Silvered metal rayed five-pointed star imposed on another with slightly shorter more rounded arms, bearing a five-pointed silver star on a stylised gilt wreath, with a central silvered circular medallion imposed bearing the portrait of Skanderbeg facing right; the reverse plain, dished, mounted for wear with pinback; diameter 48.76mm (1.92 inches), weight 40.85 grams (1.44oz); slight surface wear. The Order was instituted by King Zog in 1925 and was the only royal order that continued to be awarded by the Communist regime after 1945, though with changed insignia. It was awarded in three classes for both civil and military merit. Gjergj Kastrioti (1405-1468), better known as Skanderbeg (Turkish: İskender Bey), has been a national hero of Albania for more than five hundred years for his extraordinary resistance to Ottoman Turkish rule of Albania. Unlike many Eastern Bloc Communist-era awards, this is a well-made, solid piece by PräWeMa (Präge Werkzeug Machinen) of Markneukirchen in eastern Germany, maker of many of the best East German (DDR) awards. The awards of the secretive Albanian regime of 1945-1990 are only just now appearing on the market and are likely to remain rare, having been awarded in small numbers.
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