Sale: Triton XII, Lot: 876. Estimate $500.  Closing Date: Monday, 5 January 2009.  Sold For $675. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CRUSADERS, Venetians in the Levant. AV Ducat (3.35 g, 6h). Imitating Venice. Uncertain mint. Struck in the name of Andrea Dandolo, 1344-1382. ELDDLD D/(OU) VEDDVDDCVY (partially retrograde, Y horizontal) O, St. Mark standing right, holding Gospels and presenting staff to Doge kneeling left / SP T:T XPQ OAGTIV QDISPSIC • DVCAT (partially retrograde, first P barred), Christ standing facing, raising hand in benediction and holding Gospels, surrounded by elliptical halo containing four stars to left, five to right. Cf. CNI VII 37; Ives -; Schlumberger -; Bell 57 (this coin). EF, struck with slightly rusted dies. Extremely rare. Both the obverse and reverse die are unique.

From the B.R. Bell Collection.

The most singularly unusual ducat from the Aegean or Levant that the cataloger has seen.