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Forgeries

Like any other currency, Norwegian banknotes are being forged in smaller quantities and in various qualities. To a collector this is collectible items, but they are rarely found. And as anyone can make a forgery today, they are not all that interesting.

The 10 kroner notes from 1922 was forged in the 1920's. These forgeries, which are recognized by their rather poor quality when compared to the real thing, comes up for auction now and then and should be collected as historically interesting forgeries - this was before the scanners and colour printers invaded our homes.

A - in my opinion - very interesting forgery, if it can be called a forgery, happened during WWII. In order to finance the activities of agents and resistance, the Norwegian Government in exile in London had to get their hands on Norwegian currency. Printing plates were smuggled out of Norges Bank in Oslo, and then through Stockholm to London. In London, quantities of currency was printed, before the printing plates were smuggled back into Norges Bank. Despite using original plates, one didn't dare smuggle the notes into occupied Norway. Instead, the notes were put into circulation in Finnmark, liberated as the Red Army drove westwards, while non-forged notes were withdrawn, sent to London and then smuggled in to the agents. It is rumoured that small design changes were introduced so that Norges Bank would be able to distinguish between genuine notes and their own forgeries. If I ever find out how to make this distinction, I will publish the information here.