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The modern Albania currency is a reflection of the country's development, seen in its metal denominations and updated banknote designs.
Those studying Albanian coins can conveniently begin with a digital check using the coin scanner online: the service helps verify the die, year, and weight without a lengthy search through catalogs.
Albanian Lek Coins and Their Features
The Albanian lek is the country’s main currency and has been part of daily payments since 1926.
Travelers often ask the same thing: what is the currency of Albania? It’s the lek, and pieces still play a noticeable part in daily payments.
The currency in Albania shows how metal composition has changed, from aluminum to steel, and how the relief has changed across denominations.
Denomination | Material | Weight | Diameter |
5 lekë | steel | 3.2 g | 20.5 mm |
10 lekë | brass | 3.3 g | 21.7 mm |
20 lekë | brass | 4.5 g | 24 mm |
50 lekë | bimetal | 7.7 g | 26.5 mm |
100 lekë | bimetal | 8.1 g | 24.75 mm |
These denominations form the basis of the Albanian lek currency, and the differences between them help numismatists identify batches by the thickness and quality of the rim. Some collectors track world coins to verify mintages and rare varieties.
Another detail is the Albanian lek symbol, which is sometimes found on investment brochures and in digital payment systems.
Old and Modern Albanian Coin Design
The history of minting shows how currency Albania has evolved from the royal period to modern parliamentarism. The pre-reform series featured images of King Zog I, while later socialist specimens reflected industrial themes.
Older pieces attract attention because the early issues show shifts in both weight and metal. Pieces from the 1930s were made from a copper-nickel alloy, and pieces from the 1960s switched to aluminum.
Key details that help identify the era include:
date position (bottom or right);
the smoothness of the edge;
the nature of the transitions between the background and the portrait;
changes in the national coat of arms.
When working with catalogs, it's important not to overlook the early series from 1926–1939. These include proof coins, which were struck in limited editions. These coins are distinguished by their mirror-like surface and a sharp contrast between the fields and the relief.
“… Give me control of a nation’s money and I care not who makes the laws …”
— Unknown author
Ardian Fullani, From coins to e-money: Albanian national…, speech published by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
The Rare Albanian Gold Coin for Collectors
Albania’s gold coins came out in small numbers, and collectors usually go straight to the ones from the time of Zog I — they’re seen as the most valuable. In that group are the 20, 50, and 100 franga ari pieces that appeared in the 1920s and 1930s. They were struck from 900-purity gold and featured a strict portrait style.
The rarity of these coins is explained by several factors:
most were melted down after political changes;
surviving examples often bear traces of circulation;
counterfeits are common, especially among the larger denominations.
Denomination | Fineness | Weight | Average price* |
20 franga | Au 0.900 | 6.45 g | 350–480 USD |
50 franga | Au 0.900 | 16.13 g | 950–1300 USD |
100 franga | Au 0.900 | 32.26 g | 2200–3000 USD |
More Tips
Minting errors are rare for gold denominations, but a weak strike or an uneven rim was found in batches from 1927. These pieces usually sell for more than regular coins when the defect is easy to see.
For beginners, it’s worth knowing that cleaning a coin can ruin the surface. Before you handle anything, it helps to look over basic selling guidelines so you don’t accidentally drop the value.
And if you want to see the denomination, the year, or get a rough idea of a coin’s value without digging through catalogs, the Coin ID Scanner app makes it easy.
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