10 Øre - Christian X German Occupation

Germany mandated the switch to zinc coinage in Denmark after occupation in 1940, as copper and nickel were redirected to the German war machine. Danish zinc issues from this period corrode aggressively in circulation, meaning well-preserved examples are considerably scarcer than surviving mintage figures suggest.

The 1941 issue was the first zinc 10 øre struck; production continued under Royal Danish Mint supervision throughout the occupation, an unusual arrangement that preserved nominal Danish administrative continuity even as German authorities controlled broader economic policy.