UNCERTAIN GERMANIC TRIBES, Aurum Barbarorum. Late 3rd-early 4th centuries. 'Aureus' (Gold, 20 mm, 5.68 g, 12 h), 'Probus Group G'. Imitating Probus, 276-282. ИИИ PCOOONS F AVG Laureate and cuirassed bust of Probus to right.
Rev. CONVIWCOPIIC / II Concordia (or emperor?), helmeted, seated left, holding 'globe' in her right hand. Original suspension loop attached. Scrape on the obverse and with some minor scratches
, otherwise, very fine.
From the Aurum Barbarorum Collection, Part III, Leu 10, 24 October 2021, 2406.
In contrast from the other pieces that show a plain laureate bust of Probus, this 'aureus' also features a lovely reverse, with a female deity seated to the left and holding a globe. The blundered legend perhaps indicates that this is supposed to be a rendering of Concordia, whose patera was turned into a globe, who is, apparently, wearing a helmet, and whose cornucopiae has disappeared. Alternatively, it might instead copy an emperor seated to the left on a curule chair and holding a Victory on a globe, as shown on aurei of Diocletian and Maximianus (f.e. Calicó 4437). In this case, the Os in the garbled reverse legend are derived, instead of 'CONCORDIA', of 'CONSVL' and 'PRO COS'.
