Albanian lek

Albanian lek
Leku Shqiptar (Albanian)
5000 lekë of 1996 with Skanderbeg
ISO 4217 Code	ALL
User(s)	Albania
Inflation	2.1%
Source	The World Factbook, 2009 est.
Subunit
1/100	qindarkë
Plural	lekë
qindarkë	qindarka
Coins
Freq. used	5, 10, 20, 50, 100 lekë
Rarely used	1 lek
Banknotes
Freq. used	200, 500 and 1000 lekë
Rarely used	100, 2000, 5000 lekë
Central bank	Bank of Albania
Website	www.bankofalbania.org

The lek (plural lekë) (sign: L; code: ALL) is the currency of Albania. It is subdivided into 100 qindarka (singular qindarkë), although qindarka are no longer issued.

Names

Introduced in 1926 by King Ahmet Zogu, the First Lek was named after the Albanian feudal Lekë Dukagjini. The name qindarkë comes from the Albanian qind, meaning one hundred. Qindarkë thus carries the same meaning as centime, cent, centesimo, stotinka, eurocent, etc.

First lek

In 1926, bronze coins were introduced in denominations of 5 and 10 qindar leku, together with nickel ¼, ½ and 1 lek, and silver 1, 2 and 5 franga ar. In 1935, bronze 1 and 2 qindar were issued, equal in value to the 5 and 10 qindar leku.

After the Italian occupation, stainless-steel 0.20, 0.50, 1 and 2 lek and silver 5 and 10 lek were introduced, with the silver coins only issued that year but aluminium-bronze 0.05 and 0.10 lek introduced in 1940. These coins were issued until 1941.

In 1947, a new coinage was introduced, consisting of zinc ½, 1, 2 and 5 lekë. This coinage was again minted in 1957 and used untill the currrency reform of 1965.

Second lek

In 1965, aluminium coins (dated 1964) were introduced in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 qindar and 1 lek. In 1995 and 1996, a new coinage was introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 lekë, with a bimetallic 100 lekë added in 2000.

Current coins.

The obverses have various designs with the inscription "Republika e Shqipërisë" (Republic of Albania) and the year of production. All have the value with branches on the reverse.

• 1 lek: Pelican
• 5 lekë: The eagle from the Flag of Albania
• 10 lekë: Castle of Berat city
• 20 lekë: Liburnian ship
• 50 lekë: Portrait of the Illyrian King Gentius
• 100 lekë: Portrait of the Illyrian Queen Teuta
• 500 lekë: Portrait of Scanderbeg

Special Issues

In 2001, 100 and 200 Leke were issued under the theme of Albania's integration into the EU and 50, 100, and 200 Leke under the 500th anniversary of the Statue of David. In 2002, 50 Leke and 100 Leke were issued for the 90th Anniversary of the Independence of Albania and 20 Leke under the Albanian Antiquity theme. In 2003, 50 Leke was issued in memory of the 100th anniversary of the death of Jeronim De Rada. In 2004, 50 Leke was issued under the Albanian Antiquty theme depicting traditional costumes of Albania and the ancient Dea. In 2005, 50 Leke were issued for the 85th anniversary of the proclamation of Tirana as capital and the theme of traditional costumes of Albania.

Banknotes

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.

1964 and 1976 series
Obverse	Reverse	Value	Colour	Obverse	Reverse
		1 lek	Green	Peasant couple with wheat	Castle of Shkodër
		3 lekë	Brown	Woman carrying basket of fruit	Sea/lakeside town (?)
		5 lekë	Dark blue	Steam train and truck	Ship
		10 lekë	Green	Woman working in a textile mill	Bureaucrats and peasants socializing outside the Palace of Culture, Naim Frashëri
		25 lekë	Dark blue	Woman with wheat, combine harvesting	Mechanized ploughing
		50 lekë	Red	Army on parade, Skanderbeg	Rifle, pickaxe, apartment block under construction
		100 lekë	Scarlet	Man showing his son a new hydroelectric dam	Steelworker with oil worker, gesturing grandly, steelworks and oil wells in background
Undated issue
Obverse	Reverse	Value	Colour	Obverse	Reverse
		100 lekë	Blue	Steelworker pouring an ingot, steelworks in background	Mountains and oil wells

In 1991, 500 lekë were introduced, followed by denominations of 200 and 1000 lekë in 1992, and 5000 lekë in 1996.

1991 Series
Image		Value	Dimensions	Main Colour	Description		Date of
Obverse	Reverse				Obverse	Reverse	first printing	issue	withdrawal	lapse
		100 lekë		Purple	Oil refinery	Oil wells, steelworkers, steelworks	1991
		500 lekë		Light blue	Girl with sunflowers	Mountains	1991		30 June 2010	31 December 2012
These images are to scale at 0.7 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the banknote specification table.

1992 Series
Image		Value	Dimensions	Main Colour	Description		Date of
Obverse	Reverse				Obverse	Reverse	first printing	issue	withdrawal	lapse
		100 lekë	154 × 72 mm	Violet	National fighter	Eagle and mountains	1994	25 April 1994	31 December 2008	31 December 2010
		200 lekë	162 × 78 mm	Brown	Ismail Qemali	Coat of arms of Albania, declaration of indepnedence of Albania	1992	1 October 1992
		500 lekë	170 × 78 mm	Blue	Naim Frashëri	Poetry of Frashëri			30 June 2010	31 December 2012
		1000 lekë	178 × 78 mm	Green	Skanderbeg	Krujë Castle			1996	1 January 1999
These images are to scale at 0.7 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the banknote specification table.

1996 Series
Image		Value	Dimensions	Main Colour	Description		Date of
Obverse	Reverse				Obverse	Reverse	first printing	issue	withdrawal	lapse
		100 lekë	130 × 66 mm	Purple	Fan S. Noli	First Albanian Parliament building	1996	11 July 1997	31 December 2008	31 December 2010
		200 lekë	138 × 69 mm	Brown	Naim Frashëri	Birthplace of Frashëri	current
		500 lekë	145 × 68 mm	Blue	Ismail Qemali	Vlorë independence building
		1000 lekë	151 × 72 mm	Green	Pjetër Bogdani	Church of Vau
		2000 lekë	160 × 72 mm	Violet and purple	King Gentius	Butrint Amphitheatre			Current
		5000 lekë	160 × 72 mm	Gold	Skanderbeg	Krujë Castle
These images are to scale at 0.7 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the banknote specification table.

See also

• Economy of Albania

References

External links

• Coin Types from Albania Lists, pictures, and values of Albanian coin types