Albania 1927-V 20 franga ari
This specimen was lot 1002 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $3,840. The catalog description[1] noted, "ALBANIA. 20 Franga Ari, 1927-V. Vienna Mint. Zog I. PCGS MS-65. Struck to commemorate Prince George Kastrioti 'Skanderbeg,' this blazing Gem offers attractive mint brilliance and a satiny appearance. An overall appealing radiance exists to the luster, with the cartwheeling being unbroken by contact." This type was struck for the republic (later kingdom) of Albania in 1927 when president Ahmet Zogu, with the help of Italy, attempted to bring financial stability to a war-torn country. Mussolini invaded and occupied the country in 1939.
Recorded mintage: 5,053.
Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Fr-6; KM-12.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The 2022 NYINC Sale: World and Ancient Coins, featuring the Mark and Lottie Salton Collection and the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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