AVA?.. AX – VAG (type PAX, imitation of a Postumus coin)

Radiate head and draped bust of Bonosus to the right, seen from three quarter ahead.

Pax running to the left, holding an olive branch with the right hand and a transverse scepter with the left hand.

Coin illustrated in RIC 5B, plate XX, n°15, source: De Witte,  Revue Numismatique 1859 1 (coin preserved at the Cabinet de France), RN 1859. Other coins illustrated: Malicorne 51 et Malicorne 52. Note of RIC 5B: ''A letter formed like omega is read by Cohen as N, but seems to be somewhat indiscriminately used. M. De White, in Revue Numismatique 1865, p.129, published a barbarous piece on wich it appears to take the place of A and N.''. The RIC 5B and Cohen noted legends as: O / BONSNS, R / ??.. AX AVG. Based on the unique copy of the Cabinet de France.

The drapery is visible only on a few examples of other types, all sharing the same obverse die.

I noted the legends descriptions, that are difficult to read and are sometimes an interpretation of strange forms, following the pieces visible on several copies. I rely on Mrs. Sylviane Estiot's article, ''Probus et les 'tyrans minuscules' Proculus et Bonosus. Que dit la monnaie'', published in ''Historiae Augustae, Colloquium Nanceiense, Atti dei Convegni sulla Historia Augusta, XII''. Mrs. Estiot demonstrates that the obverse dies are all the same for the entire coinage. See pages 220 and 221 for copies 11, 12 and 13 (11 = De Witte, Revue Numismatique 1859 1, 12 = Malicorne 51, 13 = Malicorne 52). reverse dies are also all the same for this type (same particularity occurs for other reverses types, source: Sylviane Estiot's article). The theory advanced in the article is that they are in fact imitative coins of Postumus. The types used and the obverse legends are all related to Postumus coins.