The Minting of Probus: What's the deal with the Eastern mints?

[GordianAppreciator101]

First of all, I'm going to start this with a fact: Lugdunum is Probus' best mint. 
Now that that's been said, I have come here to defend Antioch as a mint. I have seen time and time before people mention that they don't like later Antiochian coinage because, compared to Western mints the portraiture decays a fair bit and reverses too become less inspired. However, in post-Aurelian's Reform times, that was precisely what the emperors wished and as such, the coin below represents the perfect mix between the generic process of portraits that would end up with the big bearded heads of the Tetrarchy, while maintaining some semblance of personality. I have too seen the... wonky faces some of these coins can have but I like to think of them as Empire approved provincials, which for Probus we seem to lack, unlike those of Philip, Elagabalus etc. 

I would also defend the even more generic portraits of Probus' Alexandrian Tetradrachms if I had one 😭

Edited May 27, 2022 by GordianAppreciator101
Typo

[TheTrachyEnjoyer]

@Ronalovich

[GordianAppreciator101]

1 minute ago, TheTrachyEnjoyer said:

@Ronalovich

Fun fact, the coin I showed was originally going to be his.

[Leo]

I want to believe they had such intense economic activity in these regions and so many troops needed payment that they just needed to churn as many coins as possible and beauty came second place.

Of course, it could also just be that the East had BAD die engravers.

Look at that ray of sunshine from the Unknown 4th mint one. Is is absolutely awful, and I love it for that

[GordianAppreciator101]

9 minutes ago, Leo said:

I want to believe they had such intense economic activity in these regions and so many troops needed payment that they just needed to churn as many coins as possible and beauty came second place.

Of course, it could also just be that the East had BAD die engravers.

Look at that ray of sunshine from the Unknown 4th mint one. Is is absolutely awful, and I love it for that

His face is looking down in shame for what the engraver has done to it.

Also, I can hear @Ronalovichscreeching in the distance, rushing to tell us all about Saturninus.

[Alegandron]

RI Probus Æ Ant 22mm 3.75g 280CE CLEMENTIA TEMP XXI Emperor receiving Victory from Jupiter UNKNOWN EASTERN MINT - fight Saturninus

[maridvnvm]

You won't find any argument from me about Lugdunum being his best mint. I have a PASSION for his Lugdunum issues.

I like his coins in general. I have quite a few of his eastern coins and will share a few here. Most need updated images but I will go with images that I have up to date timages of for now.

Antioch -

Tripolis:-

Unknown eastern mint:-

I need to go through my trays and update the images of some of my older eastern mint coins....

[Ronalovich]

The unknown eastern mint Probi are pretty fascinating. Some members here have already mentioned the possible connection to Saturninus.

RIC typically attributes the unknown eastern mint coins to Antioch, so the best way to distinguish them is

A). Poor style on the bust

B). Font on the M

Antioch usually formed the M poorly, with the lines not really being connected (it looked something like |V|)

The unknown eastern mint formed the M much better, with the letter actually being connected. Here are Antioch and the unknown mint respectively for comparison.