LEK: COIN OF ALBANIA
1 lek, 1926: Albanian Republic
This coin was minted unchanged during two historical periods in Albania: Albanian Republic (1926 and 1927) + Albanian Kingdom (1930 and 1931).
1 LEK - 1926.
R: Italian mint, Rome.
Alexander the Great with cloak on a rearing horse holding a sword.
SHQIPNI: ALBANIA in the Gheg dialect, which is one of the two varieties of the Albanian language; another dialect is Tosk.
Portrait of the Alexander the Great.
G. ROMAGNOLI - A. MOTTI. INC. (micro inscription under the portrait): coin design — Giuseppe Romagnoli and Attilio Motti.
Mintage: 1.004.000.
- Nickel: 26.7 mm - 8 g
- Reference price: 6$
COIN LEK — WHERE & WHEN (coins catalog: by names & emitents)
- ALBANIA (1926-…) — ALBANIAN REPUBLIC + ALBANIAN KINGDOM + ITALIAN PROTECTORATE OF ALBANIA + PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA + PEOPLE'S SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA + REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA: lek = 100 qindarkë (until 1947: lek = 1/5 frang ar = 100 qindar lek)
The lek (plural: lekë) coin was named after Alexander the Great (Alexander III of Macedon), whose name is often shortened to Leka in Albanian. The first Albanian coin with the denomination lek, dated 1926, features a portrait of this legendary figure (obverse of the coin) and his image on a horse (reverse of the coin).
But what does Alexander the Great have to do with Albania? — It is difficult to say for sure... Some sources say about his Albanian origin. However, this is an unofficial version. Be that as it may, the following fact is indisputable: the Albanian national hero, the leader of the anti-Ottoman uprising, Gjergj Kastrioti, for his heroic deeds received the world-famous name Skanderbeg in honor of Alexander the Great (The Ottoman Turks gave him the name "İskender bey", meaning "Leader Alexander", comparing of Skanderbeg's military skill to that of Alexander the Great).
