I’ll summarize what I commented elsewhere in this thread. It’s expensive because it’s technically contraband. Our currency is no longer allowed to leave borders, specifically certain old values because they were being used for counterfeit. It was relatively low quality, not many security features and reused bad print plates with bad inks, which made it easy to get bleached and then reprinted to simulate other currencies. Currently there are only 4 legal values: 5, 10, 20, 50 Bolívares Digitales (Bs.). And technically the old 500,000 and 1,000,000 Bolívar Soberano, but those one will be phased out by the end of this year. You’ll notice there’s no 1,000,000 currency in print anymore. That’s because we have made several reconversions or zero removals. Each meant a technically different new currency, with their own paper bills, not equivalent in value. The old 1,000,000 is bound to no longer be legal tender, it won’t have fiduciary value with our central bank between the next few year. It barely has use as loose change now.
In reality the new 1 Digital Bolivar (VED) is equivalent to those 1,000,000 Soberanos (VES). But those in turn were already part of a previous reconversion from Bolívares Fuertes (VEF) which was in turn the result of another reconversion from the old Bolívar (VEB). So, that one bill is really equivalent to 100,000,000,000,000 (VEB).
Outside our borders it’s technically a collector’s item, contraband and out of circulation, all at the same time.
ADD: Also, if neither you or the recipient of the gag gift are Venezuelans, this is a poor taste and disrespectful joke. I get to laugh at and make fun of my country, you don’t get to laugh at my country.