You can read about the Phillipe Gysen collection here. This Probus from my collection is a little more humble: Probus, AD 276-282. Roman billon antoninianus, 3.79 g, 22.1 mm. Rome, AD 277-280. Obv: IMP PROBVS P F AVG, radiate bust right in consular robe, eagle tipped scepter in right hand. Rev: ROMAE AETER, temple, statue of Roma seated facing inside; in exergue, R * A. Refs: RIC 183; Cohen 533; RCV 12027 var.
You guys shouldn’t bid on any of those coins. Probably all have bronze disease and maybe pagan curses. Best let me lowball some offers and get those off the market.
That was a good article. Thanks for the link. I went through the offerings quickly and saw many coins I would once have wanted but this kind of sale is for people who want to pay too much for the coins they want rather than people like me who would like to see what does not sell at their start prices. I would love to have the catalog and suspect it will have some value in a decade or so. I was disappointed not to see two coins I always wanted but may have missed them. I consider it inappropriate to discuss specific coins up for sale since some of you may be planning to bid on them and don't need others being told what is special if they did not already know. After the sale, I would love to discuss some of these coins. There are many very ordinary ones as well as the rarities. There are so many rarities of Probus that no one will get them all. I got most of my Probus coins about 20 years ago when there were many more on the market than I have seen lately. Perhaps this is because this fellow was buying them all??? A few of my favorites are below. One of them is a fake. Those who care can figure it out. I got my money back and the seller let me keep the coin.
While I don't really collect coins from this period I do appreciate the coins of Probus. The engravers clearly had a lot of skill at this point and the details are incredible. Here are two of mine Probus Billon Antoninianus IMP C M AVR PROBVS P AVG Radiate, mantled bust left holding eagle tipped scepter SOL INVICTO Sol in spread Quadriga holding whip KAΓ in ex Serdica 277 AD RIC 864 Bust type H 3.84g Scarce This coin now published on Probuscoins.fr Probus Antoninianus IMP CM AVR PROBVS P AVG Radiate and cuirassed bust of Probus right VIRTVS PROBI AVG - KAΓ in exergue Emperor on horseback trampling enemy, a shield in left hand, spear in right. A shield on the ground under the horse. Bust type B Serdica mint, 280-281 AD 4th emission, 3rd officina 3.92g RIC 880 (C). EF with wonderful smooth dark brown/black glossy patina. Even nicer in hand. Ex-Calgary Coin; Ex-George W. La Borde collection
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 PROBUS Antoninianus OBVERSE: IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, radiate & cuirassed bust right. REVERSE: MARS VICTOR, Mars advancing right, bearing trophy & spear. Mintmark III Struck at Lugdunum, 277 AD 5.1g, 23mm RIC 37, III PROBUS Antoninianus OBVERSE: IMP PROBVS P F AVG, radiate cuirassed bust right REVERSE: ADVENTVS AVG, Probus on horseback left, holding sceptre & right hand held high in return salute; at left, under hoof, a captive looks on, R-thunderbolt-Z in ex. Struck at Rome, 279 AD 3.3g, 21mm RIC 155 PROBUS Antoninianus OBVERSE: IMP PROBVS P F AVG-Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right REVERSE: CONCORDIA MILITVM Exe: /XXIVI - Probus standing left on right, holding scepter, receiving wreath from Victory to left Struck at Siscia, 277 AD 4.2g, 21mm RIC V 666 PROBUS Tetradrachm OBVERSE: A K M AVP PPO-BOC CEB, laureate cuirassed bust right REVERSE: L to left, Γ to right, eagle standing left, head right with wreath in its beak Struck at Alexandria, Egypt, 277-278 AD 6.78g, 19mm Milne 4566, Emmett 3985
I understand this to be the first part of the collection offered. There are several coins in a section of this sale that are of particular interest to specialists. I would like to acquire about 40 of them but am unlikely to obtain any.
Jay GT4, your radiate with SOL INVICTO & Bing's form an interesting comparison. Both coins depict Probus pretty much the same way, however, the reverse of both coins depict SOL INVICTO in dramatically different ways. The composition on your coins reverse is one of creative genius, designed & executed with unusual mastery for the period. There is an explosion of energy on your coins reverse giving the illusion that SOL INVICTO in his chariot is leaping out of the coin & ready to run you over. The reverse on Bing's coin draws back to the Republican period denarii, so popular & used over & over again.
I received the catalogue a few days ago and thought the same. I put it on the shelf next to the specialist Romano-Gallic catalogue from two (?) years ago. I suspect both these catalogues will be of great interest and demand to collectors of the respective genres at some point. I love specialist catalogues like this. Vecchi 3 (RR struck bronzes) and Vecchi 9 (Augustus) are similar in their focus and depth and both are also in my library.
Where there are books on a specialty subject, we buy the books. Where there are not fully definitive books, we love those specialist catalogs.
Write-ups look simple overall, with many exceptions, as one would expect in a sale of nearly 2,000 lots. Descriptions are in German, of course. Provenances are given for many of the coins, which I always appreciate. A few random sample pics below:
@Roman Collector Thanks very much for posting the information concerning the auction.While I usually disapprove of those posts that list specific coins before an auction closes, in this case there are enough for everyone! I have managed to win one coin from the auction. It is my first coin of Probus and I will post it in another thread.