January 31, 2013 – On 11 December 2012, Denmark’s National bank has issued a new 20-krone coin featuring a fishing vessel. This is the 12th and final coin in the series with ships selected to cover as many aspects as possible of Danish maritime history.
20-krone coin, ordinary version
Ordinary circulation coins are sold in rolls of 20 coins each. The new ship coin can be purchased from certain banks, selected coin dealers and Denmark’s National bank (Banknotes and Coins) and via the Royal Danish Mint’s website. Orders are limited to three rolls per customer.
20-krone coin, proof version
The coin will also be minted in a proof version for collectors. To achieve this quality, the surface of the embossing die is polished very smooth and the engraving is given a special treatment.
Special minting machines are used, and each coin is embossed carefully with several strokes. This gives the embossed areas of the coins a silky sheen.
The story of a fishing vessel
For decades, the fishing vessel has been of great significance to the Danish fisheries sector. The blue-and-white wooden vessels were built and maintained by small boat builders in Danish coastal towns. They were built without the use of diagrams, purely on the basis of experience passed on from master builder to apprentice.
Boat building in Denmark has roots back to the Viking Age, and although the fishing vessels were constructed according to the same basic principles, there were regional variations.
In the 1980s, regulation of the fisheries sector meant that fishing in coastal waters, for which the wooden vessels were eminently suited, was no longer so profitable. Furthermore, maintenance of the traditional wooden vessels became too expensive. Some of the old fishing vessels are now used by tourists and anglers.
The artist behind the motif
The motif was designed by the sculptor Margrete Sørensen, who has created a very beautiful and easily recognisable relief of the typical fishing vessel familiar to all Danes.
You can find all coins of this ship series on the website of The Royal Danish Mint.