Antoninianus - Probus Helmeted, cuirassed, left, spear and shield; CONSERVA[T] AVG; Sol

Reverse

Sol, radiate, standing front, head left, raising right hand and holding globe in left hand.
Officina, value mark (XX) and mintmark in exergue.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
CONSERVA AVG or
CONSERVAT AVG

Unabridged legend: Conservatori Augusti.

Translation: Protector of the emperor.

Comment

RIC 353 was minted by the 3rd officina (exergue-/mintmark: TXXT) of the Ticinum mint (TXXT). The original RIC text mentions 1 variation/bust type (bust types according to Pierre Bastiens grouping of bust types; see illustrated: probvs.net), and there are also two variants known:

1. Helmeted, radiate, cuirassed, left, holding spear in right hand and shield in left hand (E1 bust (example: probuscoins.fr #1138), Numista #292701);
2. [var] radiate, heroically nude, left, seen from behind, holding spear in right hand and square shield (aegis) in left hand (F19 bust (example: probuscoins.fr #293), not in Numista); 
3. [var] radiate, cuirassed, left, holding spear in right hand and shield in left hand (F1 bust (probuscoins.fr #4921), not in Numista). 

According to Pink,in Ticinum the obverse legends containing 'INVIC(TI)', were started to be used during the 3rd emission (the year 277), because in 277 Probus travelled from Serdica, via Siscia, through Ticinum, to Gaul to fight invading tribes (Alemanni and Franks), bringing with him workers of the Serdica mint where all sorts of variants to 'INVICTI' were already in use. See Karl Pink, Der Aufbau der römischen Münzprägung in der Kaiserzeit VI/I, Wien, 1949, p. 61-62. According to Pink, this obverse legend ('4inv') 'VIRTVS PROBI INVICTI AVG' combined with the reverse legend CONSERVAT AVG, was part of the 4th emission (year 278). About Probus' Germanic campaign and its effects on the Ticinum mint, see also: S. Estiot, Une campagne germanique de l'empereur Probus: l'atelier de Ticinum en 277-278, Droz p. 207-247, 2006. The lettering INVICTI was used, both before battle and after victory over the tribes, to emphasise the emperor's invincibility.

Interesting fact