10 Lek - Victor Emmanuel III Trial strike

Italy's April 1939 invasion and annexation of Albania was complete within five days. Victor Emmanuel III was proclaimed King of Albania shortly after, and the Italian administration moved quickly to redesign the occupied territory's coinage. This piece is a trial strike — produced for approval rather than circulation — from that hasty colonial monetary reorganization. Most pattern and proof issues from this period of Albanian coinage under Italian administration survived in very small numbers, largely in institutional collections in Rome.