Antoninianus - Probus Imperial mantle, left, sceptre surmounted by eagle; ORIGINI AVG; Romulus
278 year| Silver | - | - |
| Issuer | Rome › Roman Empire (27 BC - 395 AD) |
|---|---|
| Emperor | Probus (Marcus Aurelius Probus) (276-282) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Year | 278 |
| 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 |
| Numista | N#293728 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 100% |
Reverse
She-wolf, standing right, suckling Romulus and Remus.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
ORIGINI AVG
In exergue XXI followed by officina mark T.
Unabridged legend: Origini Augusti.
Translation: The origin of the emperor (Augustus).
Comment
RIC 701 was minted by the 3rd officina (exergue mark: XXIT) of the Siscia mint. The original RIC text mentions 2 different variations/different bust types (bust types according to Pierre Bastiens grouping of bust types; see illustrated: probvs.net):
- radiate, helmeted, cuirassed, left, holding spear in right hand, and shield in left (E1 bust, Alföldi (*) 040.004, example: probuscoins #1726, Numista #293057);
- radiate, wearing imperial mantle, left, holding sceptre surmounted by eagle in right hand (H2 bust, Alföldi 040.003, example: probuscoins #1382, Numista #293728).
(*) Andreas Alföldi, Vorarbeiten zu einem Corpus der in Siscia geprägten römischen Kaisermünzen. Heft V. Verzeichnis der Antoniniane des Kaisers Probus, Budapest, 1939.
According to Pink, RIC 701 (with its obverse legend Nr. 3 'IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG' and reverse legend 'ORIGINI AVG') is part of the 4th emission, which was in the year 278 (Karl Pink, Der Aufbau der römischen Münzprägung in der Kaiserzeit VI/I, Wien, 1949, p. 51).
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 origins of the Roman Empire. The coin features an image of Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome, on the reverse, and the Imperial mantle and sceptre surmounted by an eagle on the obverse. This coin was made of silver, which was a valuable and prestigious metal at the time. It's interesting to note that the Antoninianus - Probus coin was issued during a time of significant economic and political change in the Roman Empire. The empire was facing challenges such as inflation, debasement of the currency, and external threats, which led to a series of reforms implemented by Emperor Probus to address these issues. The coin itself is a reflection of the cultural and historical significance of the Roman Empire during this time period.
