In the first Emission of Probus from Lugdunum one of the standard types is as below:- Obv:– IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust right Rev:– VIRTVS AVGVSTI, Mars walking right, holding spear and trophy. Minted in Lugdunum (II in exe) Emission 1, Officina 2. October 276 A.D. Reference:– Cohen 858. Bastien 152. RIC 58 Bust type F Weight 4.37g. 23.49mm. 0 degrees There are some oddities that scarcely occur within the obverse legend where AVR is engraved as AR. There appear to be a coupld of known AR dies. Bastien Supplement II brought in a new variation of the above coin as Bastien 154α citing 3 examples, Bastien 154 is the same type as the coin above but comes from Officina 3 (III in exe). Bastien 154α has the AR obverse legend variation. The Philippe Gysen example of the type is illustrated below (from the 2019 Jacquier sale). I have just acquired another new variation. This new coin is as AR legend variety but from officina 2 (II in exe) and is currently an unpublished variety. Obv:– IMP C M AR(sic) PROBVS AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right Rev:– VIRTVS AVGVSTI, Mars walking right, holding spear and trophy. Minted in Lugdunum (II in exe) Emission 1, Officina 2. October 276 A.D. What makes this coin additionally numismatically interesting is that it is from the same obverse die as the Gysen example. This would indicate that the obverse die is shared between the Officinae. It isn't the only AR example that I have with my other example from a different obverse die shown below. Obv:– IMP C M AR(sic) PROBVS AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right Rev:– TEMPORVM FELICITAS, Felicitas standing right, holding caduceus and cornucopiae Minted in Lugdunum (I) Emission 1, Officina 1. Early A.D. 277 Reference(s) – Cohen 729, Bastien 151b (151 has AVR and cites 15 examples). RIC 52 var Bust type F (C). Weight 3.53g. 22.85mm. 0 degrees
Interesting coins. The portraits on them remind me of Florianus. Don’t you think so ? And just by curiosity, is it common on Lyon’s specimens to have a die-axis of 0 degrees ?
You are absoltely correct. This first issue took reverses from Florian and re-used them. The portrait remained that of Florian and only the obverse legend was changed. THis was until the approved image of Probus was sent out to the mint and then the portrait style changed.
Hi Martin. Great addition indeed! Congratulations! It is very interesting that you found the same obverse die with a spelling error but from two different officinae. I don;t recall ever finding a die match among different officinae. To my knowledge the dies were not shared between officiane, rather each officina had its own set of dies. It is also the opinion of the leading scholars on Probus. So your discovery is truly fascinating! By the way, I had the privilege to own the Gysen error example for more than two years (I have sold it recently however): https://www.colleconline.com/en/ite...lican-imperial-probus-bastien-154-ar-sic-sold regards, Barnaba
Hi @barnaba6 , Many thanks for your response. The obverse being shared between officinae is indeed something that caught my eye as being againt current thinking. It is the second time I believe that I have founde evidence of this recently. The other is in the following thread:- https://www.cointalk.com/threads/probus-lugdunum-early-draped-and-cuirassed-bust.395707/ Regards, Martin
