouraging people to bring in stashes of old bills, some of which are sold online as gag gifts. Zimbabweans have until September to turn in their old banknotes. From then, the country joins the list of others —including Panama, Ecuador, and East Timor — that use the U.S. dollar as the quasi-formal currency of the country.

Central Bank governor John Mangudya said in a statement cited by Bloomberg News:

“Zimbabwe needs to increase its foreign reserves, improve its fiscal management and strengthen the financial sector before it can change the system.”

In the meantime, late night comics still have ample time to make use of the material—all 35,000,000,000,000,000.