Antoninianus - Probus (Cuirassed, right; CONCORDIA MILIT[VM]; Concordia) (279-280) front Antoninianus - Probus (Cuirassed, right; CONCORDIA MILIT[VM]; Concordia) (279-280) back
Antoninianus - Probus (Cuirassed, right; CONCORDIA MILIT[VM]; Concordia) (279-280) photo
© Universitätsbibliothek Leipzig

Antoninianus - Probus Cuirassed, right; CONCORDIA MILIT[VM]; Concordia

 
Silver - -
Description
Issuer
Rome › Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD)
Emperor
Probus (Marcus Aurelius Probus) (276-282)
Type
Standard circulation coin
Years
279-280
Value
Antoninianus (1)
Currency
Antoninianus, Reform of Caracalla (AD 215 – 301)
Composition
Silver
Shape
Round (irregular)
Technique
Hammered
Orientation
Variable alignment ↺
Demonetized
Yes
Updated
2024-10-05
References
Numista
N#293688
Rarity index
95%

Reverse

Probus, standing right, clasping hand of Concordia, standing left.
Sometimes officina mark in field.
Value (XXI) and officina mark in exergue.

Script: Latin

Lettering: CONCORDIA MILIT or CONCORDIA MILITVM

Translation:
Concordia Militum.
Harmony with the soldiers.

Comment

RIC 666 was minted by the Siscia mint. The original RIC text lists 4 variations/different bust types (bust types according to Pierre Bastiens grouping of bust types; see illustrated: probvs.net) and, there is one variant known: 

  1. Radiate, draped, right (A bust, Alföldi (*) 023.036-040 (example: probuscoins.fr #1543), Numista #293022);
  2. Radiate, draped and cuirassed, right (A2 bust, Alföldi 023.041-053 (example: probuscoins.fr #2936), Numista #293684);
  3. Radiate, cuirassed, right (B bust, Alföldi 023.062-079 (example: probuscoins.fr #421), Numista #293688);
  4. Helmeted, radiate, cuirassed, left, holding spear in right hand and shield in left hand (E1 bust, Alföldi 023.081-092 (example: probuscoins.fr #3714), Numista #293686);
  5. Radiate, wearing imperial mantle, left, holding sceptre surmounted by eagle in right hand (H2 bust, Alföldi 023.015-035 (example: probuscoins.fr #4946), Numista #293687);
  6. Radiate, cuirassed, left (B1 bust (**), Alföldi 023.054-061 (example: probuscoins.fr #4257), Numista #293685);
  7. [var] Helmeted, radiate, cuirassed, left, holding spear in right hand and shield in left hand, from behind (E2 bust, Alföldi 023.093-094 (example: probuscoins.fr #3612), not in Numista);
  8. [var] Radiate, cuirassed, left, holding spear in right hand (F5 bust, Alföldi 023.080 (example: probuscoins.fr #120), not in Numista);
  9. [var] Radiate, wearing imperial mantle, left (H bust, Alföldi 023.016-024 (example: probuscoins.fr #1479), not in Numista);

(*) Andreas Alföldi, Vorarbeiten zu einem Corpus der in Siscia geprägten römischen Kaisermünzen. Heft V. Verzeichnis der Antoniniane des Kaisers Probus, Budapest, 1939).

(**) RIC lists “cuirassed bust without weapons” with “left” being omitted by mistake. The B1 bust does not have its own letter in RIC and is therefore fully written out in this way each time. See, for example, RIC 699 (Numista #293726). The B1 bust, commonly listed as a variant for RIC 666, is therefore not really a variant.

RIC lists that the reverse legend can be ‘CONCORDIA MILIT’ or ‘CONCORDIA MILITVM’. The last mentioned legend however is not once listed by Alföldi and no examples of this legend for Siscia have been published (see for examples: Cyzicus and Serdica) so this listing is most likely a mistake. 

According to Pink, RIC 666 – with its obverse lettering nr. 8 (‘IMP PROBVS P F AVG’) combined with “CONCORDIA MILIT K. u. Conc.” (Emperor and Concordia) – is part of the 6th emission (exergue-/field mark style: -//PXXI; year 279) and 7th emission (P//XXI; 280). See: Karl Pink, Der Aufbau der römischen Münzprägung in der Kaiserzeit VI/I, Wien, 1949, p. 40-41. 

Note that probuscoins.fr currently attributes two coins with reverse legend ‘CONCORDIA MILIT’ mistakenly to RIC 653 which is an entry for ‘CONCORD MILIT’: #4315 (B1 bust, also listed for RIC 666 as #4257) and; #1619 (E1 bust).

Interesting fact

The Antoninianus - Probus coin was part of a series of coins issued during the reign of Emperor Probus (276-282 AD) to celebrate the concordance of the military, hence the image of Concordia on the coin. This coin was specifically issued to commemorate the unity and harmony among the Roman soldiers, which was a significant achievement during a time of political instability and military conflicts.