Coins of Probus with left-facing busts are fairly common. They often show Probus holding a shield and a spear over his right shoulder. Left-facing consular busts are less common. Here's an nice example from my collection: Probus A.D. 276-282 AE (Billon) antininianus Siscia mint, A.D. 277 RIC 632 Obv: IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG Rev: ADVEN-TVS PROBI AVG - Probus on horseback, riding left, raising right hand and holding scepter in left, horse treading on bound captive. (Notice the filled die error on the reverse - no V in AVG) XXIB in exergue. The ADVENTVS reverse types usually commemorate an emperor's triumphant visit to a city. Show us your consular busts of Probus or other emperors, or any other unusual and interesting coins of Probus.
How about a consular bust but with Victory on globe rather than the normal sceptre? Obv:– IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, Radiate bust left wearing imperial mantle, holding Victory on globe in right hand Rev:– VIRTVS AVG, Soldier standing left, holding Victory and spear, left hand on shield. Minted in Lugdunum (//IIII) Emission 5 Officina 4. End A.D. 277 to start A.D. 278 (Bastien) Reference(s) – Cohen 821. Bastien 258 (7 examples cited). RIC 111 var (Not listed with this bust type in RIC). 3.80 gms
And what about another one from the same Siscia mint but bearing a quadriga ? Probus, Antoninianus - Siscia mint IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG, radiate bust of Probus left, wearing imperial mantle (bust type H) SOLI INVICTO, Sol in quadriga, XXIT at exergue 3.77 gr Ref : Cohen #662, RCV # 12038 var, RIC 767 Q
Not rare, but a bit more unusual than most - Victoria holding trophy. Not sure what the extra G in AVGG is for - who was co-ruler with Probus?
Rome mint Obv:– IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG, Radiate, bust left in imperial mantle, holding scepter surmounted by eagle Rev:– SOLI INVICTO, Sol in quadriga riding left, holding globe and whip Minted in Rome (R in exe) Emission 2. A.D. 277 Reference(s) – RIC 204 Bust type H Weight 5.63 gms. Size 23.25 mm
Never seen this legend before. The variety of Probus coins is so incredible, I have to wonder if Probus himself did order and contribute to this huge coinage variety. Maybe he was a numismaticist himself? It feels a bit like the coinage of italien King Victor Emanuel III. who was a know coin collector too and issued a lot of beatiful coinage too with (for the 20th century) a big variety too.
And these occur in the coded EQVITI series too. Here CONS III The detail on the imperial mantle varies a lot too and can contain a lot of detail Laurel wreath in centre? Seems to be the most common from my unscientific count Concentric diamonds? Diamond with dots Quadrilateral with Star shape in centre Some a quite plain And sometimes they face the other way....
This is perhaps my favourite Probus in my collection. Not a consular bust, but a heroic bust Obv.: VI RTVS PROBI AVG Rev.: TEMPO R FELICI/I. Mint: Lugdunum, Date: late 277 to early 278. RIC 106. Bastien 212
Great coins! I also have the helmeted heroic posture with shield and spear, but from Siscia And I have the helmeted heroic posture with spear and aegis, from Ticinum
This is my favorite Probus Probus AD 276-282. Rome.Antoninianus Æ. 22 mm, 3,59 g RIC V Probus 187 Date Range: AD 276 - AD 282 Obverse Legend: PROBVS P F AVG Type: Bust of Probus, radiate, wearing imperial mantle, left, holding sceptre surmounted by eagle in right hand Reverse Legend: ROMAE AETER Type: Hexastyle temple, Roma seated in centre, holding Victory in right hand and sceptre in left hand MintMark: -/-//RVA
Who has the obverse with a horse head? Not I for sure! Obviously some busts are fancier than others. I always wondered if Probus actually owned all those changes of clothes or were they fruit of the imagination of the mint. I'd not seen CONS III but have CONS II.
My two examples. (I can't tell from the photos what's in the center of the imperial mantles -- I'll have to get out the coins themselves): Probus, silvered billon Antoninianus, 278-280 AD, Rome Mint [4th Emission, 2nd Officina]. Obv. Radiate bust left in imperial mantle, holding eagle-tipped scepter, IMP PRO-BVS AVG / Rev. Sol in quadriga leaping left, with right hand raised and holding globe and whip in left hand, SO-L-I INVIC-TO; in exergue, R- ᴗ [crescent]-B [Rome Mint, Officina 2]. RIC V-2 202B, Sear RCV III 12038, Cohen 644, see also https://www.probuscoins.fr/coin?id=11. Probus, 276-282 AD, silvered billon Antoninianus, Cyzicus Mint 280 AD. Obv. Radiate bust left wearing imperial mantle and holding eagle-tipped sceptre, IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG / Rev. Sol standing facing in spread quadriga, with right hand raised, holding globe and whip in left hand, the horses spread, two on l. and two on r., SOLI INVICTO. CM in lower center above XXI Q in exergue (Officina 4 - Quarto). RIC V-2 Cyzicus 911, Sear RCV III 12041 (ill), Cohen 682, Pink [Karl Pink 1949], p. 44, series 3. 23 mm., 4.1 g.
