Albania, Republic, gold “Skanderbeg” 20-Franga Ar, 1926 R (Rome) (KM 12); in aPCGS holder described as MS63. About as struck (£150-200)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of the Coins of Albania.

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According to Pagani (Prove e Progetti de Monete Italiane o battute in Italia, p.150) this coin by Romagnoli was disliked by the Albanians and withdrawn. Initially it is hard to see why: the head of the legendary national hero Gjergi Kastrioti, known as Skanderbeg, the leader of a successful twenty five year rebellion against Turkish rule would not have caused offence — quite the reverse. The answer must lay with the reverse (in fact technically the obverse). This, which shows a winged lion, the emblem of Venice, once a colonial power in the region, doubtless injured national pride.