diff --git a/src/me/teridax/jcash/decode/StringDecoder.java b/src/me/teridax/jcash/decode/StringDecoder.java
index c632dc8..86b7cd3 100644
--- a/src/me/teridax/jcash/decode/StringDecoder.java
+++ b/src/me/teridax/jcash/decode/StringDecoder.java
@@ -56,8 +56,11 @@ public class StringDecoder {
     public static double decodeCurrency(String currency) throws IllegalArgumentException, NullPointerException {
         Objects.requireNonNull(currency);
 
+        // trim and cut out weird leading single quotes for numbers
+        var preparedUID = currency.trim().replaceAll("^\\s*['‘`](?=\\d)", "");
+
         try {
-            return LOCAL_NUMBER_FORMAT.parse(currency.trim()).doubleValue();
+            return LOCAL_NUMBER_FORMAT.parse(preparedUID).doubleValue();
         } catch (ParseException ex) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("Not a valid currency in german locale: " + currency, ex);
         }
@@ -74,10 +77,13 @@ public class StringDecoder {
     public static int decodeUniqueIdentificationNumber(String number) throws IllegalArgumentException, NullPointerException {
         Objects.requireNonNull(number);
 
+        // trim and cut out weird leading single quotes for numbers
+        var preparedUID = number.trim().replaceAll("^\\s*['‘`](?=\\d)", "");
+
         // check if the string is a valid unsigned number
         try {
             LOCAL_NUMBER_FORMAT.setParseIntegerOnly(true);
-            var serialNumber = LOCAL_NUMBER_FORMAT.parse(number.trim());
+            var serialNumber = LOCAL_NUMBER_FORMAT.parse(preparedUID);
             LOCAL_NUMBER_FORMAT.setParseIntegerOnly(false);
 
             if (serialNumber.intValue() < 0)