The Bank of Albania put into circulation two new banknotes, in denominations of 500 Lekë and 2000 Lekë, on 17 January 2022. The new notes serve as legal tender and complete the series of banknotes introduced starting in 2019. The new 500 and 2,000 Lekë banknotes are printed on cotton substrate.
The 500 Lekë Banknote
The dimensions of this banknote are 132 x 69mm, and the main colour scheme is blue.
Front:
The face of this note features a portrait of Ismail Qemal Bej Vlora (1844-1919), a prominent leader of the Albanian national movement and first Prime Minister of independent Albania; an emblem of the double-headed eagle from the independence flag; and a stylized image of the pen with which Albania’s Independence Act was signed.
Back:
The back of the note depicts the building where the country’s independence was declared (today the National Museum of Independence); the telegraph that relayed the news; and the room where the decision was made.
Security features:
- A three-dimensional watermark, a portrait that corresponds to the main portrait of the banknote, when viewed against a light source
- A colorshift security thread
- A SICPA SPARK® LIVE security patch
- Raised (tactile) print
- Elements to assist the visually-impaired (3 raised slashes on the right and left borders on the front of the note)
- An iridescent stripe (on the back of the note)
The 2,000 Lekë Banknote
The dimensions of this banknote are 146 x 72mm, and the dominant colour is violet.
Front:
The front side of this note features a portrait of King Gent (181-168 BC), the last ruler of Illyria. He is known as a statesman, a warrior, and medical scientist.
Back:
The reverse side of the note features images of ancient Illyrian architecture, as well as the medicinal herb Gentiana Lutea and stylized detail of a Liburnian ship.
Security features:
- A three-dimensional watermark, a portrait that corresponds to the main portrait of the banknote, when viewed against a light source.
- A colorshift security thread
- A SICPA SPARK® LIVE security patch
- A diffractive KINEGRAM® registered stripe, which showcases the Bank of Albania’s headquarter building at the top of the stripe, displaying both an achromatic and a colorful diffractive watermark effect
- Raised (tactile) print
- Elements to assist the visually-impaired (7 raised slashes on the right and left borders on the front of the note)
- An iridescent stripe (on the back of the note)
For additional details, see the Bank of Albania website.
Sources/References:
Bank of Albania
Banknote Industry News
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