Albania (1926-1939)

This serie of banknotes belongs to the period in which there was an Albanian Republic and then the Kingdom of Albania, both leaded by Ahmet Zogolli (Zog I), in which Albania was an Italian protectorate till it was fully occupied by Italy in 1939. There are banknotes of 5 franka, 20 franka and 100 franka.

20 franka/franchi (njizet franka/venti franchi)

This banknotes worth 20 franka was first circulated in February the 28th of 1926. On the main side left, you can see a young man with the traditional Albanian clothes. In the center appears the written value of the banknote and in the upper one, the name of the National Bank in both Albanian (Banka Kombëtare e Shqipnis) and Italian (Banca Nazionale D'Albania). In the lower part there is a text in both languages saying that counterfeiting and using fake banknotes will be punished.

In the rest of the banknote there are four 20's and Albanian eagle. On the other side of the banknote there's a landscape near Shkodër (Scutari in Italian). The right side has a 20 with Albania's eagle, in the middle the written value in both languages and in the corners, four 20's. The rest of the banknote is fulled with decorative elements. This banknote has Skanderbeg's face as digital watermark. The size of this banknote is 15.2 cm x 8.7 cm.

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Albania (1949-1964)

This serie of banknotes belongs to the period in which Enver Hoxha was the leader of the country, moving Albania away from Tito's Yugoslavia de Tito and following Stalin's USSR example. In 1949 Koçi Xoxe (Interior minister) was purged, a hard penal code was passed (which caused between 5,000 and 25,000 deaths), the education and health systems were drastically improved and, after Stalin's death, Albania got away from Nikitas Khrushchev's USSR and getting closer to China, ending up in withholding support of the Warsaw Pact. There are banknotes of 10 lekë, 50 lekë, 100 lekë, 500 lekë y 1.000 lekë.

500 lekë (pesë qint lekë)

This banknotes worth 500 lekë was first circulated in 1949. On the main side left, you can see a peasant woman carying a stalk bundle. In the center appears a 500, the written value of the banknote and the name of the National Bank in Albanian (Banka e Shtetit Shqiptar) and in the right, Albania's coat of arms during communist times. The rest of the banknote has a text saying that who makes or uses fake banknotes will be punished, eleven 500's and decorative elements.
The back part of the banknote has some peasants moving the stalk from a tractor's tailer to another store. Moreover there are five 500's, the name of the National Bank and the written value, a text saying that the bearer is firstly paid and Skanderbeg's face (Albanian aristocrat and soldier from the 15th century, Albania's national heroe). This banknote has no digital watermark. The size of this banknote is 16.2 cm x 8.9 cm.

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Albania: occupation by Italy (1939-1945)

This serie of banknotes belongs to the period in which, after refusing the March 25th ultimatum that Benito Mussolini gave to king Zog I and the birth of the Albanian throne heir Leka I, the Italian government invaded Albania. Albania's parliament named Victor Emmanuel III of Italy king and Shefqet Vërlaci as Prime Minister and, despite the Italian defeats in the Greco-Italian War, the success of the Axis Invation of Yugoslavia made the Italian Albania absorb zones of Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia (inhabited by ethnic Albanians). The regime colapsed suddenly in September 1943 after Mussolini's overthrow, with some Albanian riots (taking advantage of the fact that Italian soldiers didn't receive any orders whether giving the territory to the Allies or asking for help to the German soldiers in Yugoslavia). When Italy surrender to the Allies, the German Wehrmacht in the Balkans invaded Albania in September 1943, replacing the Italian administration for a German militar authority till October 1944. There are banknotes of 5 Albanian francs, 20 Albanian francs and 100 Albanian francs and later banknotes of 2 lekë, 5 lekë y 10 lekë.

5 Albanian francs (pesë franka/cinque franchi)

This banknotes worth 5 Albanian francs was first circulated in 1939. On the main side right it can be seen the written value of the banknote and the name of the National Bank in Albanian (Banka Kombëtare e Shqipnis) and in Italian (Banca Nazionale D'Albania) over a 5. There are four 5's, a gap for the digital watermark and a text in both languages saying that who makes or uses fake banknotes will be punished.
In the back part of the banknote it can be seen Albanian coat of arms' eagle in the left and in the upper and lower part, the written value of the banknote in Albanian and Italian surrounded by two fascis, with the National Bank's acornym in Italian. Moreover it has floral and fruit patern decoration. This banknote has the portrait of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy as digital watermark. The size of this banknote is 13.1 cm x 7.1 cm.

20 Albanian francs (njizet franka/venti franchi)

This banknotes worth 20 Albanian francs was first circulated in 1939. On the main side center it can be seen the written value of the banknote and the name of the National Bank in Albanian (Banka Kombëtare e Shqipnis) and in Italian (Banca Nazionale D'Albania). There are two gaps for the digital watermark, National Bank's acornym in Albanian's acornym and decorative elements, completed with the godness Roma (alegoric godness of Rome) and the Capitoline Wolf (she-wolf which suckling the twins founders of Rome).
In the back part of the banknote it can be seen Albanian coat of arms' eagle and in the upper and lower part, the written value of the banknote in Albanian and Italian, with a text in both languages saying that who makes or uses fake banknotes will be punished. Moreover it has four 20's in the corners and floral and fruit decoration. This banknote has the Skanderbeg's portrait in the right and in the left has the portrait of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy as digital watermark. The size of this banknote is 18.8 cm x 10.5 cm.

10 lekë (dhjetë lekë/dieci lek)

This banknotes worth 10 lekë was first circulated in 1941. On the main side center it can be seen a gap for the digital watermark and the Albanian coat of arms' eagle. In the left appears a 10, the written value of the banknote and the name of the National Bank in Albanian (Banka Kombëtare e Shqipnis) and in the right, another 10, the written value of the banknote and the name of the National Bank in Italian (Banca Nazionale D'Albania).  
The rest of the banknote has eight 10's in the upper and lower part and decorative elements. In the back part of the banknote it can be seen in the right Albania's coat of arms during the Italian occupation and in the right, Italia turrita (alegoric godness of Italy). Moreover it has the written value of the banknote in the upper part and in the lower, a text in both languages saying that who makes or uses fake banknotes will be punished, plus a 10 and fruit decoation. This banknote has the portrait of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy as digital watermark. The size of this banknote is 9.8 cm x 6.1 cm.

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Albania (1964-1992)

This serie of banknotes belongs to the period of Albania being under the leadership of Enver Hoxha (and later Ramiz Alia), being part of communist sphere. There are banknotes of 1 lek, 3 lekë, 5 lekë, 10 lekë, 25 lekë, 50 lekë and 100 lekë.

1 lek (një lek)

This banknotes worth 1 lek was issued in 1976. On the main side center, you can see two famers, a man and a woman with some wheat in a field, next to a 1. In the upper part appears the name of the National Bank in Albanian (Banka e shtetit Shqiptar) and in the lower part the written value of the banknote and a text saying that the banknote's  value is paid to the first bearer. In the frame there are geometric elements and four 1's, one on each corner.

On the other side of the banknote, it can be seen Rozafa Castle, ruins of the castles made by Romans and Venetians near Shkodër. There is a 1, the written value of the banknote and Albania's coat of arms in communist times, with the double-headed, black eagle. The frame has the name of the National bank, four 1's and a text saying that the law penalizes those who fabricate and uses forged tickets. This banknote has the letters of the National Bank (BSS) and a communist star as digital watermark. The size of this banknote is 10.4 cm x 5.5 cm. 

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