Sale: Triton XII, Lot: 891. Estimate $500.  Closing Date: Monday, 5 January 2009.  Sold For $650. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CRUSADERS, Venetians in the Levant. AV Ducat (3.50 g, 12h). Imitating Venice. Uncertain mint. Struck in the name of Marco Corner, 1365-1367. S/M/V/Є/N/Є/T/I D/V/+ MΛC (or O) VNЄIЄRIO, St. Mark standing right, holding Gospels and presenting flag (type 1) to Doge kneeling left / ITT +P ΛЄDΛTQI,: • PЄQIS STVЄ ЄΛT •, 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 11; Schlumberger -; Ives -; Gamberini -. EF. Artistic dies.

From the B.R. Bell Collection.

This piece has the enigmatic obverse legend reading in part ‘MA CVNEIERIO,’ or ‘MAOVN EIERIO.’ Based upon the fine style of the engraving, it is difficult to believe that this is accidental. However, no historical person matching this name has been identified by this cataloguer. The style is equal to the ducats of Rhodes in artistic achievment, but the fabric appears more Eastern. The style places this issue between 1382 and 1501.