"Politiken" started with a daily circulation of 2,000 copies. Its circulation was 23,142 copies in 1901. In 1910 its circulation rose to 41,400 copies. Later it became one of Denmark's leading newspapers in terms of both circulated copies and number of readers. Its circulation was 165,615 copies in 1950. During the last six months of 1957 the paper had a circulation of 148,169 copies on weekdays. It fell to 142,847 copies in 1960. The circulation of the paper was 134,728 in 1970, 138,921 copies in 1980 and 152,435 copies in 1990. During the second half of 1997 its circulation was 146,000 copies on weekdays.