Antoninianus - Probus Cuirassed, spear and shield, left; PAX AVG; Pax
| Silver | 3.6 g | 21 mm |
| Issuer | Rome › Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Emperor | Probus (Marcus Aurelius Probus) (276-282) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 278-280 |
| Value | Antoninianus (1) |
| Currency | Antoninianus, Reform of Caracalla (AD 215 – 301) |
| Composition | Silver |
| Weight | 3.6 g |
| Diameter | 21 mm |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Orientation | Variable alignment ↺ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-05 |
| Numista | N#406938 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 100% |
Reverse
Pax, draped, standing left, holding olive-branch in right hand and sceptre in left hand.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
PAX AVG
In exergue XXI followed by officina mark or in exergue XXI and officina mark in right field.
Unabridged legend: Pax Augusti.
Translation: Peace of the emperor.
Comment
RIC 706 was minted by the 1st to 6th officina of the Siscia mint. The original RIC text mentions multiple different variations/different bust types, listed below (bust types according to Pierre Bastiens grouping of bust types; see illustrated: probvs.net). The sixth variation (the F5 bust) could also be considered as a variant because RIC only mentions with spear and shield, not with only a spear. Alföldi lists five of the six variants (Andreas Alföldi, Vorarbeiten zu einem Corpus der in Siscia geprägten römischen Kaisermünzen. Heft V. Verzeichnis der Antoniniane des Kaisers Probus, Budapest, 1939):
- radiate, draped, right (bust A, Alföldi 041.016, probuscoins.fr #3623, Numista #293062);
- radiate, cuirassed, right (bust B, Alföldi 041.017-034, probuscoins.fr #1754, Numista #293734);
- helmeted, radiate, cuirassed, left, holding spear in right hand and shield in left hand (bust E1, Alföldi -, probuscoins.fr -, Numista #293735);
- radiate, cuirassed, left (bust B1, Alföldi 041.035-047, probuscoins.fr #1753, Numista #293736);
- radiate, cuirassed, left, with spear and shield (bust F1, Alföldi 041.052-054, probuscoins.fr -, this coin).
- [var] radiate, cuirassed, left, with spear (bust F5, Alföldi 041.048-047, probuscoins.fr #3764, not in Numista).
Alföldi also mentions the existence of an A2 bust variant: radiate, draped and cuirassed, right (Alföldi 041.014-015).
According to Pink, RIC 706 was part of the 4th emission (year 278, mint-/exergue mark style: -/-//XXIP) and 7th emission (year 280, mint-/exergue mark style: -/P//XXI) (Karl Pink, Der Aufbau der römischen Münzprägung in der Kaiserzeit VI/I, Wien, 1949, p. 41).
Interesting fact
The Antoninianus coin was issued during the reign of Emperor Probus (278-280 AD), who was known for his military campaigns and agricultural reforms. The coin's design features a cuirassed (armored) bust of the emperor on the obverse (front side), holding a spear and shield, while the reverse (back side) depicts the goddess Pax (Irene in Greek) with the legend "PAX AVG" (Peace of the Augusti), symbolizing the emperor's efforts to bring peace and stability to the empire. The use of silver in the coin's composition was also significant, as it reflected the value and prestige associated with this precious metal in ancient Rome.
