Danish krone facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Danish krone
500 kroner banknote 1 krone coin
ISO 4217 Code	DKK
User(s)	Kingdom of Denmark  Denmark  Greenland 1
Inflation	1.9%
Source	Statistics Denmark, December 2024
Method	Consumer price index
ERM
Since	13 March 1979
€ =	7.46038 kr.
Band	2.25%
Subunit
1⁄100	øre
Symbol	kr.
Plural	kroner
øre	øre (singular and plural)
Coins	50-øre, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 kroner
Banknotes	50, 100, 200, 500 kroner
Printer	Oberthur Fiduciaire
Special banknotes are issued for use on the Faroe Islands–see Faroese króna

The krone (pronounced "kro-nuh") is the official money used in Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. It was first introduced on January 1, 1875. You'll often see it written as "kr." after the amount, or with the code "DKK" before it. In English, people sometimes call it the "Danish crown" because "krone" actually means "crown." Danish krone coins have been made since the 1600s.

One krone is divided into 100 smaller parts called øre (pronounced "ooh-ruh"). The word øre might come from an old Latin word for gold. Today, the smallest coin is the 50 øre coin, which is half of a krone. There used to be more øre coins, but they were stopped because prices went up over time.

The krone is linked to the euro through a system called ERM II. This means its value stays very close to the euro. Some major political groups in Denmark want to use the euro, but in a vote in 2000, 53.2% of people chose to keep the krone instead of joining the Eurozone.

History of the Danish Krone

A Danish silver two-rigsdaler coin from 1868, showing Christian IX.

Two golden 20-kroner coins from the Scandinavian Monetary Union. The one on the left is Swedish and the one on the right is Danish.

The very first known Danish coin was a penny made between 825 and 840 AD. But the first organized coin making started with King Harald Bluetooth in the late 900s.

Coin production in Denmark really grew when Canute the Great took charge in the 1020s. Lund (which is now in Sweden) was the main place where coins were made during the Middle Ages. For almost 1,000 years, Danish kings have put their names, symbols, or pictures on their coins.

Over many centuries, the amount of precious metal in coins was sometimes reduced. This was an easy way for rulers to make more money. But it also meant people started to trust the coins less. Because of this, Danish money was changed several times to try and make people trust it again. Later, paper money became more common.

The modern krone we know today became Denmark's official money in January 1875. It replaced an older currency called the rigsdaler. Two kroner were worth one rigsdaler. At that time, the krone was linked to gold, meaning 2,480 kroner were equal to 1 kilogram of pure gold. As the economy grew in the late 1700s and 1800s, people needed money that was easier to carry than coins, so banknotes became very popular.

The Royal Mint of Denmark used to make the krone coins, and the Danish National Bank printed the banknotes. In 2014, Denmark decided to stop making its own coins and printing its own banknotes. This work is now done by other companies. The last banknotes were printed by the National Bank on December 20, 2016.

How the Krone Works Today

The Krone and the Euro

The value of one Euro in Danish krone since 1999.

Denmark has not adopted the euro. In a vote in 2000, people decided not to switch. However, the Danish krone is closely linked to the euro through a system called ERM II. This means its value stays very stable compared to the euro. Denmark shares a border with Germany, which uses the euro. It also borders Sweden, another EU country that has not yet joined the euro.

Money in the Faroe Islands and Greenland

The Faroe Islands use a special version of the Danish krone called the Faroese króna. It has the same value as the Danish krone and uses Danish coins. However, the Faroe Islands have their own unique banknotes, which were first made in the 1950s and updated later.

Greenland also uses Danish kroner as its official money. In 2006, Greenland planned to create its own banknotes, but in 2010, the government decided not to. So, Greenland continues to use only Danish kroner. Historically, Greenland did have its own banknotes and coins when it was a colony.

The Faroe Islands and Greenland have their own special bank codes (FO and GL), different from Denmark's (DK). This means that sending money between these places is considered an international transfer, with international fees.

Danish Coins

Coin Materials and Colors

50-øre coin

1-krone coin

10-kroner coin

Danish coins are designed to be easy to tell apart. They are divided into three groups, each with its own metal color. This idea comes from history. Long ago, the value of a coin matched the metal it was made from: gold for high values, silver for middle values, and copper for low values. This color system is still used today.

• The 50 øre coins are made of a copper-colored bronze.
• The 1, 2, and 5 krone coins are made of a silver-colored metal called cupronickel.
• The 10 and 20 krone coins are made of a golden metal called aluminum bronze.

The coins also differ in size, weight, and their edges. As the value of the coin increases, its size and weight also increase.

• The 50 øre and 10 krone coins have smooth edges.
• The 1 and 5 krone coins have ridged edges.
• The 2 and 20 krone coins have edges with broken ridges.
• The 1, 2, and 5 krone coins have a hole in the middle.

These different features help people who are blind or have trouble seeing to tell the coins apart easily.

Special Edition Coins

Denmark also makes special 20-krone and 10-krone coins to celebrate different themes. These coins have the same size and metal as regular coins of their value.

One series of 20-krone coins, made from 2002 to 2007, showed famous towers in Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland. Another series, starting in 2007, features Danish, Faroese, and Greenlandic ships, showing Denmark's connection to the sea.

In 2005, a series of five 10-krone coins was released, featuring scenes from Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairy tales. After that, in 2007, another series of three 10-krone coins was made to celebrate the International Polar Year. These coins showed things like a polar bear, the Sirius Sledge Patrol, and the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), highlighting scientific research and Greenland's culture.

Danish Banknotes

Most Danish banknotes issued after 1945 can still be used as payment. Since 1945, banknotes have been made in values of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 kroner.

On November 30, 2023, it was announced that all banknotes issued before 2009 are no longer valid as of May 31, 2025. The 1000-kroner banknote also stopped being legal tender on the same date. However, you can still exchange these older banknotes at Danmarks Nationalbank until May 31, 2026.

1944 Banknote Series

This series was secretly designed during World War II by Danish painter Gerhard Heilmann.

1952 Banknote Series

The 1952 series showed portraits of famous people and Danish landscapes. It was used from 1952 to 1964.

1972 Banknote Series

The 1972 series featured portraits of people and pictures of animals. It was used from 1975 to 1980.

1997 Banknote Series

The 1997 series showed portraits of Danish artists and scientists, and pictures of church art. It was used from 1997 to 1999.

2009 Banknote Series

The 2009 series of banknotes features Danish bridges and the landscapes around them. The bridges represent links between different parts of Denmark and connections between the past and present. The past is shown through five unique prehistoric objects found near the bridges.

These banknotes have new security features, like a special "Motion" window thread with a moving wave pattern and a detailed hologram that changes colors. They also have traditional security features like watermarks and hidden threads.

Banknotes of Denmark, 2009 series

Image		Value	Size (mm)	Main Color		What's on Them		Issued	First Issued	Stopped Being Valid	Last Day to Exchange
Front	Back					Front	Back
		50 kr.	125 × 72		Violet	Sallingsund Bridge	Skarpsalling vessel	2009	11 August 2009	Current	Current
		100 kr.	135 × 72		Orange-yellow	Little Belt Bridge	Hindsgavl Dagger	2010	4 May 2010
		200 kr.	145 × 72		Green	Knippelsbro	Langstrup belt plate		19 October 2010
		500 kr.	155 × 72		Blue	Queen Alexandrine Bridge	Keldby bronze pail	2011	15 February 2011
		1000 kr.	165 × 72		Red	Great Belt Bridge	Trundholm sun chariot		24 May 2011	31 May 2025	31 May 2026
For table standards, see the banknote specification table.

Since 2020, a new version of the 500-kroner banknote with updated security features has been released. New versions of the 50-, 100-, and 200-kroner banknotes are planned to be released in 2024–2025.

Future Banknote Series (2028)

A new series of banknotes is planned for release in 2028. This series will not include a 1000-krone banknote, as that banknote stopped being legal tender on May 31, 2025. The 1000-krone note is being removed to help prevent money laundering. The new banknotes will be used alongside the 2009 series for a while, and eventually, only the new series will be valid.

The design process for these new banknotes started in spring 2024 and should be finished by early 2026. In September 2024, it was announced that the front of the banknotes will show "important achievements and the people behind them," while the back will feature the sea. The chosen themes and people are:

• Fairy tales and Hans Christian Andersen
• Astronomy and Tycho Brahe
• The Earth's core and Inge Lehmann
• The Thule Expedition and Arnarulunnguaq

More About the Danish Krone

• Denmark and the euro
• Economy of Denmark
• Economy of the Faroe Islands
• Economy of Greenland

See also

In Spanish: Corona danesa para niños