PRESS RELEASE
85 years national currency

The Bank of Albania celebrates this year one of the most important events of the country's economic history in general and its central bank in particular: 85 years since the first national coins and banknotes were put in circulation.

On this occasion, the Bank of Albania organised, on 31 March 2011, an exhibition on '85 years - national currency' at the central hall of the Museum of National History.

The Albanian currency is presented in this exhibition in its full spectrum of values. The exhibition unveils these values in a display of coins and banknotes from antiquity to date.

The items in this exhibition are selected following a research of many historic materials of interest to those who appreciate the national currency not merely for its monetary value, but also for its cultural attributes, since the currency is an important part of our national identity.

Conceptualisation and realisation of this exhibition not only requires the display of items, as the etymology of the word 'exhibition' suggests, but also a public information approach, an important part of the strategy of the Bank of Albania, which is increasingly gaining ground amidst the BoA objectives. This goal is achieved in this case through a cinema corner, which shows for the first time exclusive footages of banknotes and coins production and processing, security features and their identification and recognition.

In an innovative presentation, the exhibition invites you to travel through the history of the Albanian money in one single day. This history, besides introducing diverse designs of the national currency in its course of life, comes to the public with illustrations of articles of the time, rare photographs and documents, and many other curiosities, which we invite you to explore.

The exhibition was opened on 31 March 2011, at 10.30 hours with an address by the Governor of the Bank of Albania, Mr. Ardian Fullani, in the presence of the Prime Minister of Albania, Mr. Sali Berisha, governors and other representatives of central banks in the region, researchers, representatives of finances and media and members of the public.

In addition, the Bank of Albania organised a symposium on 'The national currency: some historical aspects', where experts of the field shared their views on the development history of the Albanian currency.

The exhibition shall stay opened to the public until Saturday, 02 April 2011.