FAQ - Notes and coins

Where can I find statistics on Norwegian notes and coins?
Updated figures are published on our website in February each year. In addition, Norges Bank publishes monthly figures for notes and coins in circulation. See Norges Bank's monthly balance sheet.
Do old banknotes and coins have collector value?
The collector value of some notes and coins is higher than the face value. Coin dealers can answer your questions about collector value and a number of catalogues provide an overview of such notes and coins. Det Norske Myntverket (Mint of Norway) has a list of links to coin dealers and numismatic organisations and associations.
Can I use old banknotes and coins as a means of payment?
The rules concerning the withdrawal of legal tender are specified in paragraph 15 of the Act on Norges Bank and the Monetary System (Norges Bank Act). The Act states that by issuing regulations, the Bank may withdraw from circulation notes of a certain series and denomination or certain coins. Notes and coins that are withdrawn from circulation cease to be legal tender one year after the proclamation, and the Bank is obliged to redeem notes and coins handed in up to ten years of the expiry of the time-limit.
This provision means that a note or coin that has been withdrawn will continue to be legal tender for one year after the proclamation. The note or coin will retain its value for another ten years, but during this period it will be up to the payee to decide whether payment may be settled by means of withdrawn notes or coins.
The regulation concerning withdrawal is published in the Norwegian Legal Gazette and in the daily newspapers. When the ten-year limit has expired, a reminder will be published in the daily newspapers. See also 50-øre coin withdrawn 1 May 2012.
What do I do with notes and coins that are no longer legal tender?
When a note or coin is replaced by a new series, the old series of this denomination will be legal tender for one year from the proclamation date. After that and for the next ten years, the old series note or coin may be delivered to Norges Bank and exchanged for the new series. Eleven years (1 + 10) after the announcement of the withdrawal, Norges Bank is no longer obliged to redeem the withdrawn notes and coins (the claim is lost). After an application has been submitted, these may be redeemed in special cases.
How can I obtain unused notes and coins?
Norges Bank is the banks' bank and does not provide services to the general public. Public services are provided by the banks. Private and business customers may obtain notes and coins and deposit their surplus cash holdings in banks. Banks deposit their surplus holdings to Norges Bank and obtain the notes and coins required to meet customer needs. New notes and coins are produced according to need, primarily to replace notes and coins that have been withdrawn from circulation. After that, production will be adjusted to the general public's use of cash as a means of settlement.
You may contact your bank or a coin dealer if you want to purchase notes or coins of special quality.
Some banks and coin dealers also sell special products such as coin sets.
How can I determine whether a note is genuine?
It is important that you learn to distinguish a counterfeit note from a genuine one. The most important security features are visible by holding the note up to the light. You can then see the watermark and the security thread which are part of all notes currently in circulation. On the 1000-krone, 500-krone, 200-krone and 100-krone notes, you will also see a broad, hologram foil stripe to the right of the portrait. When the note is held at different angles, different parts of the motif in the stripe will light up and change colour, even in poor lighting. The reverse of the banknotes contains a stripe that changes colour if you hold the note at different angles. In 2002, Norges Bank published a brochure describing how to recognize genuine banknotes. This brochure was distributed to all Norwegian households. You can also visit our website where you will find information about the security features on Norwegian banknotes.