Sale: Triton XII, Lot: 882. Estimate $300.  Closing Date: Monday, 5 January 2009.  Sold For $1100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CRUSADERS, Venetians in the Levant. AV Ducat (3.35 g, 6h). Imitating Venice. Uncertain mint. Early-mid ‘K Series’, struck in the name of Andrea Dandolo, 1344-1354. [S]/И/V/Є/И/Є/T/I D/V/+ ΛИDK DΛИDVIO, St. Mark standing right, holding Gospels and presenting flag (type 5) to Doge kneeling left / • SITT +PЄ ΛT . O . TV • ЯЄGIS ISTЄ D . VCΛT •, 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; cf. Ives pl. XIII, 2; cf. Papadopoli (Castellani) 16223; Schlumberger pl. XII, 34 var. (K-O in reverse legend); cf. Gamberini 344. Good VF. A variety with meticulously designed flag, and dies of fine style.

From the B.R. Bell Collection.

This specimen heralds the arrival of the distinctive closed ‘E’with a large triangular, or wedge shaped crossbar. This unusual lettering appears on virtually all ‘K-Series’ and ‘K-O’ series ducats, named for the inexplicable letter ‘K’ found in the reverse legend left of Christ’s foot.