2019-07-30 Tue

Albania, on South Eastern Europe’s Balkan Peninsula, is a small country with Adriatic and Ionian coastlines and has an interior crossed by the Albanian Alps. The country has many castles and archaeological sites. Capital Tirana centres on sprawling Skanderbeg Square, site of the National History Museum, with exhibits spanning antiquity to post-communism and frescoed Et’hem Bey Mosque.

The Lek is the official currency of Albania. It is subdivided into 100 qindarka, although the qindarka are no longer issued. The lek was introduced as the first Albanian currency in February 1926. In 1926, the National Bank of Albania (Banka Kombetare 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.

Today we are discussing a 2000 Leke banknote issued in the year 2007. The obverse has the portrait of King Gent, the last ruler of Illyria: a statesman, a warrior, a scientist and a man with remarkable achievements in economics, to left; the ancient Illyrian Daorson coins with a galley on the coin’s reverse in centre; and the purple outline of the building facade of the Bank of Albania. The reverse depicts the amphitheatre at Butrint (Bouthroton) in Sarande (Saranda) District to right artistically decorated with the Great Yellow Gentian (Gentiana lutea), a medicinal herb whose healing attributes were discovered by King Gent.

Image Courtesy: PicClick