Wand and British money

[pengolodh_sc at yahoo.no]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., lizscford at a... wrote:
> good luck with your exam(s)!!!

[snip]

> You see, I can't understand why British coins are difficult.
> Like French and German ones they are all different sizes and
> shapes.  
> just my two sickles worth!
> DARLA

Coming from Norway, I have a similar experience as Darla (message 
snipped).  I recall that during my time as an exchange-student, I was 
on occasion praised for my ability to sort out American coins.  This 
is not unusual for Norwegians, I think, and it is probably due to the 
fact that during my nearly 25 years of life, there have been several 
changes in the coins and bills used.  

The Norwegian currency is the Norwegian krone (kr), which is divided 
in 100 øre.  Present exchange-rate to US dollars is 1 USD =~ 7.5-8 
NOK; Present exchange-rate to British Pounds is 1 GBP =~ 12 NOK.

For coins presently in circulation in Norway, see 
http://www.dkm.no/engelsk/Sirkulasjon/ which belongs to the homepages 
of the Royal Norwegian Mint (http://www.dkm.no/).

For coins in circulation before these were introduced, see 
http://www.dokpro.uio.no/umk/bilder/br_olavv.html for pictures.

the background of http://studbdc.hibu.no/bmmats/penger.htm shows the 
present Norwegian 100 kr bill.

When I was born (1976), Norway had the following denominations 
(c=coin, b=bill):

5 øre (c) (large, copper)
10 øre (c) (small, copper/nickel-alloy)
25 øre (c) (almost as small, copper/nickel-alloy)
50 øre (c) (medium, copper/nickel-alloy)
1 kr (c) (large medium, copper/nickel-alloy)
5 kr (c) (very large, copper/nickel alloy)
10 kr (b) (small, blue, picture of Fridthjof Nansen)
50 kr (b) (small, green, picture of stave-church)
100 kr (b) (medium, brown, picture of Camilla Collett)
500 kr (b) (large, bluish I think)
1000 kr (b) (large, brown-champagne, picture of Henrik Ibsen)

At this time, the 1 øre and 2 øre coins had already been phased out, 
and by the mid-80s, the three first on the list above had followed 
suit, at the same time as the 10kr bill was changed to a 10kr coin.  
The 50kr bill was changed at the same time, as was the 500kr bill.  
By the mid-90s, the 50øre coin, which till then had been made of 
copper, was changed for a new, larger design in silver-like nickel-
alloy.  A new coin had been introduced, the 20kr coin, and the 10kr 
coin was changed for a new, very different design.  By 1997, a new 
1kr coin was introduced, smaller than the old design, and with a hole 
in the middle – it is very similar to the design in circulation from 
1925-51.  Shortly after this, a new 5 kr followed, also that smaller 
than its predecessor, and again with a hole in its middle.  In bills, 
a new 200 kr bill was introduced, while the 100 kr bill was changed, 
as well as the 500s and 1000kr bills.  

To summarise:  In the last 25 years, three denominations have been 
phased out in Norway, and all coins and bills have been changed at 
least once, some twice.  The changes are major; for instance, the 
10kr coin which replaced the blue 10kr bill was a thick design in 
slightly golden metal, the motive displayed in thick relief, making 
it look very valuable and regal indeed.  The new design is in 
copper/nickel/zinc-alloy, somewhat lesser diameter, and only half the 
thickness, while the design is rather modern.  The new 100kr bill 
replaced Camilla Collett (the first published female author in 
Norway; she marks a significant step in feminism in Norway) with 
renowned soprano Kirsten Flagstad (d 1965), and it also changed size, 
and the nuance of brown.  

Norway now has the following denominations:

50 (c) (small, copper)
1 (c) (medium, copper/nickel alloy, hole in the middle)
5 (c) (large, copper/nickel alloy, hole in the middle)
10 (c) (medium, copper/nickel/zinc alloy)
20 (c) (large, copper/nickel/zinc alloy)
50 (b) (green)
100 (b) (brown, picture of Kirsten Flagstad)
200 (b) (blue, picture of Christian Birkeland)
500 (b) (I do not recall - I rarely handle that large bills)
1000 (b) (I do not recall - I rarely handle that large bills)