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1 Aureus - Imitating Probus, 276-282
| Issuer | Uncertain Germanic tribes |
|---|---|
| Year | 276-325 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Hammered |
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| Obverse description | Laureate and draped bust of the emperor facing left, rendered in a barbarous imitative style with crude workmanship characteristic of Germanic tribal coinage. The effigy displays a stylized laurel wreath and simplified facial features, reflecting the limitations of non-Roman die-cutters copying Roman imperial prototypes. The bust is encircled by a debased and largely illegible Latin legend composed of pseudo-epigraphic letterforms imitating the original Probus titulature. The overall execution is typical of late 3rd- to early 4th-century barbarian imitations of Aureii, with the design compressed into an irregular flan. A suspension hole is visible at the top of the coin, indicating use as personal adornment or a pendant. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | DIIIISUBOD - IDSIIBBIIO ICICI |
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| Additional information |
Barbarian imitations of Roman aurei from the Probus period occupy an awkward scholarly space — clearly derivative of imperial prototypes, yet produced by Germanic workshops with no obligation to the original dies or weight standards. The 6.32g recorded here actually exceeds the late Roman aureus norm, suggesting the producing group either sourced unusually heavy flans or was working from an earlier, heavier prototype rather than a contemporary Probus issue.
The fifty-year production window reflects genuine uncertainty. Without a confirmed Arslan catalog number, this piece resists attribution to any specific tribal workshop or hoard assemblage.