Amongst my varied interests I have a soft spot for the Probus coins from the second Issue from Rome. My newest Probus coin is unlisted in RIC but would be near to RIC 204 and differs in that it has the "P AVG" obverse legend rather than the more common "P F AVG". Obv:– IMP C M AVR PROBVS P AVG, Radiate bust left in imperial mantle, holding sceptre surmounted by eagle Rev:– SOLI INVICTO, Sol in spread quadriga, holding globe and whip Minted in Rome (//RB) Emission 2. A.D. 277 Reference:– RIC - Bust Type H (Not listed for this obverse legend in RIC). Would be after 204 in RIC. 3 examples in La Venera, 6 others known to Estiot. It sits nicely alongside my common RIC 204 Bust Type H examples which have mintmarks //R, //RB and //RE respectively. Martin
Do you know if the examples from La Venera and Estiot are of the same obverse die? Because if they are, I would be inclined to call the coins an engraver's error rather than a bona fide variety, not that it makes the coins any less interesting of course. Are there other examples in which P was substituted for PF?
