Another Baltimore coin that I have always wanted is the denarius showing Trajan's father seated with legend DIVVS PATER TRAJAN. Trajan was adopted by Nerva but issued this coin after assuming the Purple in honor of his late biological father. Honoring the adoptive father is common. I am not aware of another example of this on Roman coins. I started having doubts about this coin fearing the reverse may be tooled. That caused me to look at other examples online an I found several others that seemed similarly shaggy. https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=168118 https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=169808 The seller at Baltimore had three of these in stock and they all struck me as a bit different in style as would fit an issue that continued for several years. Rare is the coin that does not present opportunities for further study. I really would like to find a reverse die match for this coin.
I have no pitchforks, but my only negative comment is that it appears the reverse field may have been smoothed. I have no problems with some smoothing. As far as tooling, I don't see it. It's a nice looking coin all around.
I have a couple PITCHFORKS: Larinum (Frentani), ca. 210-175 BC, bronze quincunx, 22mm, 9.80g Obverse: Head of Mars (or Athena, per Sear) in crested Corinthian helmet r. Reverse: Horseman galloping l., holding spear and shield decorated with thunderbolt, LADINOD below, 5 pellets (denom.) in ex. Reference: NH Italy 625, Campania 4a, Morcom 64, BMC 2 Grading: F , minor porosity, brown patina, very scarce Comment: Ex - Colin Pitchfork collection. Ex - Spink America auction (NY, Dec. 6-7 1999, lot 400 - part of). From a private collection formed by a pair of Polish brothers and sold in New York. CAMPANIA, Capua. 216-214 BC. Æ Uncia (20.5mm, 6.14 g, 12h). Laureate head of Jupiter right; star (mark of value) to left / Victory standing right, crowning trophy; star (mark of value) to right. Campana, Monete 21; Giard, Monnaie 16; HN Italy 493. VF, dark green patina, slightly off center. From the Colin E. Pitchfork Collection. Ex Spink America (6 December 1999), lot 407.
That is an excellent example of the type Doug! I picked one up after reading about the senior Trajan commanding the 10th Legion under Vespasian and son. Trajan's father, Marcus Ulpius Traianus was the most distinguished of the gens Ulpii, a family originally hailing from Tuder in Umbria which had settled in Baetica in Spain. His success in both war and politics paved the way for his son to become the first non-Italian emperor of Rome. He came to prominence while commanding the 10th Legion during the Jewish War. Having pounded the city of Joppa close to submission, he presented Titus with the honor of leading the final assault. As a reward, Vespasian made Ulpius Traianus a consul. Serving as governor of Syria from 73 to 77, the elder Trajan was later proconsul of all Asia from 79 to 80. In that capacity he earned honors in actions against the Parthians, built two vital roads and shored up the frontier defenses. Trajan deified his adopted father Nerva in 98, though without immediately striking coins for the new Divus. Trajan Pater died about two years after his son took the purple and was also, as this coin shows, deified by him. Trajan's natural father seems to have been consecrated in connection with the dedication of Trajan's Forum in Jan. 112. That was the occasion for the striking of this denarius type for DIVVS PATER TRAIAN early in 112.
