Probus BI Antoninianus.

Treveri mint. Struck AD 271. IMP C VICTORINVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust to right / VIRTVS AVG, Virtus standing facing, head to right, holding sceptre with right hand and resting his left hand on shield set on ground. RIC V.2 78 (uncertain Southern Gallic mint). 2.62gr, 20mm, 12h.

Near Extremely Fine.

From a London, UK, collection, 1990s.

Rome mint; struck AD 87. [IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XIII] CENS PER P P, laureate head to right / [VIRTVTI] AVGVSTI, Virtus standing to right, foot on helmet, holding spear and parazonium; S C across fields. RIC II.1 550; BMCRE 404. 10.04gr, 28mm, 6h.

Fine. Edges having been tapped to create raised rims.

Property of a Cambridgeshire, UK, gentleman.

Proto-contorniate is the modern term used to describe Roman Imperial and Provincial bronze coins of the first, second, and early third centuries with hammered-up edges. These raised edges on the rims probably occurred after these bronze issues no longer circulated and ceased to be part of the currency in general use. A common assumption is that proto-contorniates functioned as game counters since the rim created through hammering could protect the designs. Andreas Alföldi in Die Kontorniaten (Budapest, 1943) believed proto-contorniates to be forerunners of the contorniates of the fourth and fifth centuries. He argued that proto-contorniates were New Year's gifts and that the older coins were actually hammered in the fourth century before the contorniates proper came into being.

Siscia mint. IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust to right / CONCORDIA MILITVM, emperor standing to right, clasping hand of Concordia standing to left; XXIVI in exergue. RIC V.1 244; MER-RIC 2389 (temporary). 3.48gr, 22mm, 12h.

Very Fine.

Acquired on the UK art market; Property of an Essex, UK, collector.