With the prices for ancient coins running as hot as they have been this past year, I've been sitting on my hands in auctions far more than in any of my previous years in the hobby. So, I was pleasantly surprised a few months ago that an impulsive one-increment-above-current-price bid that I placed in an auction scored me this very cool aureus of Probus. While it's true that it's not a high grade example, and that its flaws - dings, scratches, repaired hole, and removed mounting - probably put off many other bidders, I found its virtues outweighing its issues for me. I really liked the jugate portraits of Sol and Probus on the obverse, and on the reverse, I found especially interesting the legend SOLI INVICTO COMITI AVG, which while most familiar as a shortened form on the Sol standing coins of Constantine I, first appears here on this aureus issue of Probus. In other words, here's indisputable evidence that Probus was Sol's original bro! Another selling point for me was this aureus's provenance to Leo Biaggi de Blasys's famed collection of Roman gold, and it was a further bonus that my winning bid was about 30% lower than its hammer in the original 2008 NAC sale of the Biaggi collection. After my pic and description below is a short bio of Biaggi taken from a CNG auction description. Please also do feel free to share your favorite coins of Probus! PROBUS AV Aureus. 6.28g, 21mm. Serdica mint, AD 276-282. RIC 829 (R3) corr. (with AVG in rev legend); Biaggi 1640 (this coin). O: SOL COMIS PROBI AVG, Jugate busts left of Probus, helmeted and cuirassed, holding spear and shield, and of Sol, radiate. R: SOLI INVICTO COMITI AVG, draped bust of Sol right. Ex Leo Biaggi de Blasys Collection (NAC 49, 21 Oct 2008, lot 400); ex Münzen und Medaillen AG Basel 19 (1959), lot 250 "Leo Biaggi de Blasys (1906-1979) was a Swiss sugar magnate and sportsman whose fascination with ancient Rome led to the creation of one of the world's greatest collections of Roman gold coins. Born in Genoa to a Swiss-Italian diplomat and a French mother, he became active in the Red Cross after 1943 and, with his father, he repeatedly helped Jews in Italy escape persecution in the later years of World War II. He was also alleged to have knowingly aided in the escape of high-ranking Nazis, a notion dismissed by his friends and relations. In 1961, he received the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for his services. His collection focused on Roman gold from the Republic to late Empire, ultimately comprising over 2,000 specimens. The gold collection was purchased en bloc by Bank Leu (Zurich) in 1978, and slowly sold off to collectors over the next few decades. More than 500 ex-Biaggi coins were sold by Numismatica Ars Classica in their Auction 49 in 2008. The Biaggi pedigree remains highly prized among collectors of Roman gold."
Wonderful! Congratulations @zumbly on this awesome acquisition, with a nice provenance as well. I like it very much, and I think obtaining a gold piece (especially Roman and Greek, which tend to go much higher than Byzantine) is a milestone for every collection, be proud of this one, I certainly would.
Very nice! - I have something similar, though more worn and with a less-well repaired hole: Obv.: IMP PROBVS AVG - Helmeted and cuirassed bust left, holding spear over right shoulder and shield on left Rev.: SOLI INVICTO COMITI AVG - Radiate and draped bust of Sol right Mint: Rome (281-282 AD) Wt./Size/Axis: 5.86g / 20mm / 12h References: RIC 138 (Probus) Calicó 4204 Cohen 696 Provenances: Ex. Nomos AG, obolos 12, 31 March 2019, lot 803; Ex Numismatik Naumann, Auction 69, 2 September 2018, lot 423 Acquisition: Roma Numismatics Online auction E-Sale 74 #1077 20-Aug-2020 Notes: Mar 30, 21 - Holed and repaired at some stage. ATB, Aidan.
Wow, that's a great coin, despite it's flaws. To utter a bold statement: it takes a true collector to look beyond the flaws of a coin and enjoy it's beauty and history. Congratulations with this great acquisition! I hope to be able to add a gold Roman coin to my collection too one day...
zumbly, That's a very attractive coin ! It appears that some ancient owner was so proud of the coin he had it mounted as a pendant; traces of a mount are visible at 12:00 o'clock. Or possibly it was made as a pendant for a royal presentation.
The only Probus' aureus I can afford is a fourrée imitation. I'm also posting the coin it was copied from (not my coin...)
That's a very artistic design, @zumbly! What a cool coin! My most photogenic Probus: Probus, AD 276-282. Roman billon antoninianus, 4.96 g, 23.2 mm, 7 h. Lugdunum, fourth emission, mid-to late AD 277. Obv: IMP C PROBVS·P·F·AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: ABVNDANTIA AVG, Abundantia standing right, emptying cornucopiae held in both hands; IIII (officina 4) in exergue. Refs: RIC 17; Bastien 195.
You may not have made many purchases this year, but they have included some doozies... this one perhaps best of all! Wow - fantastic to have any aureus at all, but the type and provenance make that one extra special. My Probus with Sol is a bit more humble.
I'm glad that coin went to a home where it will be appreciated for something other than being gold. I feel we are lucky that there exists a coin like that which is not mint state and $100,000. Humble, perhaps, but it still is a part of the Aequiti series from Rome and I consider that special even if it is billon. Yours is nicer than mine so I'm sending REB and RVΔ to keep him company. Those three are all I have from the set.
I managed to post the reverse twice and didn't notice until now. This is the obverse of mine. ATB, Aidan.
Thanks for the comments, everyone! @akeady : I remember that one from the Nomos auction... nice pickup! I find it interesting that so many aureii survive in not just pristine condition, but also worn and used (and later repaired) like ours. @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix : I love that imitation holed fourree of yours. I've tried a few times to win a fourree aureus or solidus, without success so far. @Roman Collector & @Severus Alexander : Great examples! It's not lost on me that the average Probus antoninianus looks a fair bit more handsome than my aureus. Yes! I do feel lucky, and definitely think that beat up survivors like this one that escaped the melting pots deserve appreciation as well. That said, the $100,000 version isn't bad either. I have my coins, and the Boston MFA has theirs :
That’s an epic coin with a wonderful provenance @zumbly ! I agree that this coin has a lot going for it even above and beyond it being gold. I too pulled the trigger on a gold coin this year of a type I’ve had my eye on for a long time. Since I haven’t taken my own photos of it yet I will take you up on the offer to post my favorite Probus. 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
Thanks, Curtis! I'm looking forward to your gold coin when you post it. Also, rather envious of that ex Doug Tripolis mint Probus. Very nice!
Thank you my friend. This was definitely one of the highlights of my AMCC2 haul. It’s even sweeter because this coin was published on Doug’s webpage on the ants of Probus! https://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/probus.html P.S. Your title for this thread is super clever. I’m always happy to see a Z thread post.
Congrats on your new purchase, @zumbly. Nice aureus. I recently picked up this Probus. Really like the obverse design. Luckily, it's inexpensive, although pre-slabbed. Ch AU grade, with silvering. Probus (AD 276-282). BI antoninianus (21mm, 4.06 gm, 5h). Rome, 3rd officina. Obv: PROBV-S PF AVG, radiate bust of Probus left in imperial mantle, seen from front, scepter surmounted by eagle in right hand Rev: SOL-I I-NVIC-TO, Sol in fast quadriga left, raising right hand, globe and whip in left; R thunderbolt Γ in exergue. RIC V.II 203.
Excellent! That's a very nice specimen, and similar to the first coin of Probus I ever purchased. PROBUS AE Antoninianus. 3.31g, 22mm. Rome mint, circa AD 276-282. RIC 202; Cohen 644. O: IMP PROBVS AVG, Bust radiate left, almost half-length, seen from front, wearing consular robes and holding eagle-tipped scepter. R: SOLI INVICTO, Sol raising right hand and holding globe and whip in left, in quadriga of horses leaping left; in exergue, crescent flanked by R and B (officina 2). Ex Phillip Davis Collection
