★ Saturninus placeholder ★

Probus (276-282), Antoninianus, issued 280-81. Asian mint, 2.98g, 21mm.
Obv: IMP C M AVR PROBVS PF AVG; radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right.
Rev: CLEMENTIA TEMP; Probus standing right, receiving Victory on globe from Jupiter standing left, holding sceptre; Δdot between, XXI in ex.
Misattributed by RIC to Antioch (RIC 922). Reference: “L'emperor et l'usurpateur: un 4e atelier oriental sous Probus" by Sylviane Estiot (in Studies of Ancient Coinage in Honour of Andrew Burnett, Spink 2015).
Estiot identifies an Asian mint with a characteristic portrait style and well-formed “M”s that was operational for a few months, from mid-280 to early 281. It was almost certainly in operation to supply the emperor’s coinage needs in countering the revolt of the Syrian governor Saturninus. As such, these coins are the perfect placeholders for a Saturninus, which are extremely rare and prohibitively expensive.