One of the reverse types made by Probus from the 9th Issue at Lugdunum (January to August A.D. 282 - Bastien dating) is SALVS AVG, Salus standing left, feeding serpent rising from altar, holding patera and sceptre. These were made in the Second officina, which used the officina mark "B" in this issue, whiuch had been "II" in previous issues. The type is quite common but there are some scarcer variations which used "retrograde B" instead. The type is attributed to RIC 124 when combined with obverse legend "IMP C PROBVS • P • F • AVG" and to RIC 123 when combined with obverse legend "IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG" and RIC 122 when combined with obverse legend "IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG". RIC 122 appears to be quite difficult to obtain. RIC 123 is generally quite easy to obtain with Bust Type C (from rear) with the normal B officina mark. RIC 124 is generally quite easy to obtain with Bust Type F and Bust Type C (from front) with the normal B officina mark. Examples with Retrograde B are much more difficult to obtain. Here are some of my existing examples and my new addition (with Retrograde B).... RIC 124 Obv:– IMP C PROBVS • P • F • AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right Rev:– SALVS AVG, Salus standing left, feeding serpent rising from altar, holding patera and sceptre Minted in Lugdunum (B in right field) Emission 9, Officina 2. January to August A.D. 282 Reference:– Bastien 394. RIC 124 Bust type F. Obv:– IMP C PROBVS • P • F • AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from front Rev:– SALVS AVG, Salus standing left, feeding serpent rising from altar, holding patera and sceptre Minted in Lugdunum (B in right field) Emission 9, Officina 2. January to August A.D. 282 Reference:– Cohen - . Bastien 393. RIC 124 Bust type C. RIC 123 Obv:– IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear Rev:– SALVS AVG, Salus standing left, feeding serpent rising from altar, holding patera and sceptre Minted in Lugdunum (B in right field) Emission 9, Officina 2. January to August A.D. 282 Reference:– Cohen 567. Bastien 392. RIC 123 Bust type C. And finally my newest addition... This one was buried in a whole stack of slabbed coins and was not identified as being anything of interest. Obv:– IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear Rev:– SALVS AVG, Salus standing left, feeding serpent rising from altar, holding patera and sceptre Minted in Lugdunum (Retrograde B in right field) Emission 9, Officina 2. January to August A.D. 282 Reference:– Cohen 567. Bastien -. Bastien Supplement I -. Bastien Supplement II -. RIC 123 Bust type C var (not listed with Retrograde B in right field). The Gloucester hoard contains a single example and there is an example in the Christophe Oliva collection. My slow patient search for the remaining sub-variants continues. Martin
It is always fun to find treasure in what others pass over. I see lots of B's on scale weights, but none of mine are pointed the wrong way. S is pointed both ways on several of my coins.
Lugdunum has a peculiarity during this issue where the officina marks can be placed in either the left field or the right field and in some officina they are retrograde too. Here are some examples of what I mean. Obv:– IMP C PROBVS • P • F • AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right Rev:– TEMPOR FELICIT, Felicitas standing right, holding caduceus and cornucopiae Minted in Lugdunum. Emission 9, Officina 2. January to August A.D. 282 Reference:– Cohen 727. RIC 129 Bust type F The officina mark is know in left field, right field and also in the exergue. Bastien 386. B Left Bastien 397. B Right. Bastien 439. B in exe. About 4 or 5 examples known, all from the same die pair. There is a theory that this could have been the start of a new Emission that was cut short by the untimely death of the emperor.
Obv:– IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, Radiate draped and cuirassed bust right Rev:– SPES AVG, Spes standing left, holding flower and raising robe Minted in Lugdunum. Emission 9, Officina 3. January to August A.D. 282 Reference:– Cohen 702. RIC 127 Bust type C Bastien 402. C in left field Bastien 405. Retrograde C in left field Bastien 414. C in right field Bastien 419. Retrograde C in right field
An impressive collection cataloging the varieties of Lugdunum mint! The number of official issues of Probus is staggering, and totally mind-boggling when counting all the minor varieties. On mine below, unfortunately the reverse die is worn, so the four hash marks in the exergue aren't very clear. This type is usually described as 4th Emission, 4th Officina, so I'm not certain the hashmarks are indicating Officina, rather than Emission, I need to check what exactly those mean. I don't specifically collect Probus (I have maybe 10-12 "nice enough" Ants). But I did want a representative from the Philippe Gysen (1950-2019) Collection, whose reference collection of Probus is very impressive, and a great model of how a private collector can make a big contribution to the literature. This one happens to be from Lugdunum, cited by Bastien (Bastien Supplement II 196e = this coin) & a Hiland & Oliva (2013) "plate coin" (p. 79, no. 9 = this coin). Probus BI Antoninianus (4.08g). Lugdunum (4th emission, 4th officina), late 277 CE. Obv: IMP C PROBVS PF AVG. Radiate, cuirassed bust right. Rev: ABVNDANTIA AVG / IIII. Abundantia standing right, emptying cornucopiae held in both hands. Ref: RIC 17; Bastien Supp II 196e (this coin); Hiland & Oliva (2013), Le Règne de l'Empereur Probus, Histoire et Numismatique (276-282 apr. J.-C.), Page 79, No. 9 (this coin illustrated); Probvs.net RIC 17 (ex. 1 of 3, this coin); Probuscoins.fr Coin ID 555 (this coin). Prov: Ex Philippe Gysen (1950-2019; his inventory #5); Jacquier 46 (Philippe Gysen Collection, Part II; 20 Sept 2019), Lot 315; Berliner Münzauktion 74 (31 October 1992), Lot 512.
@Curtis . Nice coin indeed. The number of varieties is indeed enormous. Here is one of my RIC 17s. And now from officina 1 instead of officina 4 Minted in Lugdunum (I in exe) Emission 4 Officina 1. Middle to End A.D. 277 Reference:– Cohen 1. Bastien 183 (2 examples cited). RIC 17 Bust type F var (not listed for this officina) Reverse die match to both examples is Bastien. Weight 3.02g. 23.56mm. 180 degrees And now with an errored reverse legend Rev:– ABVNTIANTIA(sic) AVG, Abundantia, standing right, emptying cornucopiae Minted in Lugdunum (IIII in exe) Emission 4 Officina 4. Middle to End A.D. 277 Reference:– Cohen -. Bastien -. RIC 17 Bust type F var (reverse legend) 3.82 g. 22.95 mm. 180 degrees And now another reverse legend error Rev:– ABVNDANTIA AVG I(sic), Abundantia, standing right, emptying cornucopiae Minted in Lugdunum (IIII in exe) Emission 4 Officina 4. Middle to End A.D. 277 Reference:– Cohen -. Bastien -. RIC 17 Bust type F var (reverse legend) 3.62 g. 23.64 mm. 0 degrees
