OK, it's not the big, bad drachm that Zumbly just posted, but it is my first foray onto the avenue of Alexandrian potin tets: a very common type of Probus. I felt this coin had unusually good eye appeal for the grade, no better than F to be sure, but definitely a gF. I could have paid twice as much for a VF coin, but since I'm just beginning to investigate these types, I decided modesty was the best policy. (At any rate, I've discovered that I don't derive any less pleasure from collecting a $30 coin than I do from a $300 coin.) I'm hoping the green stuff isn't BD, but if it is, I'll deal with it as best I can - live and learn, right? If I've made any mistakes in the attribution, please correct me. EGYPT, Alexandria, Probus Potin Tetradrachm 20mm, 7.66 gm, Year 2 (276/277 AD) Obverse: A K M AVP PROBOC CEB, laureate and cuirassed bust right Reverse: Dikaiosyne half-left, holding scales and cornucopiae Reference: Köln 3127, Dattari 5527, Milne 4521, cf. Curtis 1846
Very attractive coin JA. I didn't check your attribution since you know more about these than I do even though I own a few. Here is my one Tet of Probus: 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'm glad to hear you say it. Suffice it to say that I'm going to keep a close eye on this one for a few months to be sure nothing is growing.
This is very much a matter of opinion but one on which we do agree. I have a lot of coins that I really wish I had not bought but some of them are among the more costly items I have as well as among the $5 specials. My list of favorites includes coins starting at $6 but that one is not typical of $6 coins. Today I saw a coin that I really liked for $795 but I just could not bring myself to buy it because it would not make my favorite fifty for sure and possibly not the 100. We might all be different but we should, at least, expect more out of an expensive coin than a cheap one.
Orbiana was my most expensive coin & one I dont have any regrets on. It's also one of my top favorites. It was hard breaking that barrier that it cost but also opened the door to make it easier to buy some higher priced coins on my blue collar budget. Otho is the only one I havent been able to justify, yet. Same with an Athens owl.
Sweet lookin' Probus, JA (congrats) ... I have an Alexandrian Probus Tet as well ... ... but your hot new example looks a lil' bit sweeter than mine
very cool coin JA! doesn't look like BD to me either, in fact the color is very attractive to my eye. I really like the Alexandrian tets, love the style, love the rough edge, love how the have some nice weight in the hand. I have a couple of them, but not a probus....it's on my list.
Nice one. I actively collected Probus coins from this mint for a while though haven't bought too many recently as the types that I don't have don't turn up that often. Here is my example of the type matching the OP coin. Martin
