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Author Topic: Question about a Probus coin  (Read 1541 times)

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Offline Marius

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Question about a Probus coin
« on: June 18, 2010, 12:22:46 am »
A friend of mine in Yugoslavia obtained this coin of Probus.  He frequently comes up with interesting coins - there were Roman settlements near where he lives.  He told me that his Probus is unlisted in RIC and  asked if I could show it to Probus experts to get their opinion.  Not in RIC doesn't always mean very rare, are other examples of this coin around and is there anything special I pass on to him about the legend?

Thank you, Richard

obv  IMP CM AVR PROBVS PIVS FELIX AVG
rev   VIRTVS PROBI AVG
in ex  K A A
23 mm  3.17 gm
Richard Marius Beale
Four Bad Years:  http://sonic.net/~marius1/mysite/

Offline maridvnvm

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Re: Question about a Probus coin
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2010, 04:00:48 am »
Not listed in RIC and not an obverse legend I have seen before either.
This legend isn't listed in the list of obverse legends that G/< had logged on Probus.net, when he was keeping it active. http://probvs.net/probvs/o-obvtitul.html
The closest legend I have seen to it is IMP C M AVR PROBVS PI FE AVG.
Serdica used a staggering range of obverse legends.
Certainly a rare coin. I shall ask Dr. Estiot if she has seen it before.
A good find.
Regards,
Martin

SEstiot

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Re: Question about a Probus coin
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2010, 05:32:04 am »
Thank you to Richard for this inedite coin and to Martin for drawing my attention on it. I could not either find a matching legend in my documentation. Though apparently sober (compared to the INVICTVS/INVICTO, BONO, PERPETVO, etc. hymnic titulatures of Serdica), this legend is unlisted, not only for the VIRTVS PROBI AVG, Probus riding r. reverse, but for the SOLI INVICTO, quadriga seen from front, parallel reverse (I checked as a reuse of the obverse die for the other reverse could be possible). The nearest titulature is IMP C M AVR PIVS F (or FEL) AVG.
Listing the incredibly numerous combinations of titulatures and reverses for Serdica is a never ending story, as the mint, since it opened under Aurelianus, made up for the relative uniformity of its reverse types by multiplying the variations in the obverse: bust types under Aurelian, IOVI CONSER series ; then titulatures.
Would it be possible to get better pics of the coin (as weight and axis) ?
A rare coin indeed.
S. Estiot

Offline Marius

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Re: Question about a Probus coin
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2010, 10:55:00 pm »
Dr. Estiot, Martin,
Thank you very much for interesting information.  I'll pass it on to my friend and ask if he can get a photo showing the details a bit better and the weight and die axis.
Richard
Richard Marius Beale
Four Bad Years:  http://sonic.net/~marius1/mysite/

Offline Marius

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Re: Question about a Probus coin
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2010, 06:58:07 pm »
I've attached a slightly better scan.  The dimensions are:
-- size 23 mm
-- weight   3.17 gr
-- die axis  0
I've dated myself by calling my friend Vladimir Yugoslavian - He's in Sebia.
Regards, Richard
Richard Marius Beale
Four Bad Years:  http://sonic.net/~marius1/mysite/

 

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