The advanced security features in banknotes and the fine details on coins make them harder to counterfeit. Conversely, technological developments mean that counterfeiters are constantly finding better tools to copy banknotes and coins.
Some fakes can be very good and hard to detect. If you're unsure if you have a counterfeit note or coin, compare it to a real one, paying particular attention to the elements that are most difficult to imitate.
Danmarks Nationalbank has a monopoly on producing banknotes and coins in the Kingdom of Denmark.
One of Danmarks Nationalbank’s objectives is to promote safe payments. High-quality security and design are key to upholding trust in Danish banknotes and coins. Danmarks Nationalbank therefore continuously assesses whether an upgrade is needed to the design and security features of banknotes and coins.
Fine coin details reveal attempts at counterfeiting
Unlike banknotes, Danish coins do not have security features. Coins are difficult and time-consuming to produce, and their low denomination makes it less attractive to attempt counterfeiting. Few attempts are therefore generally made to counterfeit coins.
If someone wants to pay large amounts of money in coins, there is good reason to check their authenticity.
Both new and old Danish coins are difficult to imitate, as the metal must have the right shape and weight, and it requires specialised minting machines to reproduce the fine details of the design.
It's often the small details that reveal even sophisticated attempts at counterfeiting:
- Small subtleties in the portrait can be less detailed on a fake coin, especially around the mouth and nose. For example, the details can be flatter.
- On the reverse of the coin, the stones in the royal crown are another detail that can be difficult for counterfeiters to reproduce. They can often be more flat and expressionless on fake coins.
- The edges of Danish coins can also sometimes reveal attempted counterfeits. On the coins with H.M. Queen Margrethe II and the new coins featuring H.M. King Frederik X, the 1, 2, 5 and 20-krone coins have grooves in different patterns on their side to help blind and partially sighted people distinguish the coin values from each other. Counterfeit coins may have them, but the grooves will often not be as sharp or as deep.
The turbulent life that many coins lead, where they are subjected to bumps and scratches, can also help to reveal counterfeits. All genuine coins show the year they were minted and while some coins may have been lying in a drawer for a while, most will bear the mark of having been in use for several years. If there is a discrepancy between the year and the general condition of the coin, it may be a good idea to take a closer look at the coin's other details.
The weight of the coin can be difficult for counterfeiters to hit accurately. For example, a Danish 20-krone coin weighs 9.3 grams. The difference in weight can be very small, but if you hold a fake and a real coin in each hand, you can sometimes feel the difference.
Upgrading the security of current banknotes
In the run-up to Denmark to getting brand new banknotes in 2028-2029, Danmarks Nationalbank is upgrading the security of the current banknote series with bridges and archaeological finds (2009 series). This should make the banknotes even harder to counterfeit, although the original versions of the current banknote series are also very secure. The security-upgraded versions are called the 2009A series.
The 500-krone banknote was security upgraded in 2020, and the 100 and 200-krone banknotes were upgraded in February 2024. In 2026, the 50-krone banknote will be released in a security-upgraded version.
The 1000-krone banknote has not been security upgraded as it – in common with all older banknote series – is no longer valid as a means of payment.
The security-upgraded versions of the banknotes are very similar to the original versions of the 2009 series, which are also still valid. But there are differences to look out for to see whether you are holding one of the new banknotes. The new banknotes are most easily recognised by the 'window thread', which has become more prominent and has been moved to the side with the bridge motif.
Some security features such as hologram, watermark and microtext are the same as on the original editions, but new elements have also been added, as you can see on this page. In addition to new security features, the security-upgraded versions of the banknotes have a new surface treatment that makes them feel slightly stiffer and heavier.
The original versions of the banknotes from the current banknote series are still valid and therefore do not need to be exchanged. Instead, they are taken out of circulation as they become too worn out and returned to Danmarks Nationalbank (via the cash handling companies).
What should I do with suspicious notes and coins?
If you inadvertently come into possession of a note that feels or looks suspicious, contact your bank. You can hand it in there. Your bank will then contact Danmarks Nationalbank.
If you accepted the banknote in a work-related capacity, contact the bank of your workplace.
If you have coins you suspect to be counterfeit, the police recommend that you compare them with other coins you know to be genuine and thoroughly check for errors. If you still suspect that the coins are counterfeit, you can hand them in to the police so that they can be taken out of circulation.