Sale: Triton XII, Lot: 888. Estimate $500.  Closing Date: Monday, 5 January 2009.  Sold For $1500. 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, 1344-1354. • S (crude pseudo-Kufic legend) D/V/+ ΛIDL • DVI • I • D • VO (S retrograde), St. Mark standing right, holding Gospels and presenting flag (type 11) to Doge kneeling left; pellets on St. Mark before and behind elbow, and at knee / SIOΛ (Λ filled) C< I XPЄ OII – – IOI >
From the B.R. Bell Collection.

This unusual coin has evaded exact attribution. The legends appear to be influenced by Arabic and Greek, while the style is fairly good. The flag resembles that of Atalogo (Ephesus), in the ‘Book of All Kingdoms’ published in 1350. Alternatively, the flag also looks like that of the Persian Ilkhanate, a much less likely attribution. Unfortunately the lack of heraldic color prevents an exacting match to a known flag.