PROBUS RIC 362 Votis SOLD

OBVERSE: VIRTVS PROBI AVG
REVERSE: FELICITAS • SEC
BUST TYPE: F1 = radiate, cuirassed bust left, holding spear and shield (VOTIS X ET XX inscription on shield)
FIELD / EXERGUE MARKS: -/-//SXXT
WEIGHT 4.19g / AXIS: 12h / DIAMETER: 23-24,5 mm (22 mm within dotted circle)
RIC: 362
COLLECTION NO. 1287

NOTE: Extremely rare and desirable shield decoration with the VOTIS X ET XX inscription.

Fantastic provenance: ex Philippe Gysen collection = Ex Spink, NumCirc 100/7 (1992.), 4893 = ex Sternberg XIII (1983), 951

The only specimen of this exact type known (with felicitas • Sec reverse legend; the other 7 similar specimens in my Probus database do not have a dot in the reverse legend).

See below last known auction listing of another similar example (without the dot in the reverse legend):

https://www.sixbid-coin-archive.com#/en/single/l28306719

Probus shields with the Votis X et XX inscription have always been eagerly sought after by collectors. Already in the XIXth century the famous French numismatist Henri Cohen in his catalogue "Description historique des monnaies frappées sous l'empire romain communément appelées médailles impériales" priced the Votis shield (in combination with the more popular Felicitas Sec reverse) at 40 franc, where the vast majority of common Probus antoninians were valued at less than 1 franc, the rare Deo Et Domino or Perpetvo titulatures were valued at 10 francs, only two Probus antoninians were valued higher, i.e. at 100 francs (Calliope Avg and Adlocvtio Avg), most Probus aurei cost 100-120 francs, while large bronze or gold medallions of the weight of several aurei were priced at 400-500 francs (today such medallions reach 100,000-300,000 EUR  at auctions). 

Sammlung : 04 Probus - Ticinum