Sale: Triton IX, Lot: 1899. Estimate $1500.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 January 2006.  Sold For $1100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

GEORGIA, Kingdom. Queen Rusudan. 1223-1245. AR Dram (2.36 g, 12h). Dated CY 450 (1230 AD). Georgian – "In the name of God, struck in the K'oronikon year 450" IC XC, nimbate facing bust of Christ, holding Gospels / Arabic – "Queen of Queens, Glory of the World and the Faith, Rusudan daughter of Tamar, champion of the Messiah", "RSN" in Georgian in central cartouche with additional garnish. Kapanadze 77; Lang 14. VF, toned. Rare this nice. ($1500)

The silver coinage of Rusudan, the first precious metal coinage in Georgia in nearly 150 years, was prompted by the Crusader conquest of Constantinople in 1204, which deprived Georgia of the source of its circulating gold and silver coins. Georgian chronicles refer to these drams as Botinati, after the Byzantine emperor Nicephorus III Botaniates, whose nomismata were copied here.