Fine Coins Showcase
Antiquities Showcase
New & Reduced
Dec 08, 2023
Roman Coins
Dec 07, 2023
Dec 06, 2023
Roman Coins
Dec 05, 2023
Dec 04, 2023
Dec 03, 2023
Dec 02, 2023
Roman Coins
Dec 01, 2023
Roman Coins
Nov 30, 2023
Nov 29, 2023
Byzantine Coins
Judean & Biblical Coins
Nov 28, 2023
Roman Coins
Antiquities
Nov 24, 2023
Roman Coins
Nov 22, 2023
Roman Coins
Nov 21, 2023
Roman Coins
Medieval & Modern Coins
Feb 05, 2023
Greek Coins
Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |Recovery of the Empire| ▸ |Probus||View Options:   | | | Marcus Aurelius Probus was the son of a soldier and was himself a simple soldier at the beginning of his career. By the reign of Aurelian, he was one of the Empire's foremost generals. After the death of Tacitus, he was declared emperor and after the murder of Florian, he was left undisputed master of the Roman world. He embarked on a series of economic revival programs bringing great peace and prosperity to the empire. He was murdered by mutinous soldiers, enraged at being employed on public building projects. |
Probus started as a simple soldier but advanced to general and was declared emperor after the death of Tacitus. Florian's murder left him as undisputed ruler. His leadership brought peace and prosperity but he was murdered by mutinous soldiers, enraged at being employed on public building projects.RA112724. Billon antoninianus, Alföldi Siscia V type 23, 115; RIC V-2 665F; Cohen VI 164; Pink VI-1, p. 51, 5th emission; Hunter IV -; SRCV III -, Choice VF, full border centering, dark patina, marks, weight 4.294 g, maximum diameter 23.6 mm, die axis 180o, 4th officina, Siscia (Sisak, Croatia) mint, c. 278 A.D.; obverse IMP C PROBVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front; reverse CONCORD MILIT (harmony with the soldiers), Probus (on left), togate, and Concordia, draped, standing confronted and clasping hands, star low center, XXIQ in exergue;
Roma was a female deity who personified the city of Rome and more broadly, the Roman state. The earliest certain cult to dea Roma was established at Smyrna in 195 B.C., probably to mark the successful alliance against Antiochus III. In 30/29 B.C., the Koinon of Asia and Bithynia requested permission to honor Augustus as a living god. "Republican" Rome despised the worship of a living man, but an outright refusal might offend their loyal allies. A cautious formula was drawn up, non-Romans could only establish a cult for divus Augustus jointly with dea Roma. In the city of Rome itself, the earliest known state cult to dea Roma was combined with Venus at the Hadrianic Temple of Venus and Roma. This was the largest temple in the city, probably dedicated to inaugurate the reformed festival of Parilia, which was known thereafter as the Romaea after the Eastern festival in Roma's honor. The temple contained the seated, Hellenised image of dea Roma with a Palladium in her right hand to symbolize Rome's eternity.RA112893. Billon antoninianus, RIC V-2 737H; Cohen VI 556; Pink VI-1, p. 50; SRCV III -, aVF, well centered, green patina, scattered tiny pits, rev. a little rough, tiny edge cracks, weight 3.212 g, maximum diameter 22.4 mm, die axis 0o, 2nd officina, Siscia (Sisak, Croatia) mint, 277 A.D.; obverse IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG, radiate bust left in consular robe, eagle-tipped scepter in right; reverse ROMAE AETERNAE (to eternal Rome), hexastyle temple, statue of Roma seated left inside, Victory in her right hand, long scepter vertical in her left hand, shield leaning against seat, three steps, wreath on pediment, XXIS in exergue;
Probus, Summer 276 - September 282 A.D.
Laetitia is the Roman goddess of gaiety and joy, her name deriving from the root word laeta, meaning happy. She is typically depicted on coinage with a wreath in her right hand, and a scepter, a rudder, or an anchor in her left hand.RA112576. Billon antoninianus, RIC V-2 31, Cohen VI 329, Bastien IX 172, SRCV III 11990, EF, well centered, traces of silvering, excellent portrait, struck with a worn reverse die, edge crack, weight 4.188 g, maximum diameter 23.3 mm, die axis 180o, Lugdunum (Lyon, France) mint, 276 A.D.; obverse IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right; reverse LAETITIA AVGVSTI, Laetitia standing facing, head left, wreath in right hand, scepter in left hand, IIII in exergue; from the Collection of Dr. Jüregen Buschek, first specimen of this type handled by FORVM;
Probus, Summer 276 - September 282 A.D.
In 280 A.D., Julius Saturninus, the governor of Syria, was declared emperor at Alexandria. He withdrew to Apamea where Probus besieged the city and put him to death.RA112578. Billon antoninianus, Hunter IV 323 (also 5th officina); RIC V-2 907C; Pink VI-1 p. 43; SRCV III 11968 var. (...PROBVS AVG); Cohen VI 173 var. (same), VF, well centered, some mild corrosion, weight 3.784 g, maximum diameter 23.7 mm, die axis 0o, 5th officina, Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, emission 3, 280 A.D.; obverse IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse CONCORDIA MILITVM (harmony with the soldiers), Victory on left, standing right, palm in left hand, with right hand presenting wreath to emperor, on right, standing left, holding spear in left hand, V low center, XXIMC in exergue; from the Collection of Dr. Jüregen Buschek;
Probus started as a simple soldier but advanced to general and was declared emperor after the death of Tacitus. Florian's murder left him as undisputed ruler. His leadership brought peace and prosperity but he was murdered by mutinous soldiers, enraged at being employed on public building projects.RA111887. Billon antoninianus, RIC V-2 862, Cohen VI 655, SRCV III -, Hunter IV 303 var. (2nd officina), VF, much silvering remaining, weight 3.013 g, maximum diameter 23.8 mm, die axis 0o, 3rd officina, Serdica (Sofia, Bulgaria) mint, 277 A.D.; obverse IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, radiate bust left in consular robe, eagle-tipped scepter in right; reverse SOLI INVICTO (to the invincible sun god), Sol in a spread quadriga facing, radiate, cloak billowing out behind, raising right hand commanding sunrise, whip in left hand, KA•Δ• in exergue;
In 279, Probus defeated the Burgundians and Vandals in Raetia and Pannonia (modern Switzerland and Hungary).RA110128. Billon antoninianus, RIC V-2 532, Cohen VI 120, Hunter IV -, SRCV III -, EF, well centered, some silvering, encrustations, weight 2.986 g, maximum diameter 22.2 mm, die axis 315o, 1st officina, Ticinum (Pavia, Italy) mint, 279 A.D.; obverse IMP C PROBVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right; reverse CONCORD MILIT (harmony with the soldiers), Concordia standing slightly left, head left, flanked by standard in each hand, AXXI in exergue;
In 276, Florianus was assassinated near Tarsus by his own troops after only weeks of ruling. Probus, age 44, was proclaimed the new Emperor of Rome. This type was among his first issues. Alföldi believed the bust on this type resembled Florian.RL98386. Billon antoninianus, Alföldi Siscia V type 26, 20; RIC V-2 651C; Cohen VI 137; Hunter IV 280 var. (1st officina); SRCV III -, Choice VF, some silvering, well centered, attractive portrait, light deposits, weight 3.748 g, maximum diameter 21.9 mm, die axis 0o, 4th officina, Siscia (Sisak, Croatia) mint, 2nd half 276 A.D.; obverse IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front; reverse CONCORD MILIT (harmony with the soldiers), Probus (on left) and Concordia standing confronted, clasping hands, Δ in center, XXI in exergue;
Probus, Summer 276 - September 282 A.D.; EQVITI Series II of Ticinum, Q, SXXI
Ticinum mint EQVITI series II - click AEQVITI to read the NumisWiki article, "Coins of Probus with Coded Markings of EQVITI Embedded in the mint mark." The letter "Q" in the reverse field is the second letter of the codeword EQVITI. The letter "S" in the exergue indicates this coin was struck by the second officina (mint workshop). The letters of the word EQVITI are coded in the mint marks of coins from all the officinae of the mint, with the specific letters of the codeword assigned to each officina in order corresponding with their officina numbers. This codeword probably refers to cavalry. It may be AEQVITI truncated because there were only six officinae in operation. RA25951. Billon antoninianus, RIC V-2 491G, Choice VF, weight 3.273 g, maximum diameter 23.5 mm, die axis 150o, 2nd officina, Ticinum (Pavia, Italy) mint, obverse VIRTVS PROBI AVG (the valor of Emperor Probus), radiate, helmeted and cuirassed bust left, spear in right over shoulder, shield on left arm; reverse PROVIDENT AVG (the foresight of the Emperor), Providentia standing left holding globe in right and transverse scepter in left hand,Q in left field, SXXI in exergue; nice centering, attracive green patina, flan crack; SOLD
Probus, Summer 276 - September 282 A.D.; EQVITI Series II of Ticinum, T, VXXI
Ticinum mint EQVITI series II - click AEQVITI to read the NumisWiki article, "Coins of Probus with Coded Markings of EQVITI Embedded in the mint mark." The letter "T" in the reverse field is the fifth letter of the codeword EQVITI. The letter "V" in the exergue indicates this coin was struck by the fifth officina (mint workshop). The letters of the word EQVITI are coded in the mint marks of coins from all the officinae of the mint, with the specific letters of the codeword assigned to each officina in order corresponding with their officina numbers. This codeword probably refers to cavalry. It may be AEQVITI truncated because there were only six officinae in operation. RA25954. Billon antoninianus, RIC V-2 517G, Choice aEF, weight 3.676 g, maximum diameter 22.4 mm, die axis 0o, 5th officina, Ticinum (Pavia, Italy) mint, obverse VIRTVS PROBI AVG (the valor of Emperor Probus), helmeted, radiate and cuirassed bust left, spear in right over shoulder, shield on left; reverse PAX AVG (the peace of the Emperor), Pax standing left, holding olive branch in right and transverse scepter in left hand,T left, VXXI in exergue; SOLD
OBVERSE LEGENDS
REFERENCES
Page created in 1.375 seconds.
