Denmark Currency Facts and Details

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Denmark's official currency is the Danish krone, often abbreviated as DKK.

The krone is divided into 100 smaller units called øre.

One of the most interesting facts about the Danish krone is that it's pegged to the euro, meaning its value is tied to the euro's exchange rate.

You can exchange your money for Danish krone at most banks and currency exchange offices in Denmark.

Banknotes

Most Danish banknotes issued after 1945 are valid as payment, with values ranging from 5 kroner to 1000 kroner.

Banknotes have been issued with various designs and motifs, featuring notable Danish landmarks and historical artifacts.

The 50-krone banknote, for example, features the Sallingsund Bridge and the Skarpsalling Pot, a clay vessel from the Stone Age.

The 100-krone banknote, issued in 2010, features the Old Little Belt Bridge and the Hindsgavl Dagger, a fine example of the flint-working technique of the Dagger Period.

From February 2024 onwards, new versions of the 100-krone and 200-krone banknotes will be put into circulation, featuring improved security features.

The 1000-krone banknote, which will no longer be valid as a means of payment after 31 May 2025, features the Great Belt Bridge and the Sun Chariot, a symbol of the sun being pulled across the sky by a divine horse.

Banknotes

Cyclists riding along famous embankment in Copenhagen with historic Christiansborg palace and stock exchange building in Denmark on cloudy day
Credit: pexels.com, Cyclists riding along famous embankment in Copenhagen with historic Christiansborg palace and stock exchange building in Denmark on cloudy day

Most Danish banknotes issued after 1945 are valid as payment, with denominations ranging from 5 kroner to 1000 kroner.

Banknotes have been issued with various values since 1945, including 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 kroner.

The 1000-kroner banknote will no longer be valid as a means of payment after 31 May 2025, and will be phased out by then.

You can still use old banknotes, but they will no longer be accepted as payment after 31 May 2025.

Older banknotes will be accepted by Danmarks Nationalbank until 31 May 2026.

The 50-krone banknote features the Sallingsund Bridge and the Skarpsalling Pot as motifs.

The 100-krone banknote was issued in 2010 and features the Old Little Belt Bridge and the Hindsgavl Dagger as motifs.

A new version of the 100-krone banknote will be put into circulation from February 2024, with new security features.

The 200-krone banknote was issued in 2010 and features Knippelsbro bridge and a belt plate from Langstrup as motifs.

Silver Round Coins on Banknote
Credit: pexels.com, Silver Round Coins on Banknote

A new version of the 200-krone banknote will also be put into circulation from February 2024, with new security features.

The 500-krone banknote was issued in 2011 and features the bridge Dronning Alexandrines Bro and the Bronze Bucket from Keldby as motifs.

A new version of the 500-krone banknote was put into circulation from November 2020, with new security features.

The 1000-krone banknote features the Great Belt Bridge and the Sun Chariot as motifs.

The 1000-kroner banknote will no longer be valid as a means of payment after 31 May 2025.

2

The 2-krone coin was put into circulation on 26 January 1993. It's interesting to note that this date is the same as the 1-krone coin.

The obverse of the 2-krone coin shows the Queen’s monogram interlinked by three crowns, just like the 1-krone coin. This design is deeply rooted in Danish coin tradition.

The reverse of the 2-krone coin features ornamentation inspired by archaeological finds, which is also the case with the 1-krone coin. This shared design element highlights the similarities between the two coins.

Denmark Currency History

Credit: youtube.com, The Danish Krone Explained

The Danish krone has a rich history that spans over a thousand years. The oldest Danish coins, called korsmønter or "cross coins", were minted by Harald Bluetooth in the late 10th century.

Lund was the main minting place, and one of Denmark's most important cities in the Middle Ages. Coins were also minted in other places like Roskilde, Odense, and Viborg.

The Danish krone was initially based on a silver standard, but its metal value was periodically reduced, leading to a loss of public trust in the currency. This resulted in the Danish currency being overhauled several times.

The introduction of the Scandinavian Monetary Union in 1873 marked a significant change for the Danish krone. The union, which lasted until World War I, led to the adoption of the new currency, with Denmark, Norway, and Sweden using the name krone, krona, or crown in their respective languages.

Not Adopted the Euro

Denmark hasn't adopted the Euro, despite being part of the European Union. This is due to a rejection by referendum in 2000.

Banknote Lot
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Denmark is one of eight member states that still use their own currencies. The Danish krone is pegged closely to the euro, with a rate of 7.46038±2.25% in ERM II, the EU's exchange rate mechanism.

The Danish krone is closely tied to the euro, which is a common currency throughout the European Union. Denmark borders one eurozone member, Germany, and one other EU member, Sweden.

The History of

The oldest Danish coins date back to the late 10th century, with the so-called korsmønter or "cross coins" minted by Harald Bluetooth.

These coins were minted in cities like Lund, Roskilde, Odense, and Viborg, with Lund being one of Denmark's most important cities in the Middle Ages.

The Danish krone was initially based on a silver standard, but its metal value was periodically reduced to generate income for the monarch and/or the state.

This practice led to a loss of public trust in the coins, resulting in the currency needing to be overhauled multiple times.

currency exchange - romanian euro
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The Scandinavian Monetary Union, which came into force in 1873, introduced the new krone currency, adopted by Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

The union lasted until World War I, after which the gold standard was abandoned and the countries separated their currencies.

The krone has its roots in the 1500s, initially not being the principal currency in Denmark, but valued against the Danish Rigsdaler Courant.

The krone took center stage in the late 19th century with the introduction of the Scandinavian Currency Union, which established the gold standard and the krone as the common currency.

1944 Series

The 1944 series, also known as the substitution series, was developed in secret in 1943-1944 and designed by Danish painter Gerhard Heilmann.

This series was designed to be a replacement for the existing currency, and it's interesting to note that the exact dates of the first printings of each denomination are not specified in the article.

The 5 kroner banknote was the first to be printed, measuring 130 × 72 mm and featuring a blue main color with figures of 5 on the obverse and rosettes and the lesser coat of arms on the reverse.

Person Putting Rolled Banknotes in Glass Jar
Credit: pexels.com, Person Putting Rolled Banknotes in Glass Jar

The 10 kroner banknote was also part of this series, measuring 131 × 80 mm and featuring an orange main color with no figures of 10 on the obverse.

Here's a breakdown of the dimensions and main colors of the banknotes in the 1944 series:

The 50 kroner banknote was printed with a purple main color and featured a boat with fishermen on the obverse, while the 100 kroner banknote had a green main color with seaweed decoration and dolphins.

1952 Series

The 1952 series of banknotes in Denmark was a significant milestone in the country's currency history. It featured portraits and landscapes of famous Danes.

The series was issued from 1952 to 1964 and was replaced in 1972. The banknotes were designed by Gunnar Biilmann Petersen, Gunnar Andersen, and Ib Andersen.

The 1952 series included five denominations: 5 kroner, 10 kroner, 50 kroner, 100 kroner, and 500 kroner. Each denomination had a unique design and color.

Credit: youtube.com, Denmark - Encyclopedia of the World by Aarav | Geography - Currency - History - Culture #nac

Here are the details of each denomination:

The first printing of the 5 kroner and 10 kroner banknotes was in 1952, while the 50 kroner, 100 kroner, and 500 kroner banknotes were printed in 1957, 1962, and 1964 respectively.

Denmark Currency Details

The Danish krone is the official currency of Denmark, and it's interesting to note that banknotes of 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 Danish kroner are currently in circulation.

You can find all the banknotes at the National Bank of Denmark. The coin denominations in circulation are 50 øre and 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 kroner.

The Danish krone is pegged closely to the euro, with a rate of 7.46038±2.25% in ERM II, the EU's exchange rate mechanism.

Relationship to the Euro

Denmark has not adopted the euro, despite being a member of the European Union.

The country's currency, the Danish krone, is pegged closely to the euro at a rate of 7.46038±2.25% in ERM II, the EU's exchange rate mechanism.

Credit: youtube.com, Euro to Denmark Danish Krone | 100 Euro value in Denmark Currency | Convert Euro to Krone

Denmark shares a border with Germany, a eurozone member, and Sweden, another EU member that's required to join the euro in the future.

It's worth noting that Sweden is allowed to join ERM II on a voluntary basis, which it has chosen to do, thus avoiding euro adoption for now.

Commemoratives and Thematic

Denmark has a rich tradition of issuing commemorative and thematic coins that are as beautiful as they are informative. The coins of the programme have the same size and metal composition as the regular coins of their denomination.

These commemorative coins are designed to showcase the country's unique culture, history, and geography. A notable example is the series of 20-krone coins featuring towers in Denmark, which ran from 2002 to 2007 and included ten different motifs.

Each coin in the tower series was chosen not only for its aesthetic appeal but also for its significance in terms of form, function, and regional representation. The last coin in the series, depicting the Copenhagen City Hall, was issued in June 2007.

Brown and Silver Round Coins
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A second series of 20-krone coins, launched in 2007, highlights Denmark's maritime history and features iconic ships from the country and its territories. By November 2011, ten coins from this series had been released.

The commemorative coins often focus on specific themes, such as the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen. In 2005, Danmarks Nationalbank issued the first in a series of five 10-krone coins featuring motifs from his fairy tales.

These fairy tale coins were carefully chosen to illustrate various aspects and themes central to the stories, with the fifth and final coin inspired by The Nightingale being issued on 25 October 2007.

Symbol

The Danish krone's currency symbol is a simple and straightforward one. It's represented by the letters "DKK".

You might have noticed that the krone is often paired with other currencies in currency exchange rates, such as the Nigerian naira (NGN) and the Pakistani rupee (PKR).

In some countries, like Saudi Arabia, the krone is also compared to their local currency, the Saudi riyal (SAR).

All Exchange Rates

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Denmark's currency, the Danish krone, is pegged closely to the euro in ERM II, with a rate of 7.46038±2.25%.

You can easily check the current exchange rate between the Danish krone and other currencies using an online currency converter or a money transfer app like Remitly. A quick search will show you the real-time exchange rate between DKK and any other currency.

The Danish krone is often compared to other currencies, such as the euro, US dollar, Swedish krona, and British pound. For example, as of now, 1 DKK is equivalent to approximately 0.13403 EUR, 0.13723 USD, 1.54189 SEK, and 0.11184 GBP.

Here's a list of all the exchange rates for the Danish krone:

You can use this list to compare the exchange rates for the Danish krone with other currencies.

10

The 10-krone coin is made of aluminium bronze and has been in circulation since 1989.

The dominant ornamentation on the 10-krone coin is a portrait of the sovereign, which is in keeping with tradition for the highest denominations of Danish coins.

Man Holding Banknotes while Looking at the Camera
Credit: pexels.com, Man Holding Banknotes while Looking at the Camera

The portrait of Queen Margrethe on the 10-krone coin has been redesigned several times, with four previous portraits created by sculptress Hanne Varming, medallist Jan Petersen, sculptor and professor Mogens Møller, and sculptor Lis Nogel.

The current portrait of Queen Margrethe on the 10-krone coin was put into circulation in May 2023 and features a new design created by sculptor Eva Hjorth.

The reverse of the 10-krone coin shows three lions and nine hearts framed by a circle with a crown at the top.

The 10-krone coin has a diameter of 23.35 mm and a weight of 7.0 grams.

The rim of the 10-krone coin is smooth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best currency to take to Denmark?

For a smooth trip to Denmark, it's best to use the Danish krone (DKK) for transactions, as euros may not be widely accepted. Exchange your pounds for kroner before your trip to avoid exchange rate surprises.

Does Denmark still use the kroner?

Yes, Denmark still uses the krone as its official currency, having opted out of the euro in 1992. The country has maintained its independence in currency choice since then.

Aaron Osinski

Writer

Aaron Osinski is a versatile writer with a passion for crafting engaging content across various topics. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for storytelling, he has established himself as a reliable voice in the online publishing world. Aaron's areas of expertise include financial journalism, with a focus on personal finance and consumer advocacy.

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