20 kroner DENMARK (2008) Ships - Motor Ship Selandia

in the coin centre inside a ring head of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark facing right; along the bottom edge year of issue: 2008; along the top edge: MARGRETHE II DANMARKS DRONNING (Margrethe II Queen of Denmark)

in the centre the Motor Ship Selandia on simplified waves leftwards; below schematic image of a Diesel engine; along the top edge: SELANDIA; along the bottom edge face value: 20 KRONER

seven plain and seven reeded sections

17 IV 2008

still circulating

Mogens Møller, Torben Ebbesen

Den Kongelige Mønt (The Royal Mint), Copenhagen (mint mark before DANMARKS on the obverse)

2008

1 200 000

Ship "Selandia" ("Zealand") is considered the first motor ship of the world. Burmeister & Wain Shipyard in Copenhagen prepared a diesel engine powerful enough to propel the oceanic ship. Two such engines were installed for the first time on the 112-meter cargo-passenger ship Selandia. The ship was launched in 1911 and after a successful maiden trip to Bangkok, Thailand, the Danish East Asiatic Company ordered more units of this type. This was the beginning of the reign of internal combustion engines on the oceans. Selandia sank in 1942 after going aground off the coast of Yokohama, Japan.


photo: archive of The Library of Congress

The coin series "Ships" (Skibsmønter) presents Denmark as a country of sailors. This series was inspired by a successful scientific expedition Galathea III, which was commemorated with a coin with the frigate Vædderen. The National Bank of Denmark issued 12 commemorative coins in this thematic series:

	20 kroner - frigate Vædderen (2007)
	20 kroner - frigate Jylland (2007)
	20 kroner - motor ship Selandia (2008)
	20 kroner - langskip Havhingsten (2008)
	20 kroner - royal yacht Dannebrog (2008)
	20 kroner - lightship Fyrskib XVII (2009)
	20 kroner - Faroese boat (Færøbåd) (2009)
	20 kroner - kayak and umiak (Kajak - Konebåd) (2010)
	20 kroner - container ship Emma Mærsk (2011)
	20 kroner - steamboat Hjejlen (2011)
	20 kroner - ferry Kong Frederik IX (2012)
	20 kroner - fishing vessel (Fiskekutter) (2012)