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1/2 Lek Prova
| Issuer | National Bank of Albania |
|---|---|
| Year | 1931 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | KM# Pr10 |
| Obverse description | Central field displays the Albanian royal coat of arms: a heraldic shield bearing a double-headed eagle, supported by an ermine-lined mantle tied at each side with ribbons, and surmounted by a crowned helmet crested with a mountain goat's head. The legend .SHQIPNI. arcs along the upper periphery in bold Latin capitals, while the date 1931 appears in the lower field beneath the shield. The engraving is executed in high relief with fine detail throughout the heraldic elements. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Albania's 1931 coinage program was part of a broader effort by Ahmet Zogu — by then King Zog I — to project a modernizing, sovereign state image through a complete national currency overhaul. The prova issues from this year were struck in Rome at the Istituto Poligrafico, serving as presentation or approval pieces submitted before full production authorization. This half lek prova was never approved for circulation.
The KM# Pr10 designation confirms its pattern status. Surviving examples are rare by definition — provas from this series were produced in very small numbers, and Albanian monetary history after 1939 Italian occupation disrupted what little institutional preservation existed.