New country: the Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order

Hello all,

It looks like we're getting a new country: the Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order.

You can read about it here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_State_of_the_Bektashi_Order

Interesting choice politically.

I suppose they're trying to copy The Sovereign Military Order of Malta, but with a more tolerant Islamic focus, in terms of goals & operations.

But are being set up politically as a Vatican City for international relations.

Well, anything that encourages dialogue for tolerance sounds like a good idea on the surface. Hopefully, it'll achieve some good in the world, if it comes off.

Wonder if they'll make their own currency. Obviously, it'll almost certainly just be a “Collector” issue as it wouldn't make sense to have a separate currency.

A Collector

Wonder if they'll make their own currency. Obviously, it'll almost certainly just be a “Collector” issue as it wouldn't make sense to have a separate currency.

Me too. There are two options they could try for (at least for coins):

First, they could follow the France-Monaco, Switzerland-Liechtenstein, or Italy-Vatican City-San Marino route, with coins minted to the same specifications as the protectorate country's. However, both France and Italy have their own mints, meaning that it is easier for those micronations to contract coin production. Albania does not have their own mint, complication this avenue. (Of course, the Bektashi Order could open their own mint on their territory, but at half the size of Vatican City this is the least feasible option.) 

The second option is to let any national or private mint manufacture coins on behalf of the Bektashi Order, regardless of their resemblance to Albanian coinage. This is the route that Andorra took from 1977 until 2014, when they were awarded the right to mint Euro coinage. If the Bektashi Order decides to make coins, this seems like the most likely option (unless Albania adopts the Euro).

I would be surprised if more than a handful of countries expend any resources to set up a specific embassy or even a basic liaison office for this microstate. Even within the Muslim world, it hardly carries any heft with even several minor sects across the subcontinent And the middle east having much larger memberships and as such influence. That said, I suppose it’s one more tourist attraction for Tirana and Albania. 

From a numismatic/exonumia perspective, I can imagine fantasy minters vying to get a contract to mint coins for this entity whenever it does get activated. I would certainly consider getting a set just for the coffee table conversation if nothing else!