Virtus Probus Antoninianus

Probus (276-282 C.E.) was a rather interesting emperor. He continued the progress of restoration of the empire started by Claudius II and Aurelian. Unfortunately, he directed his troops to drain a swamp that was to be converted into vineyards, but the soldiers found the work unpleasant and instead killed him.

This is another coin I won in @ John Anthony's auction last week and just received yesterday. It's from the Aethelred collection (thanks, Aethelred!). While I have another Probus, this one is an upgrade.

Obverse: IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG
Radiate, helmeted and cuirassed but left, holding spear and shield

Reverse: VIRTVS PROBI AVG
Emperor on horseback left, raising right hand and holding spear

RIC Vb 887 pg. 114





Feel free to share any Probus coins, history, or whatnot!

 

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Very nice! Here's one that reads "VIRTVS PROBI" but on the obverse:


Probus, AD 276-282
Roman billon Antoninianus; 3.25 g, 21.7 mm
Ticinium mint, AD 280-82
Obv: VIRTVS PROBI AVG, Radiate, helmeted, cuirassed bust, left, holding spear and shield
Rev: SALVS AVG, Salus standing right, feeding serpent held in arms. V in left field; * in right field, TXXI in exergue
Refs: RIC-500; Cohen 584.

 

Nice addition.
My only Probus also acquired from JA (just can't remember when).

And since you mention Claudius II. This one I found deep in my collection, when I loomed it up on my spread sheet I discovered this was my 5th ancient coin purchase just about 18 months or so ago.

I find it amazing that I only got serious about ancients about a year and a half ago. This is #5 of 110 give or take.

 

Congrats, ancient coin hunter, nice coin.

 

As I recall it is recorded that Probus made a speech to the troops saying they had done such a wonderful job securing the empire that the day would soon come when Rome would not need an army. Draining the swamps is bad enough but telling your soldiers that they will all be unemployed is not a good idea when every one of them is armed to the teeth and well aware of how to change emperors. Remember this was the period when few rulers were dying of old age.

Of all our coin issuers, Probus has the greatest variety of obverse types or suits of armor. The man was a clothes hog. While he also has some decent reverses, you have to love all those variations of portraits. There are many rare, rare ones but some very common fancy ones, too. Few will ever have the one with horse head
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3108081

but we can all have some fancy military and consular attire.

Mine:

 

Here is my Probus. It was one of the coins I purchased the day I dove into the ancients pool. It was very inexpensive;and although I adore the shape of the coin, I'm frustrated because I can't figure out what is on the reverse to attribute it. If anyone has any hints what the reverse is depicting, I sure would appreciate hearing them.

(To me it looks like someone seated backwards on a galloping horse!)
Is it a chariot?



I love all your coins. They are beautiful and....mine (putting it politely) is not very nice at all.

 

Something like this one I sold through JA last year. I do not recall who bought it. Now I realize it was my only side view chariot. I can not read your mintmark.

 

Cool type with the horse's head. Reminds me of that AR medallion of Constantine obverse with the horse's head and emperor wearing a helmet decorated with a chi-rho.

 

Super posts!!

I'll pile on with......

 

Bing! Those coins! And I think I have one like the bottom one over which I have been struggling with the attribution. I did not think it was Probus. I purchased it thinking it was made during the 7th year of Diocletian's rule. May I send you a photograph of it?

@dougsmit - Beautiful coins, as always as well as astute observations about human nature!

 

Thanks to @Bing, I discovered I did have a Probus and it's better than the one I posted earlier. I'm a happy camper. Here's my Probus. I think I have the exact attribution almost completely worked out also thanks to Bing.

 

Doug showed one like it. Here is another:

IMP PROBVS AVG
SOLI INVICTO, Sol driving quadriga left
R*B in exergue
Rome mint, RIC Rome 202H.

 

@Valentinian - Yes! And the shape is similar too. Thank you for the attribution. I will examine my coin against this carefully. Your post helps me a lot. I am starting to see two horses going left now! And the wheel!!! Thank you.

 

LCT i think you coin is the sol quadriga reverse, like bing's second coin.

here's a probus ant i don't post very often...



dang it....not fast enough.

 

@chrsmat71 - I did not look as closely at that second coin Bing posted because it looked so golden that I figured it could not be the same metal content as mine. I will look more closely at that photograph in the morning when I have better light. (But looks like there may be a small difference in the middle of the exergue.) Thank you.

 

The attribution for the coin in question is:

PROBUS
Antoninianus
OBVERSE: IMP PROBVS AVG, radiate mantled bust left holding eagle-tipped sceptre
REVERSE: SOLI INVICTO, Sol in galloping quadriga left, R-thunderbolt-B in ex.
Struck at Rome, 275-6 AD
4.2g, 24mm
RIC 202

 

@Bing - Thanks so much for all your help with my Probus issues.

 

Great coins all

 

Great thread! Doug's series of portraits are truly marvellous.

I've had these for a long time. (20 bucks each... those were the days.)

Rome mint:


Siscia: