Banknotes issued by the State Bank of Albania
from 1945 to 1992

Banknotes issued in 1945

20 Gold Francs, 1945

Banknote of 1926, considered issue of 1945 with the stamp of 1945.

20 Francs, 1945

Banknote of 1939, considered issue of 1945 with the stamp of 1945.

100 Francs, 1945

Banknote of 1939, considered issue of 1945 with the stamp of 1945.

Cheques issued by the National Bank of Albania during 1945

100 Gold Fr., 1945

Cheque, issue of 1943, considered issue of 1945 with the stamp of 1945.

200 Gold Fr., 1945

Cheque, issue of 1943, considered issue of 1945 with the stamp of 1945.

500 Gold Fr., 1945

Cheque, issue of 1943, considered issue of 1945 with the stamp of 1945.

1000 Gold Fr., 1945

Cheque, issue of 1943, considered issue of 1945 with the stamp of 1945.

2000 Gold Fr., 1945

Cheque, issue of 1943, considered issue of 1945 with the stamp of 1945.

5000 Gold Fr., 1945

Cheque, issue of 1943, considered issue of 1945 with the stamp of 1945.

20 Alb. Fr., 1945

Cheque, issue of 1944, considered issue of 1945 with the stamp of 1945.

100 Alb. Fr., 1945

Cheque, issue of 1944, considered issue of 1945 with the stamp of 1945.

100 Gold Fr., 1945

Cheque, issue of 1945.

200 Gold Fr., 1945

Cheque, issue of 1945.

500 Francs, 1945

Cheque, issue of 1945.

200 Alb. Fr., 1945

Cheque, issue of 1945.

100 Alb. Fr., 1945

Cheque, issue of 1945.

200 Alb. Fr., 1945

Cheque, issue of 1945.

The first banknotes issued by the State Bank of Albania

In 1945 all banknotes stamped by the State Bank of Albania and all cheques (stamped and new issues) were withdrawn from circulation.
In July 1946 the monetary reform was carried out. This reform lasted 10 days and upon the Decree No. 94, pursuant to the Decree No. 265, dated 11.07.1946, "On the exchange of banknotes and cheques issued by the National Bank of Albania and surcharged by the State Bank of Albania and cheques issued by the State Bank of Albania", the new ratio of banknotes exchange was set as follows:

5 old Francs (issued from 1925 to 1944) = 1 new Franc, issue of 1945

Upon this action carried out by the State Bank of Albania, only notes denominated in Franc 5, 20, 50 and 500, issued in 1945, remained in circulation.

5 Francs, 1945

20 Francs, 1945

500 Francs, 1945

Banknotes issued in 1947

Banknotes denominated in "Lek" replaced the "Franc" ones, issued by the State Bank of Albania. Upon the Decree No. 445, dated 07.07.1947 "On withdrawing from circulation banknotes denominated in "Franc" and the issuing of a new issue", Lek replaced Franc as the currency base unit. The new exchange ratio of banknotes was 1 Franc of 1945 issue = 9 Lek of 1947 issue.

Upon this action carried out by the State Bank of Albania, only banknotes of "Lek" denomination were in circulation.

10 Lekë, 1947

50 Lekë, 1947

100 Lekë, 1947

500 Lekë, 1947

1000 Lekë, 1947

Banknotes issued in 1949

New issue, year 1949. Its exchange ratio to the old issue remained unchanged. It was
reprinted in 1957 with the same features.

10 Lekë, 1949

50 Lekë, 1949

100 Lekë, 1949

500 Lekë, 1949

1000 Lekë, 1949

Banknotes issued in 1964

New issue, riprinted in 1964 with the same features. Upon the Decree No. 4028, dated 14.07.1965 "On the exchange of currency", published in the Official Gazette No. 183, the exchange ratio between the old "Lek" and the new "Lek" was set as follows:

10 Lekë of 1947, 1949 and 1957 = 1 Lek of 1964 and 1 Lek currency = 100 cents currency

1 Lek, 1964

3 Lekë, 1964

5 Lekë, 1964

10 Lekë, 1964

25 Lekë, 1964

50 Lekë, 1964

100 Lekë, 1964

Banknotes issued in 1991

100 Lekë, 1991

New issue.

Banknotes issued in 1992

Banknotes denominated "Lek-Valute", issue of 1992, were called 'banknotes of emergency', as they were printed due to the pressing demand of economy for cash. They had the corresponding countervalue: denomination 10 "Lek Valute" = 500 Lekë and 50 "Lek Valute" = 2500 Lekë.

These banknotes were in circulation for only one year and they were replaced with the new issue of 1992, while 1 Lek Valute denomination note was printed but not put in circulation.