Goodbye 25 øre

[birgitte]

Today is the last day that the smallest Danish coin, 25 øre, can be used in the shops. From tomorrow it will no longer be accepted and our smallest coin will be 50 øre.

They said it is too expensive to make and that it doesn't have any "independent purchasing power" anymore. There are 500 million 25 øre-coins in circulation at the moment. I don't

Comments

[amourinmusik]

Oh no! I really liked the 25 øre coin. I used to have one in my purse but I mistakenly gave it away because I absentmindedly thought it was a penny!

How is the economy these days in Denmark btw?

[birgitte]

Oh, no, now maybe you'll never get a new one... Sigh.

I guess like everywhere else influenced by the current economic situation, but I don't really know much about it, I must admit, this is one of the only fields that I don't have any particular interest in. But in fact, I am for the first time ever affected by economic movements, because the interest rate of my loan has gone up a little. But in general I think we feel it much less than in the US fx.

[smoochie]

how much is that in contrast to american coinage ?

i think our pennies are quite a waste...and i want to round up. heh

[birgitte]

Good question! 25 øre is like 5 american cents at the moment, so it is like your nickel. You have even lover coins than us then, because one penny is 5 øre in the Danish currency. Denmark stopped using 1 and 2 øre coins in 1963 and 5 and 10 øre coins in 1986.

Now the lowest coin we'll have will be 50 øre which is about 10 US cents.

I just checked wikipedia and read the arguments for getting rid of the penny and I sort of see the reason why, but on the other hand... I guess I am a sentimental in this field. But in Denmark they have been even more brusque with the coins.

[sageofgodalming]

Mine are the kind with the hole in the middle, though I think I might have one from before that.

[birgitte]

Wow, you have some old ones! How nice to have a little collection of old Danish coins.

[stemware]

I think I still have some of these around from my visit to Denmark back in 2003...

[birgitte]

Oh, that's nice to think of! At least there will be some 25 øre-coins left out there in the world :)

[van_bauseneick]

oh, that soon? i expected that in near future, but... i have to keep my last one. and i have also kept a 10 and a 5 øre piece. lucky me!

[birgitte]

Yeah, it also surprised me that it was so fast, should have been more prepared. Lucky you indeed that you have kept one!

[van_bauseneick]

well, i just had a look at my small collection.
i have:
* two 25ers,
* one old 25er with a hole in the middle,
* two 5ers in two different sizes,
* one 2er,
* one 1er.

is that good?

[birgitte]

It is more than I have, so I think it is quite good :)