Currency Confusion...

Albanian Currency...???

The "official" currency in Albania is the Lek, (ALL), and this is where the confusion starts...not just for me, but every "foreigner". 

One ALL is roughly equal to one US penny. (pretty simple)

So...100ALL = 100 pennies, or one dollar.
       1,000ALL = 1000 pennies or ten dollars.
       10,000ALL = 10,000 pennies or one hundred dollars. 
       100,000ALL = 100,000 pennies or one thousand dollars. 

Shop owners will say the price one thousand, two hundred ALL for an item that is about $12, or 450 ALL for an item $4.50. 

BUT....
       There is also "old Lek" which adds to the confusion.  
       100ALL = ten pennies  (old ALL)
       1,000ALL = one dollar (old ALL)
      10,000ALL = ten dollars (old ALL)
      100,000ALL = one hundred dollars (old ALL)

The re-valuation of the Albanian Lek took place in 1965, before 40% of the current population was born. So...why is it still used?  In the big supermarkets and the malls where items are rung up in the register, the current new lek is used...but in the smaller "mom and pop shops", old lek rule.

I go to the market, and buy 4 apples, and the shop keeper tells me 1,200 Lek.  Now either apples got really expensive, $12 for 4 apples, or it really is $1.20.  Hmmmm.....? Most vendors do not distinguish between old lek and new lek...the customer has to figure that out. Sometimes I am not certain; like a wonderful bread/pizza/calzone thing I buy at the local bakery is 300lek or 30 lek.  Well, my American brain thinks $3 for this is ok...but it is really only 30 cents.  I do have my regular places for produce, bread etc, so those shopkeepers know I get confused and tell me new lek prices.

Ok...one more step of confusion that has been happening recently as I look for a place to rent for the Training Center. One landlord told me the price in US dollars, he would not accept ALL, but I had to pay in US dollars. Another landlord tole me the rental price in Euros...and I must pay in Euros. My comment was, but we live in Albania, I will pay in ALL, the landlords walked away.

So...what is the "REAL" currency in Albania...???
Yes, often while walking home I smile at the currencies in use in this little country in eastern Europe.