Fun with photos

Stork

Well, I promised someone (? Dimitri) I'd show off some of my treasured Albanian coins I carried up to Baltimore several weeks ago. Todd (of BluCCphoto) did the shots on site, and had the pictures to me about a week later.



Interesting tidbit about King Zog---apparently though he had early on aligned with the Italians in the process of looking for an ally in his bid to modernize, he ended up being on the poopy list.



It was not too long after he offered entry to Jewish people looking to escape other regions (and had at least one embassy still giving out visas) that Italy finally came and invaded. Albania is a predominantly Muslim country but the cultural climate was such that the Jewish families in Albania were actively protected. 'Albanians first, religion second' was the attitude--and not a single family was given up.



Some of the rather nicer ones:

Weiss

Beautiful pieces. All have a similar look, and I like them all!

Flatwoods

I agree! Very nice pieces.

JCMhouston

Nice, I like the designs on the e. 20th C. Albanian coins.

STLNATS

Originally posted by: Weiss

Beautiful pieces. All have a similar look, and I like them all!

+ a bunch. Really an outstanding and well matched set.

Zohar

Todd rocks! The 5 Franga is a masterpiece. Wonderful coins!

coinkat

Terrific coins- I rarely see these coins so I appreciate the images you have provided-

Jackthecat1

Gorgeous pieces. I will have to look for some of these Albanian coins.

Stork

Thanks! I wish ALL the coins were this nice, these are just the favorites. Todd really did an excellent job .



Another interesting tidbit, is that when King Zog did flee the Italians he managed to bring the majority of his gold with him, which is why the relatively small mintages of a small country are obtainable. The 20 Fr coin of 1926 (the one not featuring Prince Skanderbeg) is mythological (as in I have never seen one offered for sale in the last 12+ years, and the VERY few other Albanian collectors I have communicated with have not either). Now I suspect either the mintage figures are incorrect (hello Krause!) OR perhaps they were not in the cache that made it out with Zog.



The Italian takeover happened somewhere between 1-3 days after the Queen had given birth (depending on which source I'm reading), and it was quite the surprise that they all managed to escape. King Zog was noted for his dedication to his family and I would suspect the recently post-partum Queen was thought to be a way for the Italians to keep Zog in one place to sign the treaty they were trying to get him to sign. They were quite surprised when it turns out his sisters/family AND wife had managed to slip out, followed by Zog, and all that gold. Both the Queen and the baby survived the escape.



His intentions were to return and use the money to fight, but his earlier political alliance with Italy hurt him in the eyes of the other European countries so the support failed. He and his family ended up living quite well in exile.

Andres

Beautifull collection, like the first 4 coins especially, heavyly influenced by the ancient roman /greek ancients , thanks for showing Stork

SYRACUSIAN

These coins and superb designs, belong to an impossible quality, with most of them at MS67. ;



Fantastic toning, technical perfection, a delight. I had no idea that Skandenberg was so rare. Even a friend of mine without interest in Albanians, but a gold coin enthusiast had an MS65 of this example. At the contrary, I thought that the 10 gold francs was perhaps rarer in gem. But I've never been an active buyer of them like you, I've just seen a few, including a couple for sale from Steinberg's years ago. Then again, what didn't he have at times?

Stork

Thanks .



Dimitri, it's not Skanderbeg that's rare, it's the King Zog bust version of the 20 Fr in 1926. Maybe they are more common in Europe? I hope so, maybe I'll get one someday!



The NGC census has 35 Prince Skanderbeg 1926 20 Fr. graded (and 4 of those are the super rare fasces version-- supposedly 100 pieces and 90 were melted, and of the 10, there have been 4 grading events at NGC).



On the other hand for 1927 there are 180+ Prince S. and almost 40 of the King Zog bust.



Of the 1926 King Zog bust, nary a one.



I have a harder time looking at the PCGS census (is there an order I'm not appreciating?), but their numbers are lower yet similarly skewed. If there is a PCGS 1926 King Zog bust 20 Fr I'm missing it.



And, on another random trivia note, King Zog claimed descent from Prince Skanderbeg on his mother's side.







Cathy

brg5658

Absolutely amazing coins Stork! Just, wow!

SYRACUSIAN

Dimitri, it's not Skanderbeg that's rare, it's the King Zog bust version of the 20 Fr in 1926. Maybe they are more common in Europe? I hope so, maybe I'll get one someday!



That's what I thought. As for locating it, nowadays, with sixbid you never know where it might come from!