I picked up a really nice Probus Antoninian on Ebay. The seller's picture was abysmal, which probably kept competition away. So I got the coin for EUR 25.50. I got it today and it turned out to be a really nice piece with a reverse that I didn't have in my collection of some 60 Probus Antoniniani. Obv.: IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG Rev.: VIRTVS - PR - OBI AVG In exergue: XXIQ Mint: Siscia, 4th officina, 4th emission Date: 277 RIC 821 A common coin, but with attractive reverse and in great condition (I don't mind the flan crack)
I think it's beautiful! (You have a typo in your reverse legend -- it should be PR, not RR.) I have two "VIRTVS PROBI AVG" coins, both from the Serdica (Sofia) mint. Probus, silvered billon Antoninianus, Serdica [Sofia, Bulgaria] Mint, 3rd Officina, 4th emission, 280-281 AD [Gysen]. 277 AD (Sear). Obv. Cuirassed bust left wearing radiate helmet, holding spear and shield, transverse leather strap across chest, IMP C M AVR PROBVS PF AVG / Rev. Probus on horseback, shield in left hand, galloping right, about to slay an enemy with a lance held in right hand; the enemy is on his knees under the horse's front hooves with his hands thrust upwards, his shield on the ground under the horse, VIRTVS PROBI AVG; in exergue, KA•Γ• (Serdica Mint, Officina 3) (KA= XXI =[20/1 copper/silver ratio of alloy]. RIC V-2 Probus 877G( Γ) (p. 113); Cohen 917; Probuscoins.fr 2667 (https://probuscoins.fr/coin?id=2667); Pink [Karl Pink 1949], 277, 4th emission; P. Gysen type: VIR-1 [Philippe Gysen, New data concerning the Serdica workshop during the reign of Probus, in Revue belge de numismatique , CXLVI, Brussels, 2000] (re-dating Serdica Emission 4 at 280-281 AD). 24.31 mm., 3.26 g. Probus, silvered billion Antoninianus, Serdica [Sofia, Bulgaria] Mint, 1st Officina, 4th emission, 280-281 AD (Gysen), 277 AD (Sear). Obv. Cuirassed bust left wearing radiate helmet, seen from ¾ in front, holding spear over right shoulder with right hand, and shield covering left shoulder with left hand, IMP CM AVR PROBVS AVG / Rev. Probus on horseback pacing left, with right hand raised and holding long scepter with left hand, captive is seated left under raised right hoof of horse, leaning forward to left with his arms bound behind his back, VIRTVS PROBI AVG; in exergue, KA•A• (Serdica Mint, Officina 1) [KA= XXI = 20/1 copper/silver ratio of alloy]. RIC V.2 Probus 887 (p. 114); Cohen 925/926; Probuscoins.fr 2201 (https://probuscoins.fr/coin?id=2201) (BustType E); P. Gysen Type: VIR-adv [adventus scene] [Philippe. Gysen, New data concerning the Serdica workshop during the reign of Probus, in Revue belge de numismatique , CXLVI, Brussels, 2000] (redating Serdica Emission 4 at 280-281 AD); Pink, Emission 4 [Karl Pink, Numismatische Zeitschrift, Der Aufbau der Romischen Munzpragung in der Kaiserzeit, VI / 1 Probus (Wien, 1949)]; cf. Sear RCV III 12075 (ill.) (same except obv. legend has “PF” before AVG; see RIC V-2 886). 23 mm., 4.26 g. Purchased from Kirk Davis, Feb. 2021; ex. York Coins, UK, 2010.
Thanks a lot, also for spotting the typo. I corrected it now. Great coins. The military busts are of course always in a different league.
That's a nice one, @Tejas! Great deal, too! Here's a left-facing one with VIRTVS PROBI AVG on the obverse. Probus, AD 276-282. Roman billon Antoninianus 3.25 g; 21.7 mm. Ticinium mint, AD 280-82. Obv: VIRTVS PROBI AVG, Radiate, helmeted, cuirassed bust, left, holding spear and shield. Rev: SALVS AVG, Salus standing right, feeding serpent held in arms. V in left field; * in right field, TXXI in exergue. Refs: RIC-500; Cohen 584.
Two Antoniniani of Probus...the first commemorating his victory over the Germanic tribes, and the second celebrating his arrival at Rome...
In my view, the imagery on Probus' coins marks a (if not "the") high point of Roman numismatic art. Probus issued or introduced many different and innovative bust types, legend variations and reverses that have never before or after been seen on Roman coins. Had he been deified, he would have made for a great protector saint of coin collectors My new coin above likely celebrates his victories over the Goths at the lower Danube (Moesia and Thrace), which he seemed to have achieved in AD 277. Wikipedia and De Imperatoribus Romanis (Roman Emperors - DIR probus (roman-emperors.org) say that Probus was awared the title Gothicus Maximus in 277, even wrongly claiming that this title is attested on coins. However, if he really held the title, it is strange that he never issued any coins mentioning a VICTORIA GOTHICA, as his three predecessors and his successor have done.
Looks like the dies were sharp and clean, and the flans were hot, when they struck that coin. A very nice pickup!
We have been shown coins with VIRTVS PROBI AVG on either side but I am unaware of any coin that has that same legend on both sides. Does anyone know of one coin with the same legend on both sides? There are coins with VIRTVS PROBI AVG on the obverse and ADVENTVS PROBI AVG on the reverse.
Yes, the combination with VIRTVS PROBI AVG on both sides of the same coin does exist. Check out this excellent website: Probus Coins The combination was apparently issued only at Serdica and Siscia and it is no doubt quite rare. Note RIC 879. Probus' bust with horse head in the background! They were really going crazy during Probus' reign. PS: Beautiful coin!
I might be wrong about Probus not being deified. He certaintly wasn't deified by his successor, but he had coins made with the title DEO ET DOMINVS, so he apparently regarded himself as a god.
An attractive example. The VICTORIA GERM reverse (common with Trophaeum/rare with Victoria) was only produced at Rome (common) and Ticinum (much rarer). I think this makes sense, given that the Germanic tribes that Probus had defeated, threatened mainly north and central Italy. On the other hand, the reverse on my coin above was only produced by the eastern mints, that may have felt more threatened by the Goths. Hence, the date 277 and the fact that it was issued in the east, supports the view that it was meant to celebrate a victory over the Goths. (Note: Goths were of course also Germanic people, but the Romans made the distinction based on geography not linguistics. Hence, from their perspective, the Danubian frontier was threatened by Goths and the Rhenish frontier was threatened by Germans. Goths and Germans were used as catch-all terms for smaller tribes. Hence, we know that Probus defeated Vandals and Burgundians in modern southern Germany)
Bronze coin (AE Antoninianus) minted at Rome during the reign of PROBUS in 278 A.D. Obv. IMP.PROBVS.P.F.AVG.: Radiate, draped & cuir. bust r. Rev. VICTORIA.GERM.: Trophy flanked by two captives. SEAR #3375. RICV #220. DVM #53.
