With inflation soaring, Argentina will start printing 10,000 peso notes WSOC TV [Video]

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — (AP) — Prices in Argentina have surged so dramatically in recent months that the government has multiplied the size of its biggest bank note in circulation by five — to 10,000 pesos, worth about $10.

The central bank announcement Tuesday promised to lighten the load for many Argentines who must carry around giant bags — occasionally, suitcases — stuffed with cash for simple transactions. Argentina’s annual inflation rate reached 287% in March, among the highest in the world.

The new denomination note — five times the value of the previous biggest bill — is expected to hit the streets next month in a bid to “facilitate transactions between users,” the central bank said. The 10,000 peso note is worth $11 at the country’s official exchange rate and $9 at the black market exchange rate.

Across Argentina, hard currency — specifically, the country’s ubiquitous 1,000-peso notes — remains the most …