427, Lot: 422. Estimate $300. Sold for $1200. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Claudius. AD 41-54. Æ Sestertius (35.6mm, 27.72 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 41-42. Laureate head right; c/m: ROB- in incuse rectangle / EX S C/P • P/OB CIVES/SERVATOS in four lines within oak wreath. RIC I 96; von Kaenel Type 54; for c/m: Pangerl 23, note 150; BN 131. VF, brown and orichalcum surfaces, some reverse roughness.

From the Collection of a Texas Wine Doctor. Ex Ian Roper Collection of Roman Countermarks (Classical Numismatic Group 70, 21 September 2005), lot 645.

A very rare variety of the common PROB(atum) countermark, apparently a mark of validation (see C. Kraay, “The Behaviour of Early Imperial Countermarks,” Essays Mattingly, pp. 130-131). This variety does not appear to be caused by a broken or filled die, but was engraved ROB, with perhaps the P being understood as ligate with the R. The extended crossbar of the B is also unique to this variety.