Norwegian krone

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Norwegian banknotes
Image:50 NOK.JPG
50 kr; Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
Image:NOK 100.JPG
100 kr; Kirsten Flagstad
Image:200 NOK.JPG
200 kr; Kristian Birkeland
Image:500 NOK.JPG
500 kr; Sigrid Undset
Image:1000 NOK.JPG
1,000 kr; Edvard Munch
Norwegian coins
Image:Norwegian 50 ore adverse.jpg Image:Norwegian 50 ore reverse.jpg
50 øre (1996); King's crown, fable animal
Image:Norwegian 1 kr adverse.jpg Image:Norwegian 1 kr reverse.jpg
1 kr (1997); Harald V's monogram, a fowl
Image:Norwegian 5 kr adverse.jpg Image:Norwegian 5 kr reverse.jpg
5 kr (1998); St.Olav's Order, acanthi leaves
Image:Norwegian 10 kr adverse.jpg Image:Norwegian 10 kr reverse.jpg
10 kr (1995); Harald V, stave church roof
Image:Norwegian 20 kr adverse.jpg Image:Norwegian 20 kr reverse.jpg
20 kr (1994); Harald V, viking ship

Krone is the name of the currency used in Norway. The plural form is kroner. One krone is divided into 100 øre, singular and plural. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common abbreviation is "kr".

Contents

History

The introduction of the krone as the Norwegian legal tender in 1875 was a result of the Scandinavian Monetary Union, which lasted until the First World War. The parties to the monetary union were the Scandinavian countries of Sweden and Denmark from the start in 1873, with Norway joining two years later. The name of the currency was Krone in Denmark and Norway, and Krona in Sweden, which in English literally means Crown. After dissolution of the monetary union Denmark, Norway and Sweden all decided to keep the name of their respective and now separate currencies.

The 10- and 20-kroner coins carry the effigy of current monarch. Previously the 1- and 5-kroner coins also carried the royal effigy, but now these denominations are only decorated with stylistic royal or national symbols. The royal motto of the monarch (King Harald's motto is Alt for Norge, meaning All for Norway) is also inscribed on the 10-kroner coin.

The Norwegian coins and Norwegian banknotes are distributed by the Central Bank of Norway.

Exchange rates

The value of Norwegian kroner compared to other currencies varies considerably from one year to another, mainly based on fluctuations in oil prices and to some degree domestic interest rates.

In 2002 the Norwegian krone kept growing stronger and stronger to record high levels compared to the dollar and the Euro. On January 2, 2002, one krone was worth around 0.11 United States dollar (1 USD=9 NOK). In July 2002, the krone hit a high at 0.137 dollar (1 USD=7.36 NOK). In addition to the high level of interest, which increased further on July 4, 2002, to 7 per cent, the oil price was high. At the time Norway was the world's third biggest oil exporter.

In 2005, after almost continuously increasing since the beginning of 2002, oil prices reached record levels of more than 60 dollars per barrel. Although interest rates had decreased to around 2 per cent, the Norwegian krone grew even stronger. On December 12, 2005, the following exchange rates applied:

  • 1 USD = 6.7263 NOK, or 1 NOK = 0.1486 USD
  • 1 EUR = 7.927 NOK,   or 1 NOK = 0.1261 EUR
  • 1 GBP = 11.775 NOK, or 1 NOK = 0.0849 GBP

Coins and banknotes

Image:Conterfeit 100 spenn.jpg

The following coins and banknotes are currently used in Norway. See images to the right.

Banknotes

  • 1,000 kr
  • 500 kr
  • 200 kr
  • 100 kr
  • 50 kr

Coins

  • 20 kr
  • 10 kr
  • 5 kr
  • 1 kr
  • 50 øre

Historical coins and notes

The following Norwegian coins and notes, not including gold, silver or memorial coins, have been used since 1875. Only the 1-krone has had substantial overlap between notes and coins, i.e. 1917-25 and 1940-50.

For more information on each note and coin, see the articles on Norwegian banknotes and Norwegian coins.

Denomination Notes Coins
Printed Invalid Comments Printed Invalid Comments
1,000 kr 1877 -   -
500 kr 1877– -   -
200 kr 1994 -   -
100 kr 1877– -   -
50 kr 1877– -   -
20 kr - 1994 - Golden
10 kr 1877–1984 1999 Replaced by coin 1983 1983 - Golden
5 kr 1877–1963 1999 Replaced by coin 1963 1963 - Silvery; hole 1998
2 kr 19181925
19401950
1926
1999
War time "coin notes" 18761917  ?? Silvery
1 kr 1917–1925
1940–1950
1926
1999
War time "coin notes" 1875 - Silvery; hole 192551; hole 1997
50 øre - 1874 - Silvery; hole 192649; copper 1996
25 øre - 1876–1982 1998 Silvery; hole 1924–51
10 øre - 1874–1991 2003 Silvery; hole 1924–51
5 øre - 1875–1982 1998 Copper; iron 191720; iron 194145
2 øre - 1876–1972 1998 Copper; iron 191821; iron 1941–45
1 øre - 1876–1972 1998 Copper; iron 1918–21; iron 1941–45

Sources: [1], [2], [3], [4]

See also

External links

Template:Krone Template:EuropeanCurrenciesca:Corona noruega de:Norwegische Krone el:Νορβηγική Κορόνα es:Corona noruega fr:Couronne norvégienne it:Corona norvegese nl:Noorse kroon no:Norsk krone nn:Norsk krone pl:Korona norweska fi:Norjan kruunu sv:Norsk krona