A banknote is both a means of payment and a piece of decorative art. A well-designed banknote must therefore combine security and technical considerations with aesthetics.
The appearance and motifs of banknotes have always been a subject of interest to Danes. That's why all citizens have had the opportunity to voice their opinion on the possible themes for the motifs on Denmark’s new banknotes.
When Danmarks Nationalbank, together with external experts, makes the final decision on what Denmark's new banknotes will look like, we will take inspiration from input provided by citizens, educational institutions and museums.
Denmark's new banknote series will consist of four banknotes: 50, 100, 200 and 500-krone banknotes. The new banknotes will be available from 2028–2029 onwards.
The road to new banknotes
The road to Denmark's new banknotes passes through four phases: Conceptualisation, design, production and issue. Right now we're in the conceptualisation phase, where we're exploring the topics and themes that will feature on the new banknotes.
The conceptualisation phase is where we gather input from citizens, museums and educational institutions. Once all the input has been gathered, Danmarks Nationalbank, together with external experts, will decide which concept to pursue.
In September 2024, Danmarks Nationalbank will publish a report detailing the process for selecting topics and themes. The report will also show the results of citizen involvement in the process.
Final decision on the appearance of the banknotes
Once a decision has been made on the concept to pursue, the design phase will begin and a final decision will be made on the appearance of the banknotes. This is where we commit to the concept and make decisions on security features and technical specifications. The final decision on what the new banknotes will look like will be made taking into account several parameters, including requirements for security features and options in the production process.
The banknotes will then be produced, and then Danmarks Nationalbank will be able to put the new banknotes into circulation and the first citizens will get to experience the notes.
Learn more about the topics and themes
Danmarks Nationalbank began working on the new banknotes by inviting a number of relevant museums and educational institutions in the fields of art, culture and science to share their ideas for motifs, topics and themes.
Danmarks Nationalbank received over 150 ideas from educational institutions and museums. Based on these ideas and with the help of external experts, Danmarks Nationalbank selected the themes for the motifs that would be suitable for the new banknotes.
All citizens have had the opportunity to voice their your opinion about the themes for the motifs on the new banknotes by taking part in our survey. The survey was open from 13 May 2024 until and including 2 June 2024.
We received over 75,000 responses to the survey, which we are now processing. Thank you to all of you who have shared your opinion on the themes for the motifs on the new banknotes.
The obverse of the banknotes: Important achievements and the people behind them
The concept for the obverse of the new banknotes is important achievements and the people behind them. The achievement will be the main motif on the obverse of the banknote, while the portrait of the person behind the achievement will be in the watermark.
Portraits offer a number of advantages in terms of security. For example, as humans, we are experts in recognising and analysing faces. That's why we can easily spot counterfeit banknotes if there are small deviations in the expression on a face or its appearance.
The people have been chosen based on the fact that they have had significant cultural significance, had a major impact on science or otherwise performed feats that have benefited Danish society. It's also an advantage that the person is recognisable to the general public.
Inge Lehmann (1888-1993) was a seismologist and geophysicist.
In 1936, she was the first person to put forward the theory that the earth has a solid inner core. Her discovery was a major scientific achievement that revolutionised understanding of the Earth's internal structure and contributed to the development of modern geophysics.
Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) was an astronomer.
He developed accurate measuring instruments and collected extensive data about celestial bodies. His precise observations paved the way for discoveries about the solar system with the sun at the centre and ‘stella nova’ (new stars). He contributed to knowledge about space navigation, which has since helped make Denmark an internationally recognised space nation.
Arnarulunnguaq (1896-1933) was a polar explorer and took part in expeditions.
She took part in Knud Rasmussen's fifth Thule expedition from Greenland to the Pacific in 1921-1924. She was the only female team member on the 18,000 kilometre expedition and her contribution was crucial to its success.
Marie Krogh (1874-1943) was a physiologist, doctor and researcher.
In 1914, she became one of the first women in Denmark to become a medical doctor. She specialised in metabolism and nutritional physiology. She worked closely with her husband, Nobel Laureate and doctor August Krogh, and together they had a major impact on the treatment of diabetes in Denmark.
Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971) was an architect and designer.
He is widely recognised and had a major impact on Danish and international history of design and architecture. He is behind buildings such as Danmarks Nationalbank and Aarhus City Hall as well as well-known Danish furniture classics such as the Seven, the Swan and the Egg.
Tove Ditlevsen (1917-1976) was an author.
She wrote novels and collections of poetry, including her autobiographical novel, Barndommens Gade, and Pigesind, a collection of poetry. She is known particularly for her depictions of the lives of contemporary women. In addition to her writing, she authored a column in the weekly family and women’s magazine, Familie Journalen, for almost 20 years.
H.C. Andersen (1805-1875) was an author and poet.
He is world famous for his literary fairy tales. He wrote over 150 fairy tales, including The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling. Besides being an author, he is also known for his iconic paper cuttings.
Benny Andersen (1929-2018) was a poet and composer.
His books have provided great shared reading experiences down the generations. He is best known for the children's book Snøvsen and his collection of poems, Svantes viser.
The reverse of the banknotes: Theme that ties all the banknotes in the series together
The reverse of banknotes should have a theme that ties all four banknotes in the banknote series together: 50, 100, 200 and 500-krone banknotes.
Each banknote should have a motif relating to the theme. For example, if the theme is flowers, there can be different flowers on each banknote.
The themes were chosen based on suggestions made by educational institutions and museums. Danmarks Nationalbank has chosen these themes together with external experts because we believe they are suitable as banknote motifs and will be relatable to the population.
The sea represents a geographical feature of the Kingdom of Denmark that is surrounded and bound together by water. The sea therefore has a deep cultural, economic and environmental significance for us.
The Kingdom of Denmark is anchored in the life and currents of the sea. Theme motifs could include marine life as well as marine animals and plants. Motifs related to beach life, sailing and coastal towns could serve as an invitation to explore our beautiful coastal areas.
Colourful flower motifs are popular motifs on banknotes in other countries. This theme provides an opportunity to illustrate some of the flowers that characterise the Kingdom of Denmark.
Illustrations of flowers bring the imagination to life and open our eyes to the beauty that nature offers. In a modern and busy world, flower motifs can remind us of our connection to nature.
The everyday life theme includes motifs from everyday life that can tell a story about life in the Kingdom of Denmark.
Motifs that are recognisable from everyday life can make banknotes relevant to us all and create a modern look. The motifs could be a bike ride, a moment at home or a work situation.
Overview of invited institutions
- Aarhus School of Architecture
- ARoS
- Astronomy, Aarhus University
- Biology, Aalborg University
- Comparative Literature, University of Copenhagen
- Comparative Literature, University of Southern Denmark
- DAC
- Danish Museum of Science & Technology
- Den Gamle By
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark
- Department of Geoscience, Aarhus University
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen
- Design School Kolding
- Designmuseum Danmark
- Dramaturgy and Musicology, Aarhus University
- Geophysics and Space Technology, Technical University of Denmark
- Greenland National Museum and Archives
- Louisiana
- M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark
- Moesgaard Museum
- Museum Odense
- National Gallery of Denmark
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources, DTU Aqua
- National Museum of Denmark
- Natural History Museum of Denmark (Zoological Museum, Geological Museum, Botanical Museum and Botanical Garden)
- Nature and Culture Communication, University College of Northern Denmark
- Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
- Science Museums, Aarhus University
- Skagens Museum
- The Danish Film Institute
- The Danish National School of Performing Arts
- The Fisheries and Maritime Museum
- The Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus/Aalborg
- The Royal Danish Academy – Architecture, Design, Conservation (Architecture and Design)
- The Royal Danish Academy of Music
- The Royal Danish Collection
- Theatre and Performance Studies, University of Copenhagen
Overview of participants in the expert group
Participants from Danmarks Nationalbank
- Guvernor of Danmarks Nationalbank Christian Kettel Thomsen (chairman)
- Niels Kaas, Chief Cashier
- Daniel Krarup Rosenstrøm, Head of Procurement and Quality
- Jeanette Skov Jensen, Head of Design
External experts
- Anne Hedensted Steffensen, Managing Director of Danish Shipping and Deputy Chairman of Danmarks Nationalbank's Board of Directors and Anniversary Foundation
- Else Marie Kofod, former Head and Chief Archivist, The Danish Folklore Archives
- Gert Posselt, Senior Editor, The Danish Language and Literature Society
- Mikkel Bogh, Professor and Head of Center for Practice-based Art Studies, University of Copenhagen
- Minik Thorleif Rosing, Professor, Geology, University of Copenhagen
- Mårten Gomer, Technical Manager for Banknotes and Coins, Sveriges Riksbank
- Ulla Tofte, Director, Museum of National History
- Rasmus Junggreen Lassen, Head of Office, The Danish Ministry of Idustry, Business and Financial Affairs (observer)