PROBUS RIC 530 Cons V SOLD

OBVERSE: IMP C PROBVS AVG CONS V
REVERSE: SECVRIT PERP
BUST TYPE: H2 = Radiate bust left in consular robe, holding scipio
FIELD / EXERGUE MARKS: */I//VIXXI
WEIGHT 2.98g / AXIS: 12h / WIDTH: 21-22 mm
RIC: 530
COLLECTION NO. 1304

Extremely rare and desirable,dated consular obverse legend, celebrating Probus' fifth consulship (CONS V). CONS V is by far the rarest among consular legends in Probus' coinage.  

THIS COIN IS PART OF THE CODED EQVITI SERIES (see the letter "I" in right field which is the 6th lettter in the 6-letter EQVITI phrase. This coin was struck by the 6th officina, i.e. officina "VI"; there were 6 officinae at Ticinum mint at that time; each one struck a different reverse with a different letter from the EQVITI code in the left or right field:

E/-//PXXI (Concord Milit; 1st officina); 

Q/-//SXXI (Provident Avg; 2nd officina);

V/-//TXXI (Salvs Avg; 3rd officina);

I/-//QXXI (Marti Pacif; 4th officina);

T/-//VXXI (Pax Avgvsti; 5th officina);

-/I//VIXXI (Secvrit Perp; 6th officina)

For more information about the (A)EQVITI series see the below excellent article by Gert Boersema:

http://www.oudgeld.com/webbib/translation_codewords.htm

Provenance: ex Paul Francis Jacquier auction 45 lot 1471 (Philippe Gysen collection)

Sammlung : 04 Probus - Ticinum