Today I’m going to give alle dere (all of you) a lesson on Norwegian currency aka. norske kroner (Norwegian crowns).  Norwegian currency, like most, consists of both paper bills and coin.  There are a few things I’ve always appreciated about Norwegian currency.  I think it’s brilliant that the bills are different sizes and not only are the coins different sizes, but some denominations have holes in the middle and some do not.  These features make it easier for foreigners, young children, and especially blind people to tell the difference between denominations.  After I became familiar with Norwegian currency, I began to think to myself, “why doesn’t all currency have these features?  It only makes sense…”  And to be honest, I have no idea if the reason for these features is for the assumed purpose, but I can only guess so.

If you travel to Norway and will be either selling or purchasing goods, you will want to be familiar with norske kroner.  By the way, I wasn’t able to find very much information on Norwegian currency and why it is the way it is, but if I could take a guess as to why the currency in Norway is referred to as ‘crowns,’ I would presume it is because Norway is a very nationalistic country and not only does royalty exist, but it is very important to the Norwegian people.  I suppose, hypothetically speaking, if there had ever been a king or queen of the United States, after we abolished royalty, would have re-named our currency.  Norway, on the other hand, still has a king and a queen, so they still have crowns!

Norwegian coins come in the following denominations: 50 øre, 1 krone, 5 kroner, 10 kroner, and 20 kroner. Norwegian bills come in the following denominations: 50 kroner, 100 kroner, 200, kroner, 500 kroner, and 1000 kroner. Today the exchange rate is 1 dollar = 6.76 kroner. When I was in Norway 2 years go, I believe the exchange rate was 7 crowns to the dollar, which isn’t too much different than it is right now, but I believe it has been much worse in the last 2 years.  Even as recent as 5 years ago, the dollar was worth much more.  My Norwegian friends and relatives who have visited in the last 5 years have gone crazy at the Mall of America (which is only 45 minutes from my house by the way) and spent way more money than we would ever think of spending there.  Part of it of course is because the average Norwegian has more expendable income than the average American, but part of it is also because the Norwegian crown is worth more than our dollar, so Norwegians get a bargain for their money here.

Another feature of Norwegian currency that I respect is the fact that Norwegians not only recognize important politcal figures, but cultural figures in their history as well.  For instance, Peter Christian Asbjørnsen is on the 50 kroner bill.  He was a famous writer and scholar of Norwegian folklore.  Kirsten Flagstad is on the 100 kroner bill.  She was an opera singer.  Kristian Birkeland was a scientist who who led several expeditions to northern Norway and discovered important scientific developments including magnetic currents.  Sigrid Undset, who won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1928 is on the 200 kroner bill, and the famous artist Edvard Munch is on the 500 kroner bill.  I think it is great that Norway recognizes cultural figures on their paper bills.

Now that you have a lesson on Norwegian currency, practice saying kroner (pronounced ‘krooooner’ with flipped Rs) and penger (means money and is pronounced just how it reads, with a soft g).