At the outset World War II (1939) Denmark issued a declaration of neutrality, but within several months German troops crossed their border, and after some resistance, the Nazis forced the Danish government to submit to military occupation. Almost immediately, all copper ( and its related alloys ) in the country were claimed by the German war machine. As a result, all minor Danish bronze coins (1, 2 and 5 Ore) quickly disappeared from circulation. The Danish government did manage in February of 1941 to issue an aluminum version for the 2 and 5 Ore coins, but there was nothing to take the place of the very popular 1 Ore pieces.
In May of that year, the local Danish governing authorities and commercial businesses began issuing as substitutes 1 Ore stamps encased in cellophane. Businesses used the reverse side of the stamp for their own advertising. This idea quickly caught on in Denmark. By the time a 1 Ore aluminum coin was minted, there were more than eight million 1 Ore stamp notes in circulation.
Presented here is the 1 Ore money substitute featuring the Boy Scouts ( technically Wolf – Scouts, 11th Division of Copenhagen ) of Denmark, regarded by some as the true resistance leaders against the Nazis.