Ancient Roman Bronze Probus 276-282 - 21 mm (No reserve price)

"Ancient Roman Bronze Antoninianus of Probus – RESTITVT ORBIS Reverse

Culture / Period: Ancient Roman
Date / Period: A.D. 276–282, reign of Probus
Material: Bronze
Dimensions: 21.2 mm
Condition: Good condition

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Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 915

The current owner (S.N.J. S.) purchased the coin of Probus from N.N. in Wijchen, the Netherlands.

The previous owner, N.N. of Wijchen, stated that the object had been in his collection since the 1990s.

According to the previous owner, the object had previously formed part of a private collection in the Netherlands since before 1990.

No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner.

Background Information:
This bronze antoninianus was issued during the reign of Probus, Roman emperor from A.D. 276 to 282. The obverse depicts a radiate and cuirassed bust of the emperor facing right, accompanied by the legend IMP C M AVR PROBVS P F AVG, identifying Probus and proclaiming his imperial titles.

The reverse bears the legend RESTITVT ORBIS, referring to the restoration of the Roman world. It depicts a female figure standing right and presenting a wreath to the emperor, who stands left holding a sceptre. This imagery belongs to the political vocabulary of later 3rd-century Roman coinage, presenting the emperor as a victorious ruler responsible for restoring order, security and stability after decades of military and political upheaval.

Coins of Probus were produced by the organised imperial minting system and circulated widely as everyday currency throughout the Roman provinces. At the same time, their portraits, inscriptions and allegorical reverse types provided an effective means of communicating imperial authority and political messages to soldiers and civilians across the Empire.

Probus ruled during an important period of recovery following the Crisis of the Third Century, when emperors sought to restore territorial integrity and strengthen central authority. This coin therefore forms a tangible connection to both everyday economic activity and the imperial ideology of the later Roman Empire."