Issuing Authority

Ownership

Norway

We gratefully acknowledge numismatist Walt Jellum who provided banknote images, photos and background information for all of the Svalbard sections.

Svalbard was first mentioned by the Vikings in 1194 and referred to as Svalbardi fundinn - Cold Coast.  A Russian family named Starostin is reported to have hunted in Pomory (Svalbard) as early as 1425. Dutch discoverers William Barents and Jacob van Heemskerck landed on 17.6.1596 and named it Spitzbergen.
 
The first coal mines were begun on Svalbard by Norwegians around 1900. The World Court awarded sovereignty to Norway 9.2.1920 and it formally named it the Svalbard Territory 14.8.1925. The Soviet Union requested the joint administration of Bjørnøen (Bear Island) in 1944, 1946 and 1947 but Norway refused. In 1953 Svalbard began being administrated by the Norwegian Ministry of Justice. Longyearbyen is the largest community in Svalbard with a current population of about 1100 people. 

There are a variety of issues for Svalbard as indicated by the table above. There were also some additional companies for which no notes have been recorded but it is possible that new notes may be discovered from these companies. Below is an outline of the coal companies known to have operated in Svalbard.
 

For a historical introduction to the Svalbard Coal Mining industry  click here.

Visitors to this site are requested to write us if they have new information or examples of Svalbard notes not identified here.

*NP catalog numbers are from an excellent catalog Norseke Pengesedler which covers these issues along with all Norway banknotes from 1695-2005 and Bjørnøya (Bear Island) notes: Norwegian Banknotes with Svalbard [Spitsbergen] and Bear Island by Sæthre & Eldorsen 2005.

The latest edition, 19th ed., has more than 300 pages, 400 notes described and more than 225 pictures. This catalog covers all Norwegian issues from the first Thor Møhlen issues in 1695 to the latest notes issued thru August 2005.

All issues from Svalbard (Spitsbergen) and Bjørnøya (Bear Island) are included with Norwegian, Russian and American issues.

The latest edition also includes "The Secret Notes" which are previously unknown Norwegian banknotes that were prepared for a possible emergency. They are extremely rare with only two pieces know to have survived destruction. Additionally, information on missprint errors, testprints, miscoloured notes and a other useful information is included. The catalog is primarily in Norwegian but English is used in key places, just enough for English speakers to get a good idea of the issues.