Catalog
0.05 Lek
| Issuer | Banka e Shtetit Shqiptar (State Bank of Albania) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1965 |
| Type | Exchange certificate |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Green letterpress print over yellow and orange guilloche underprint, with the Albanian coat of arms (double-headed eagle) positioned at right. Text is arranged in multiple horizontal lines across the face, with the denomination numeral and issuing authority inscriptions in green. Serial number printed in red. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | BANKA E SHTETIT SHQIPTAR REPUBLIKA POPULLORE E SHQIPËRISË (Translation: State Bank of Albania. People's Republic of Albania.) |
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| Comments |
Albania's 1965 currency reform was a full decimal redenomination — the old lek was replaced at a 10:1 ratio, which meant small-denomination fractional notes like this one needed to exist to cover the arithmetic gap during the transition period. The 0.05 lek sits at the lowest practical edge of that system.
Printed during the height of Albania's isolation under Enver Hoxha, when the country had severed ties with the Soviet Union following the Sino-Soviet split and aligned firmly with China. Chinese technical and financial assistance extended to the printing infrastructure of this period, though the precise printer for this series remains unconfirmed in major references.