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2 Lek - Victor Emmanuel III
| Issuer | Kingdom of Albania |
|---|---|
| Year | 1939-1941 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 30 mm |
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| Reverse description | Central device features a double-headed eagle displayed with wings spread, representing the Albanian national symbol, positioned in the center of the field. Flanking the eagle on each side is a fasces, the Roman bundle of rods symbolizing Fascist authority, with the year 1939 inscribed at the lower left and the regnal year XVIII at the lower right. The legend SHQIPNI arcs across the top of the coin, while 2 LEK ALBANIA is boldly inscribed in the lower portion. The engraver's signature G. ROMAGNOLI appears to the right of the denomination, with the Rome Mint mark R at the bottom of the field. |
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| Mint | Rome Mint, Italy |
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| Additional information |
Albania's Italian-issue coinage of 1939–41 was a direct product of Mussolini's April 1939 invasion and annexation, which forced out King Zog I and installed Victor Emmanuel III as the new Albanian monarch. The acmonital composition — an Italian-developed stainless steel alloy — was chosen partly out of wartime nickel conservation, a policy Mussolini's government had been rolling out across its monetary system since the mid-1930s.
Production effectively ceased as Allied pressure on Italy mounted. Surviving examples in uncirculated condition are not unusual; the occupation economy was disrupted enough that much of the issue saw limited everyday use.