Availability online of article on Probus coins from Serdica Mint?

It's interesting to note that Philippe Gysen did not have any formal education in numismatics. He was "only" a self-educated and highly enlightened collector. Yet he published many highly important articles about the coinage of Probus, some of them co-authored with prof. Sylviane Estiot (world's leading authority on Probus' coinage). Philippe also collaborated with prof. Estiot on the long-awaited and monumental revision of RIC V.2 (being responsible for Cyzicus and Serdica mints).

Sadly, he did not see this project through due to his premature passing-away.

Anyway, he was one of world's leading experts on the coinage of Probus and is deeply missed by the whole Probus community!

 

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Here's one basic question to which I haven't seen the answer: does anyone know why "K" was used during that period as a mintmark for Serdica? Does it have some significance, or was it just a random choice?

 

"KA" in greek simply means 21 and is the greek equivalent of the latin XXI reform mark intruduced by Aurelian in 274 a.d. (the reformed antoninian contained at least 5% of silver, which means silver in the antoninian was at a 1/ 20 ratio). Serdica was situated in the greek speaking part of the Roman Empire, hence the use of the KA mark rather than XXI.

 

On the other hand, Antioch and Tripolis were also situated in the east (i.e. in the greek speaking part of the Roman Empire) and yet there are alternating mintmarks in Probus' coinage in those mints depending on the emission and officina (sometimes the latin reform mark XXI and sometimes the greek reform mark KA in exergue). In addition, the XXI mark was actually also used at Serdica but only during the very brief and rare 3rd emission.

Why so? I don't think anybody knows today, really. But I don't think it was random. There was likely some meaning and intention behind the alternating use of the XXI and KA marks but it simply eludes us after 18 centuries due to lack of written sources.

 

Thank you!

 

Thanks. That explains why the style is wrong and there is no officina letter. Looking at my page:
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/probus.html
I see that I corrected that error there long enough ago that I do not remember doing it but I have been locked out of editing my site for about five years now so I'm glad to have avoided yet another error on the site even if by accident. Working from memory is better when memory is working.

 

Indeed our memories sometimes are treacherous

Anyway, I love the style of the observe die of the coin in question.