Picked this one up pretty cheap so I said what the heck. It is my favorite of his types (one of them), I also like this Bust type in ancient coins. I already have a pretty nice example of his radiate, helmeted & cuirassed bust, holding spear & shield type which shows him as soldier / general emperor (which he was). This one is him with radiate crown, mantled bust, holding eagle tipped scepter. Less military showing him more in his role as administrator of empire. Of course reverse is Sol in quadriga. Probus Silvered AE Antoninianus. Serdica Mint, 277 AD. IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG, radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right / S - OLI INVICT - O, Sol in spread quadriga, right hand raised, globe in left, KAG in ex Others I have seen from serdica have weak or problematic reverses but as a person who collects for portraits, this one is, IMO, very good. It is almost completely silvered still, silvering is in a way that it might have been a nicer coin without it. I am not a fan of silvering, and this isnt the best job, but it is an interesting reality of the economic and monetary situation at the time.
Amazing coin. It looks to be uncirculated or nearly so. Congrats on a very nice, very attractive coin. Those two pics look identical. Did you attach the pic twice?
Funny thread title. That is an amazing obverse. Is the mushy reverse due to the silvering, or is it just weak strike?
Its not uncommon in later empire to find a far better obverse than reverse. It was more important for the people to clearly see the Ruler and his titles than sol in a quadranga or Pax or whatever is on the reverse. So they used the reverse die much longer than the obverse.
