Probus - Lugdunum - Early draped and cuirassed bust

[maridvnvm]

The coinage of Probus at Lugdunum is partitioned into 9 emissions by Bastien which are broadly associated with the early and later Periods identified by RIC. Many coins have to be placed into these periods / emissions purely based on their style as the other elements of the coins are otherwise identical. Emissions 1 to 4 would be associated with the early Period and have broad heads with thick necks and where a cuirass is present have very little of the cuirass visible. Emission 5 was created to celebrate the victorious return of Probus through Lugdunum after a campaign in Gaul and introduces a range of elaborate busts. Emissions 6 to 9 are associated with the later period where the busts are somewhat narrower and the profile is longer than that on the early emissions and where a cuirass is visible there is more cuirass shown.

Typical "Early" cuirassed bust:-

Typical "Later" cuirassed bust:-

The draped and cuirassed bust is common across all the mints for Probus and a common enough at Lugdunum but having said this is does not typically occur in the Early period and only becomes commonplace in the Later period. Bastien does however identify two example of the Draped and cuiarssed bust type appearing in Emission 3 (obverse legend of IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG), both with the FIDES MILITVM reverse type, one (Bastien 177) coming from Officina 2 (II in exe) and the other (Bastien 179bis) coming from Officina 3 (III in exe). I have attached scans of these below. These coins come from the same obverse die. A further example of the bust type occurs in Emission 4 (shortened obverse legend of IMP C PROBVS P F AVG), also with the FIDES MILITVM reverse type.

I have obtained two examples of this bust type from Emission 3.

My first example is a double die match to Bastien 179bis above

My second example comes from the same obverse die but is now paired with the MARS VICTOR reverse type from Officina 3 (III in exe).

Obv:– IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right; seen from rear
Rev:– MARS VICTOR, Mars walking right, holding spear and trophy.
Minted in Lugdunum (III in exe) Emission 3, Officina 3. November – December A.D. 276
Reference:– Cohen -. Bastien -, Batien Suppl I -. Batien Suppl II -. RIC 37 Bust type C corr. (RIC cites bust type A this chould be Bust Type C and RIC likely cites examples from the later period in this case)
Obverse die match to Bastien 179 bust, which is FIDES MILITVM from the same emission

Weight 4.53g. 23.51mm. 180 degrees

The bust can be seen to be much broader than those of the later emissions illustrated below for comparison.

Regards,
Martin

Edited March 30, 2023 by maridvnvm