Tripolis Probus: Finally Photographed my AMCC 2 Win

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Curtisimo, Jan 7, 2021.

  1. Curtisimo

    Curtisimo the Great(ish)

    With AMCC 3 just around the corner (hopefully?) I thought I would take the opportunity to post a coin I won in AMCC 2 back in 2019. I always like to wait and post a coin once I’ve taken my own photos of it but this one made me hesitate to try my hand at photos for a few reasons.
    1. It has a good amount of silvering still visible and I have never been good at photographing silvered coins.
    2. It was already photographed by one of the best coin photographers I know, @dougsmit , so I was worried about outing my deficiencies highlighted in reason #1 and embarrassing myself.
    With some practice, though, I think I’ve finally managed to capture a photo I can be happy with.

    6193C51E-9805-455D-89D4-0467D121964E.jpeg
    Roman Empire
    Probus, BI Antoninianus, Tripolis mint, second officina, struck ca. AD 276-282
    Dia.: 22 mm
    Wt.: 3.82 g
    Obv: IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
    Rev: CLEMENTIA TEMP•, emperor standing right, holding eagle-tipped sceptre, receiving globe from Jupiter, holding sceptre, crescent in lower centre, KA in ex.
    Ref.: RIC V(b) 927.
    Ex Doug Smith collection, acquired in 1997 from Kreuzer


    In addition to the silvering (which I like even if it is frustrating to photograph) I appreciate the distinctive Tripolis mint portrait. I did not previously have a coin from this mint.

    Some other interesting points about this coin is that it is one of the few mints to replace the Latin numerals XX I = 20:1 with the Greek KA = 20:1 to show that the coin is 1 part silver per 20 of bronze. The officina is indicated by the crescent (officina 2).

    As mentioned above this coin was formerly in Doug’s collection. I was happy to find it shown on one of his educational webpages for Probus linked below.

    https://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/probus.html

    I was also pleased to get some ephemera with the coin as well.

    BA138891-5142-447B-9AED-188F2AE37F75.png
    Top left is the small tag that has come with all of my AMCC wins. The bottom left and the envelope at right seem to be in the same handwriting so I am assuming those are Doug’s tag and storage envelope respectively.

    With that I will invite you all to please post:
    • Your coins of Probus
    • Your coins with silvering
    • Coins you struggle to photograph
    • Anything AMCC related
     
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  3. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ..kool Curtis....i happen to have two 'silvered' Probus's...one came that way(right facing) and the other(left facing) i did meself(..as seen on Saturday Night Free For ALL)...(using ancient secret method, of course) :D silvered coins 001.JPG silvered coins 002.JPG
     
  4. Ancient Aussie

    Ancient Aussie Well-Known Member

    I think your pic has captured the silvering nicely, I have to get around to taking a new pic of mine as still using dealers pic. 217020 (3).jpg
    Probus
    Probus AD 276-282. Rome
    Antoninianus Æ silvered



    IMP PROBVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, with Medusa on breastplate / ROMAE AETER, hexastyle temple within which statue of Roma holding Victory or Palladium and sceptre, in exergue, R crescent Γ.
    Probus AD 276-282. Rome
    Antoninianus Æ silvered

    23mm., 4,96g.
    good very fine

    RIC 185; C. 530; Venèra 1401-1418.
     
  5. Andres2

    Andres2 Well-Known Member

    Thats a nice one, Curtisimo far better then mine:

    P1180041.JPG
    one from Antioch:
    P1180014.JPG
     
  6. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    Curtis, That's an excellent photo :D! The coin has a razor sharp strike ;). I've never had a problem shooting coins with silvering, it's the bronze coins I struggle with :mad:. Below are 2 folles with silvering.

    2491170-023, AK Collection.jpg 2491170-022, AK Collection.jpg
     
  7. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Saweet portrait:artist: and I've always been impressed by your photography:snaphappy::singing:
    AMCC2??? Wasn't that a few years ago:p
    Side question, does any other Roman Imp have as many reverses as Probus?
    I can Probe-ably cover three of the four with this silvered stud below:
    IMG_1115(1).PNG
    And I am more than happy to share my AMCC 2 win:
    20191109_112627_CD93453C-32BB-44B5-BFAE-E0D185387149-223-00000010E256BE58.jpg
     
  8. Claudius_Gothicus

    Claudius_Gothicus Well-Known Member

    Antoniniani from Tripolis have a very distinctive and interesting style; I should definitely get a few for my collection, sooner or later. Anyways, here's my only Probus, which I already showed in my Top 10. The photos make it look like it's still silvered, but it isn't:
    IMP C PROBVS AVG - CONCORD MILIT.jpg
    Probus (276-282), Antoninianus, Ticinum mint.
    Obverse: IM-P C PROBVS AVG, Radiate bust left, wearing imperial mantle and holding eagle-tipped sceptre;
    Reverse: CONC-ORD MILIT, Concordia standing left, holding two standards, E in left field. Mintmark PXXI;
    RIC 480
     
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2021
  9. Curtisimo

    Curtisimo the Great(ish)

    Say what!? :eek::rolleyes: Now I’m interested. Could you share a link to the discussion on this?

    Thanks for the kind words as well!

    Nice coin AA! It’s interesting how one side is nearly completely silvered and the other side almost completely not. Great detail and cool reverse type!

    How interesting that your Tripolis example has the XXI instead of the KA. I thought all the Tripolis examples had the KA. Did it vary by officinae?

    Also thanks for the kind words!

    Thank you for the kind words Al. Those are absolutely beautiful silvered examples.
     
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  10. robinjojo

    robinjojo Well-Known Member

    Nice Probus!

    This is my best silver-washed LRB, follis of Maximianus, Siscia Mint, 286-310 AD:

    D-Camera Maximianus Follis, Silvered, 286-310 AD, Siscia Mint,, 7-21-20.jpg
     
  11. Fugio1

    Fugio1 Well-Known Member

    Coins of the Tripolis mint are interesting and have a distinctive style. If you haven't visited Valentinian's Tripolis page, its worth a visit.
     
  12. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

  13. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    I have several coins of Probus, but this is the only one that still has a decent amount remaining of the original silvering. (It also happens to be my only ancient coin showing a quadriga, given that to date I haven't bought any Roman Republican coins depicting them.)

    Probus, silvered billon Antoninianus, 278-280 AD, Rome Mint [4th Emission, 2nd Officina]. Obv. Radiate bust left in imperial mantle, holding eagle-tipped scepter, IMP PRO-BVS AVG / Rev. Sol in quadriga leaping left, with right hand raised and holding globe and whip in left hand, SO-L-I INVIC-TO; in exergue, R- ᴗ [crescent]-B [Rome Mint, Officina 2]. RIC V-2 202B, Sear RCV III 12038, Cohen 644, see also https://www.probuscoins.fr/coin?id=11.

    Probus - Soli Invicto - Quadriga Left - Rome - jpg version.jpg

    The French website I cite above that's devoted to the coins of Probus is amazingly comprehensive.
     
  14. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    Before Christmas I have also added a decent Probus coin. I had one, from the days ancient coins were just a curiosity for me, and it was in a very poor condition, I would be too indulgent if I say the grade was About Good.
    My second, quite happy with it, price was ok and I am starting to like coins with Victory reverses

    upload_2021-1-7_23-27-59.png

    Probus AD 276-282. Antioch Antoninianus Æ 22 mm., 2,86 g. C

    RIC V Probus 922
    Date Range: AD 276 - AD 282


    Obverse Legend: IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG
    Type: Bust of Probus, radiate, draped, cuirassed, right

    Reverse Legend: CLEMENTIA TEMP

    Type: Probus, standing right, holding sceptre, receiving Victory set on globe from Jupiter, standing left, holding sceptre

    MintMark: A//XXI
     
  15. Clavdivs

    Clavdivs Well-Known Member

    Great photo...This is my favorite Probus .. the seller's photo was so good I never even attempted to improve upon it (wasn't gonna happen with my skills)...

    upload_2021-1-7_16-22-59.png

    recently added it to my office wall....

    Wall Photos.jpg
     
  16. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    A great coin, and a great wall of ancient coin photos! When people come into your office and see all those photos for the first time, are they generally curious, and do they ask questions about them?
     
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  17. Curtisimo

    Curtisimo the Great(ish)

    Thank you my friend.

    Indeed it was. :oops: Though when one only adds 5 coins in 12 months, one must play with the toys he has. :borg::bear::D Perhaps the excitement of the imminent round 3?

    I don’t have an answer for this but I have thought in the past that with all the interesting portraits types and all the different reverse types one could put together a pretty neat Probus focused collection.

    ...great coin additions also!

    Nice coin @Claudius_Gothicus . It does look a bit silver but now that you mention it I can tell it is just the light playing off of a really nice dark patina. Thanks for sharing.
     
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  18. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    Cool Probus Curtis.

    I can't but post a coin with an AMCC and a @Curtisimo provenance

    0180-220.jpg
    Septimius Severus (193-211), AR Denarius, issued 205. Rome, 3.37g, 19mm.
    Obv: Laureate head right
    Rev: Jupiter standing facing, head left, holding thunderbolt and scepter; eagle at feet to left.
    RIC IV 196; RSC 469.
    Issued in the year that the powerful Praetorian Prefect and father of Plautilla, Plautianus, was executed for treason.
    The flatness at 8 o’clock creates a rather amusing headless eagle.
    Ex AMCC1/207, and ex @Curtisimo the great(ish)

    Q
     
  19. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Why did the old fool sell that nice Probus? Well, before AMCC2 I was wanting to support our friend Sev and consign some coins to his sale but most of what I had to consign was not all that nice so I picked out a few that were close enough to duplicates and sacrificed one. The one you bought has a dot after TEMP while the one I kept (mostly because I liked the style better) did not. The keeper has less silver but it is attractively spread and my interest in Probus does not require keeping a coin for a dot that I had not researched enough to know why I should care.
    rs2489bb2856.jpg

    Someone else got a better Probus which I sent in error (got numbers confused) that was not a duplicate. Oh, well, I still have too many coins. Most of my Probus holdings came from 20 years ago or so when there seemed to be more nice ones on the market than today. There is another matter. One of the BIG attractions of Probus to my eyes has nothing to do with rarity but is because the guy was a really natty dresser and coins show a good variety of military and consular attire that we just do not see on coins of most rulers all that often. Simply said, to stay in my collection, I would favor coins with a fancy obverse even if it is common to a plain old toga or cloak.
    rs2550bb1476.jpg rs2560bb2278.jpg rs2890bb1529.jpg rs2940bb1271.jpg rs2985b01786lg.jpg rs3020bb1782.jpg
    I love the tone on this one:
    rs3030bb1497.jpg
    After selling the ~50 coins I did in AMCC2, I gave away the ones that did not sell but have forgotten how many there were. They went to an occasional poster on CT I was hoping would become a regular. I decided there would be no more coins sold until my total collection number rose back to where it was before. I still am down 27 coins from the count before AMCC2 and was hoping to get some new ones in AMCC3 last year. This was made more important when coin shows went away. I have given away coins since AMCC2 but no more sales. I have sold many coins but I don't enjoy it like most of you seem to.

    Photography: I have trouble photographing coins with silvering, too, and have been practicing a lot reshooting many to get what I want. I will not tolerate washed out, textureless silver ('blast white' is not good) until I am convinced that I can do no better. The worst are those with large patches of silver and and large areas of darker coin surface as on the reverse top of the one below. I prefer coins with the silvering missing in smaller pieces. They are easier to photograph. Unless we are talking about the rare obverses (horsehead, Vota shield) I will not be buying more Probus coins.
    rs2750bb1765.jpg

    It has been a while since I heard an update as to when to expect AMCC3 and I understand why the current mail situation might make someone who values International bidding not want to play today. I am thankful for many things. One is that I am not a coin dealer.
     
  20. Clavdivs

    Clavdivs Well-Known Member

    Thank you... well it's my home office. I have been working from home for about 9 years now. So other than my 2 daughters wondering in occasionally and rolling their eyes I really do not get much of a reaction.
    I certainly enjoy them though.:)
     
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  21. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ..perhaps this Saturday nite, i'll do another...:D twilight zone snake oil saleman.jpg
     
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