National Bank of Denmark completes banknote recall after DKK 21.2 billion is returned and withdrawn notes become worthless

The National Bank of Denmark announced that 1000-krone banknotes from the 2009 series and all banknotes from the 1944, 1952, 1972 and 1997 series are now worthless and can no longer be redeemed at the central bank. The 2.5-year recall, described as Denmark’s largest since World War II, brought in more than DKK 21.2 billion by the 31 May 2026 deadline, equal to 87 per cent of the total amount recalled. Of that total, DKK 20.1 billion came from 1000-krone banknotes from the 2009 series, or 96 per cent of the DKK 21.1 billion outstanding in that denomination. More than DKK 1 billion in older banknotes was returned, representing 30 per cent of the value recalled from those series. Most of the banknotes were handed in or spent while they were still legal tender in shops and banks up to 31 May 2025, while fewer were exchanged during the final year through the National Bank of Denmark’s exchange points in Aarhus, Odense and Copenhagen and through banks in Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Requests received before the deadline will still be processed, so the final exchange total may rise slightly. Around 7,000 citizens and companies that contacted the central bank before the deadline, either in person or digitally, will be contacted directly by FOREX or the National Bank of Denmark to arrange completion of their cases and the physical hand-in of banknotes.