Antoninianus - Probus (Imperial mantle, left, sceptre surmounted by eagle; CONCORD MILIT; Concordia) (277) front Antoninianus - Probus (Imperial mantle, left, sceptre surmounted by eagle; CONCORD MILIT; Concordia) (277) back
Antoninianus - Probus (Imperial mantle, left, sceptre surmounted by eagle; CONCORD MILIT; Concordia) (277) photo
© PrimeME

Antoninianus - Probus Imperial mantle, left, sceptre surmounted by eagle; CONCORD MILIT; Concordia

277 year
Silver - -
Description
Issuer
Rome › Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD)
Emperor
Probus (Marcus Aurelius Probus) (276-282)
Type
Standard circulation coin
Year
277
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#293440
Rarity index
95%

Reverse

Probus, standing right, clasping hands with Concordia, standing left.
Officina mark (P), value mark (XX) and mintmark (T) in exergue, sometimes star (✶) in field.

Script: Latin

Lettering: CONCORD MILIT

Unabridged legend: Concordia Militum.

Translation: Harmony with the soldiers.

Comment

RIC 332 was minted by the 1th officina (PXXT) of the Ticinum mint (PXXT). The XX stands for 20 parts alloy (instead of the more usual XXI for a copper to silver ratio of 20:1). The original RIC text mentions 4 variations/different bust types (bust types according to Pierre Bastiens grouping of bust types; see illustrated: probvs.net), and also two variants are known to exist:

  1. Radiate, draped and cuirassed, right (A2 bust, example: probuscoins.fr #332, Numista N# 292680);
  2. Radiate, cuirassed, right (B bust, example: probuscoins.fr #2426, Numista N# 293439);
  3. Radiate, wearing imperial mantle, left, holding sceptre surmounted by eagle in right hand (H2 bust, example: probuscoins.fr #332, Numista N# 293440);
  4. Radiate, cuirassed, left, with spear and shield, seen from back (F8 bust, example: probuscoins.fr #981, Numista N# 293441); 
  5. [var] Helmeted, radiate, cuirassed, left, holding spear in right hand and shield in left hand (E1 bust, example: probuscoins.fr #4689, not in Numista);
  6. [var] Helmeted, radiate, cuirassed, left, holding spear in right hand and shield in left hand, seen from back (E2 bust, example: Auction 130 Numismatik Naumann, lot 718, not in Numista).

According to Pink, RIC 332 – with its obverse lettering Nr. 1 (‘IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG’) combined with “CONCORD MILIT” and exergue mark PXXT – is part of the 2nd emission (year 276) and 3rd emission (277). See: Karl Pink, Der Aufbau der römischen Münzprägung in der Kaiserzeit VI/I, Wien, 1949, p. 48-49. According to Pink, the A2 and B bust were used during the 2nd emission sometimes combined with a star (✶) in field and during the 3rd emission only the H2 bust was used and the star (✶) was used this emission as well (and then only again in the 10th emission when RIC 332 was not minted). Although not listed by Pink, coins with the remaining busts (F8, E1 and E2) are also of the 3rd emission, because these busts were used in that 3rd emission and not at all during the 2nd emission.

Interesting fact

The Antoninianus - Probus coin was part of a series of coins issued during the reign of Emperor Probus (276-282 AD) to promote the ideal of military concordance, or harmony between the Roman army and the civilian population. The coin's design, which features the goddess Concordia standing between two soldiers, symbolizes this ideal and highlights the importance of unity and cooperation in maintaining the Roman Empire's power and prosperity.