20 Kroner

This is a Danish 20 Kroner struck in 1990 to mark the 50th birthday of Queen Margrethe II, who was born in 1940. It is a circulating commemorative: a coin of ordinary denomination and everyday base-metal composition that also carries an anniversary theme, so examples were both spent and saved.

The coin is made of aluminum-bronze, a golden-toned copper alloy, and pairs a portrait of the Queen with a crowned design on the other face. The crown sits above a marguerite (daisy) flower, a play on the Queen's own name, with the twin dates 1940 and 1990 flanking the design and the 20 KRONER value below.

As a modern Danish issue tied to the reigning monarch, it appeals to collectors of Scandinavian coinage and of royal commemoratives. Its interest lies in its design and occasion rather than in precious metal, since it is a base-metal coin produced for general use as well as for keepsakes.

Margrethe II acceded to the Danish throne in 1972 and has been a defining figure of modern Danish coinage, her portrait appearing across the country's circulating series. In 1990 the Royal Danish Mint marked her 50th birthday, using the bracketing dates 1940 and 1990 to frame the milestone.

Denmark's 20 Kroner denomination itself dates from 1990, introduced as a higher-value circulating coin in aluminum-bronze. This birthday commemorative was among the first 20 Kroner pieces, sharing the format with the standard circulation type that followed and remained in use through the early 1990s.

The marguerite daisy above the crown is a deliberate touch: the flower echoes the Queen's name (Margrethe / marguerite) and appears as a personal motif. The coin thus links the national symbol of the crown with a personal emblem of the monarch on a single circulating anniversary issue.

Look for the paired dates 1940 and 1990 alongside a crown set above a marguerite daisy flower, with the value 20 KRONER below. These twin dates and the floral-and-crown design mark the 50th-birthday commemorative rather than a plain circulation coin. The other face shows a portrait of Queen Margrethe II with an inscription naming her as Queen of Denmark.

The coin is aluminum-bronze, a golden-colored copper alloy (broadly copper with small amounts of aluminum and nickel), so it has a warm brass-like tone rather than the white of silver. It is a mid-size circulating coin, roughly 27 mm across and near 9 grams, and its edge shows a distinctive pattern of alternating smooth and reeded segments.

Key identifiers are the crown-over-daisy design, the 1940/1990 dates, the 20 KRONER denomination, the Margrethe II portrait, and the segmented edge. Together these separate the birthday commemorative from Denmark's standard 20 Kroner circulation type and from other Danish base-metal denominations.

As a modern circulating base-metal commemorative, this 20 Kroner is valued for collector interest and condition rather than metal content. Worn examples pulled from circulation typically trade at a small premium over face value, in the low single digits of dollars or euros.

Uncirculated pieces with full original luster, and any preserved in mint packaging, bring higher premiums than handled coins. Because it was made in quantity for everyday use as well as for keeping, it is common rather than rare, and grade is the main driver of the modest premiums it commands.

Exact figures depend on condition and market demand, so treat these as general ranges rather than fixed quotes. Cleaned, scratched, or corroded coins are worth less than intact, undisturbed examples with an even, original surface.