Albania
Our Banknote catalog of Albania.
The lek (Albanian: Leku Shqiptar; plural lekë) (sign: L; code: ALL) is the official currency of Albania. It is subdivided into 100 qindarka (singular qindarkë), although qindarka are no longer issued.
History:
The lek was introduced as the first Albanian currency in February 1926.
Etymology
The lek was named after Alexander the Great, whose name is often shortened to Leka in Albanian. Alexander's portrait appeared on the obverse of the 1 lek coin, while the reverse showed him on his horse.
The name qindarkë comes from the Albanian qind, meaning one hundred. The word is thus similar in formation to centime, cent, etc.
Franga
Between 1926 and 1939 the name Franga was used for Albanian gold currency worth five Albanian Leke for use in international transactions. A similar alternate name Belga was used for units of five Belgian francs.
First lek
In 1926, the National Bank of Albania (Banka Kombëtare e Shqipnis) introduced notes in denominations of 1, 5, 20 and 100 franka ari. In 1939, notes were issued denominated as 5 and 20 franga. These were followed in 1944 with notes for 2, 5 and 10 lek and 100 franga.
In 1945, the People's Bank of Albania (Banka e Shtetit Shqiptar) issued overprints on National Bank notes for 10 lek, 20 and 100 franga. Regular notes were also issued in 1945 in denominations of 1, 5, 20, 100 and 500 franga. In 1947, the lek was adopted as the main denominations, with notes issued for 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 lekë.
Second lek
In 1965, notes (dated 1964) were introduced by the Banka e Shtetit Shqiptar in denominations of 1, 3, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 lekë. A second series of notes was issued in 1976 when the country changed its name to the People's Socialist Republic.
Third lek
500 lekë notes were introduced on 28 June 1991, followed by denominations of 200 and 1000 lekë on 1 October 1992.
Fuente: Wikipedia
1976 - Albania P42a 5 Leke banknote
This Albanian 5 Lekë banknote is associated with 1976 and is catalogued as Pick P42a. It is the issu..
1976 - Albania P43a 10 Leke banknote
Albania 10 Lekë banknote associated with 1976, identified in the product data as the P43a variant an..
1994 - Albania P56a 200 Leke Banknote
This Albanian 200 Lekë banknote is associated with 1994 and catalogued as Pick P56a. The note featur..
2001 - Albania P67 200 Leke Banknote
This Albanian 200 Lekë banknote is catalogued as Pick P67 and is associated with the year 2001. Its ..
Frequently asked questions
Which periods of Albanian banknotes are represented in this shop’s catalog?
The Albania category includes banknotes dated 1957, 1976, 1994 and 2001. The earlier cataloged group contains several 1957 lekë denominations, while the 1976 material includes regular notes and a specimen entry. Later records feature 200 lekë banknotes dated 1994 and 2001. These dates describe the material represented in this shop’s catalog rather than every banknote series issued by Albania.
What Albanian banknote denominations appear in the catalog?
Denominations represented in the Albania catalog range from 1 lek to 1,000 lekë. They include 1, 3, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 lekë notes. Some denominations occur in more than one dated group: for example, 10 and 50 lekë appear among both the 1957 and 1976 records, while 200 lekë is represented by notes dated 1994 and 2001.
How can Pick references help identify the Albanian banknotes listed here?
Pick references provide a concise way to distinguish cataloged Albanian notes by type or variety. Examples include P28a for the 1957 10 lekë, P40a for the 1976 1 lek, P56a for the 1994 200 lekë and P67 for the 2001 200 lekë. When identifying a note, compare its date, denomination and complete reference, including suffixes such as “a,” “b,” “c” or “s.2.”
How are the cataloged 1976 50 lekë variants distinguished?
The 1976 50 lekë denomination appears under several distinct Pick references: P45b, P45c and P45s.2. The P45s.2 entry is specifically described as a specimen, whereas P45b and P45c are listed as regular banknote variants. Collectors should use the full reference rather than relying only on date and denomination, since all these entries share the same stated year and face value.
Will the serial number on an ordered Albanian banknote match the product image?
For listings carrying the catalog’s image notice, photographs of Uncirculated banknotes serve as product references, and the serial number on the supplied note will not correspond to the one shown. A prospective buyer should therefore use the image to review the represented banknote type, while relying on the listing title and model for the date, denomination and Pick reference. This FAQ does not indicate whether any particular entry is purchasable.
Which Albanian notes form the catalog’s 1957 Pick-reference group?
The catalog presents a consecutive 1957 group running from P28a through P32a. It consists of P28a 10 lekë, P29a 50 lekë, P30a 100 lekë, P31a 500 lekë and P32a 1,000 lekë. This sequence can be useful for organizing a collection by Pick reference or denomination. It describes the coordinated group represented in this shop’s Albania catalog, not a complete account of all Albanian notes dated 1957.