History
Albanians speak an Indo-European language which is probably the only survivor of the Thraco-Illyrian group. It is only very distantly related to other European languages.
Middle Ages
After Roman and Byzantine domination, Albania became an autonomous part of the Byzantine Empire as the Principality of Arbanon in 1190. It was subsequently contested by Greeks and Western European crusaders, until Albanian warlord Karl Thopia founded the Princedom of Albania in 1368.
With the Ottomans conquering most of the Balkans in the 14th and 15th century they encountered stiff resistance from a group of Albanian and Serbian noblemen centered around Skanderbeg, the national hero of Albania. It took the Ottomans 25 years to quell the resistance.
Skanderbeg, an Albanian nobleman who deserted from the Ottoman army and led a resistance movement that took the Ottomans 25 years to suppress.
Venetians controlled the Albanian port of Durazzo (now Durrës) from 1392 until 1501, when it was lost to the Ottoman Empire.
Ottoman Albania (1400s-1912)
The Ottomans empowered the local Albanians who converted in waves to Islam. Many Albanians rose to high positions in the Ottoman Empire, especially in the army. For example, the first Khedive of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha, was Albanian.
The prominent position of Albanians kept them loyal to the Ottoman Empire, in contrast to the often revolting Serbians and Greeks. When the Ottoman Empire started to fall apart in the 19th century, the Albanians were calling for more autonomy, but within the Ottoman Empire. However, when the Ottoman armies were severely beaten during the Balkan Wars of 1911-1913, Albania declared independence, fearing annexation by either Serbia or Greece. The helping hand came from Italy, which was the least bad choice as a local ally.
Principality (1912-1925)
The early years of Albanian independence were chaotic. A German prince was sent to rule the country, but fled within a few months. Serbian troops occupied parts of Albania until 1913 and in 1915 Albania was occupied by Austria in the north and Italy and France in the south. Albanian independence was only restored in 1920 after US President Woodrow Wilson intervened to remove Yugoslav, Italian and Greek troops from Albania.
Republic (1925-1928) and Kingdom (1928-1939)
Albania became a republic in 1925, with Ahmet Zogu as prime minister, who declared himself King Zog I three years later. Zog was authoritarian and conservative, and he was forced to strike deals with Italy in return for protection.
Italian (1939-43) and German (1943-4) occupation
Italy fully annexed Albania in 1939, after having meddled with Albanian affairs already since 1925. Zog was deposed and Vittorio Emmanuele III declared himself Emperor of Italy and Albania. After the fall of Mussolini Germany took over control. Both invading armies faced stiff resistance from Albanian partisans. One of these groups was led by communist Enver Hoxha, who would emerge as Albania's leader after a civil-war between German-backed nationalists and communists. The country was devastated when peace returned at the end of 1944.
Communist Albania (1944-1991)
Hoxha emerged as the undisputed leader of Albania. As a devout stalinist, his regime was very oppressive, but also modernised the country by reducing illiteracy and developing industries and healthcare services. Religion was abolished and suppressed and women's rights, virtually absent in conservative Albania, were promoted.
Hoxha was suspicious of his Yugoslav neighbour led by Tito. He feared a Yugoslav annexation and turned to the USSR for help. But after Stalin's death he often collided with Khrushchev, leading to a split in 1961 when Hoxha established very close relations to Maoist China. Fearing a Warsaw Pact invasion, he ordered the construction of 700,000 bunkers in his country, many of which still can be seen all across the country today.
Fourth Republic (1991-date)
Hoxha died in 1985 leaving the country as one of the most isolated states in the world. When the communist regimes of eastern Europe fell in 1989, Albania transitioned slowly towards a multi-party system in 1991. Deeply impoverished, many Albanians sought refuge in Italy. The Italians responded by taking control of Albania's ports and starting a European assistance programme to develop the Albanian economy.
Still in 1997 a lot of Albanians were ruined financially after the collapse of large pyramid schemes. Again, an Italian intervention restored order, which was controversial considering recent history. In 1999 many refugees from Kosovo entered Albania. Some advocate a union between both states as a 'Greater Albania' but this has not been actively pursued recently. Given Kosovo's sensitive status internationally, this would likely destabilise the region which has enjoyed relative peace only recently after a long history of violence.
Albania has developed tourism as a new source of income. Its beautiful sceneries and many historic sites are being discovered by more and more visitors. Albania is currently in the process of joining the EU, but this might still take multiple years.
Currency
The first currency of Albania was introduced in 1925, 13 years after independence was proclaimed. Before, silver and gold coins of the Latin Monetary Union were the most commonly used.
The Lek was introduced in 1925, next to the Franga Ari (Gold Franc) which was worth 5 Lekë. The name Lek is derived from Alexander. It was subdivided in 100 Qindarka, after the Albanian word for hundred. The Franga Ari was linked to gold and pegged with the Swiss Franc, the only survivor of the LMU currencies after 1920. A US Dollar was around 5 Franga or 25 Lekë. Later the Franga was subdivided in 100 Qindar Ari.
In 1939 the Italians put the Lek at a rate of 1.25 Lira. In 1944 the communists took over and the Lek was brought in line with the Yugoslav Dinar, which was 50/$ at that time but devalued to 300/$ in 1952.
In 1965 the Lek was revalued 10 to 1. Albania was so isolated that its currency was not used outside Albania and only basic necessities could be bought with it under strict price controls. After the fall of communism a wave of postponed inflation hit Albania. It was stabilised by implementing a value bandwidth with the Euro between 120 and 140 Lekë per €.
Coins
The initial years of independence were so chaotic that Albania had no currency of its own. The first Albanian coins date from 1926, featuring Alexander the Great. Designs were updated for the Kingdom (1928-39) and silver and gold Franga Ari were minted as well. Also coins in Qindar Ari denomination were added.
A new series of coins was introduced after the Italian occupied Albania in 1939. These have unusual denominations in fractional Lek rather than Qindarka.
After WW2 the communist government issued zinc coins in 1947 and 1957. The 1964 aluminium coins were the first from the redenominated Lek, issued in 1965. A 25 year Socialist Republic commemorative series was added to circulation in 1969. The last update to socialist coinage was in 1988. A 2 Leke coin was added in 1989, but it is relatively rare as inflation soon eroded its value.
The Fourth Republic series is still in use today, with denominations from 1 to 100 Lek.
Albanian coins from the Socialist Republic were very hard to find before the fall of communism, as the country was very isolated. These days the coins can be quite commonly found, also brand new ones of which I wonder whether they are restrikes or that they were never put in circulation and were sold off only decades later.
Pre-WW2 Albanian coins are quite interesting, especially the ones with King Zog and its unusual denomination system.
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/albanie-1.html