Sale: Triton XIII, Lot: 1857. Estimate $150.  Closing Date: Monday, 4 January 2010.  Sold For $150. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ITALY, Milano (Duchi). Gian Galeazzo Visconti. 1395-1402. AR Pegione (2.52 g, 5h). + · GALEAZ · VICECOES · D · MEDIOLAИI · 3C’, coiled serpent left; G-Z across field / S · ABROSIV’ · MEDIOLAИ, St. Ambrosius seated facing on throne, raising hand in benediction and holding crozier. Cf. CNI V 4/5 (obv./rev.); Crippa 4/a; Biaggi 1475. Good VF, lightly toned.

From the Leonard O. Greenfield Collection.

The son of Galeazzo II and Bianca di Savoia, Gian Galeazzo Visconti was betrothed to Isabella de Valois, the daughter of Jean II, the king of France, at a very young age. For this marriage, Galeazzo II paid 300,000 scudi---a sum which helped Jean recover from the large ransom which he had to pay to king Edward III of England for his freedom. After the death of his father, Gian slowly acquired power, ultimately having his uncle Barnabò and his sons Lodovico and Rodolfo thrown in jail. After negotiating with Václav, king of the Romans, Milano was elevated to a duchy with him as its first duke.