Albanian lek
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Lek (disambiguation).
| ISO 4217 Code | ALL |
| User(s) | Albania |
| Inflation | 2.4% |
| Source | The World Factbook, 2005 est. |
| Subunit | |
| 1/100 | qindarkë |
| Plural | lekë |
| qindarkë | qindarka |
| Coins | 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 lekë |
| Banknotes | 100, 200, 500, 1000, 5000 lekë |
| Central bank | Bank of Albania |
| Website | www.bankofalbania.org |
The lek (plural lekë) is the currency of Albania (ISO 4217 currency code: ALL). Historically it was divided into 100 qindarka.
Contents |
[edit] History
Until 1912, Albania used the Ottoman currency. Following independence, a period of political chaos delayed the introduction of a national currency until 1926. During this period, various foreign currencies circulated, in particular those of the Latin Monetary Union. Some crude paper money was issued during this period [1]. Denominations included para and grush (equal to the subunits of the Turkish lira), Italian lira, franga argjent ("silver francs"), francs, qint, qindtar and skender.
The lek was introduced in 1926. At first, there were four denominations in circulation. The lek was worth 100 qindar leku whilst the frang ar (also frank ar) was worth 100 qindar ar or five lekë. The lek was equivalent to the Italian lira.
When Italy occupied Albania in 1938, the lek was reduced in value to 0.8 Italian lira. Coins were issued denominated solely in lek during the occupation.
After the Second World War, only the lek and qindarkë (equal to the qindar leku) were issued. Between 1946 and 1948, the lek was tied at par to the Yugoslav dinar. Following this, the lek was tied to the Soviet ruble at a rate of 12.5 lek = 1 ruble. This rate was maintained when the ruble was revalued in 1961, leading to the introduction of a new lek worth ten old lek.
In 1992, a new "lek valuta" was introduced at a value of fifty lek. Two denominations of bank notes were issued (10 and 50 lek valuta, 1 lek valuta notes were printed but not issued). However, the lek valuta did not replace the lek and no further issues were made in lek valuta.
[edit] Names
The name lek derives from the popular abbreviation of Alexander the Great (Leka i Madh). The name qindarkë comes from the Albanian qind (hundred). Qindarkë thus carries the same meaning as centime, cent, centesimo, eurocent etc.
[edit] Coins
All coins have on the front side the value with branches. The reverse has various designs with the inscription "Republika e Shqipërisë" (Republic of Albania) and the year of production.
- 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
[edit] Banknotes
| 1947 series | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | Colour | Obverse | Reverse |
| 10 lekë | Peach | Partisan | Geometric designs |
| 50 lekë | Dark green | Partisan | Geometric designs |
| 100 lekë | Dark blue | Partisan | Geometric designs |
| 500 lekë | Brown | Partisan | Geometric designs |
| 1,000 lekë | Dark blue/multicoloured | Partisan | Geometric designs |
| 1949 and 1957 series | |||
| Value | Colour | Obverse | Reverse |
| 10 lekë | Red | Coat of arms | Coat of arms |
| 50 lekë | Dark blue | Skanderbeg | Partisan |
| 100 lekë | Green | Partisan | Geometric designs |
| 500 lekë | Orange/blue | Wheat harvesting, Skanderbeg | Peasant woman with wheat |
| 1,000 lekë | Purple | Skanderbeg, oil wells | A miner |
| 1964 and 1976 series | |||
| 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 texile mill | Bureaucrats and peasants socializing outside the Palace of Culture, Naim Frashëri |
| 25 lekë | Dark blue | Woman with wheat, combine harvesting | Mechanized plowing |
| 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 oilworker, gesturing grandly, steelworks and oil wells in background |
| Undated issue | |||
| Value | Colour | Obverse | Reverse |
| 100 lekë | Blue | Steelworker pouring a ingot, steelworks in background | Mountains and oil wells |
| 1991 series | |||
| Value | Colour | Obverse | Reverse |
| 100 lekë | Purple | Oil refinery | Oil wells, steelworkers, steelworks |
| 1991-1996 series | |||
| Value | Colour | Obverse | Reverse |
| 100 lekë | Purple | Luftetari Kombetar | Eagle and mountains |
| 200 lekë | Red | Ismail Qemali | Albanian independence |
| 500 lekë (1991) | Blue | Girl with sunflowers | Mountains |
| 500 lekë (1992) | Dark blue | Naim Frashëri | Poetry, mountains |
| 1,000 lekë | Green | Skanderbeg | Kruja castle |
| 1996 series | |||
| Value | Colour | Obverse | Reverse |
| 100 lekë | Purple | Theofan Stilian Noli | First parliament |
| 200 lekë | Orange | Naim Frashëri | Birthplace of Frashëri |
| 500 lekë | Dark blue | Ismail Qemali | Vlorë independence building |
| 1,000 lekë | Green | Pjetër Bogdani | Church of Vau |
| 5,000 lekë | Gold | Skanderbeg | Kruja castle |
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[edit] External links
ca:Lek cs:Lek (měna) de:Lek (Währung) et:Lek es:Lek eo:Albana leko fr:Lek albanais ko:알바니아 렉 it:Lek nl:Lek (munteenheid) ja:レク (通貨) no:Albansk lek pl:Lek (jednostka monetarna) pt:Lek ru:Лек sq:Leku sv:Lek (valuta) tg:Леки Албания
