Trajan Denarius. RIC 266 TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TRP COS VI PP, laureate head rt / SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI, goddess reclining left on rocks with wheel & branch, VIA TRAIANA in ex. Via Traiana was constructed in 109 AD by Emperor Trajan at his own expense. It was built during a period of relative freedom from military campaigns as an extension of the Via Appia from Beneventum, reaching Brundisium (Brindisi) by a shorter route.
Trajan Denarius. RIC 142 IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TRP, laureate bust right, drapery on far shoulder / COS V PP SPQR OPTIMO PRINC, Arabia standing left, holding a branch and a bundle of canes, camel at feet Trajan Denarius. RIC 331 IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIM AVG GER DAC, laureate draped bust right / PARTHICO PM TRP COS VI PP SPQR, Mars walking right with trophy and spear. Trajan AE Sestertius. RIC 642 IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO PM TR P COS VI PP, laureate draped bust right / ARMENIA ET MESOPOTAMIA IN POTESTATEM P R REDACTAE SC, Trajan standing facing with spear & parazonium, Armenia, Euphrates & Tigris at feet. ''Trajan’s second major war was against the Parthians, Rome’s traditional enemy in the east. The chronology of his campaigns is uncertain. In preparation for them, in 105/106 one of his generals annexed the Nabataean kingdom, the part of Arabia extending east and south of Judaea. Next, about 110, the Parthians deposed the pro-Roman king of Armenia, whereupon in 113/114 Trajan campaigned to reinstate him. Meanwhile, Trajan undertook the construction of a road along the ancient caravan trail known as the King’s Highway. That road, the Via Nova Traiana, linked the city of Bostra—which became the capital of the new Roman province of Arabia—with the Red Sea. In 115 Trajan annexed upper Mesopotamia and, in the same or next year, moved down the Tigris River to capture the Parthian capital of Ctesiphon. He reached the Persian Gulf, where he is said to have wept because he was too old to repeat Alexander the Great’s achievements in India.'' source britannica.com
This was such a great Trajan thread I thought I'd revive it since I finally got a Trajan's Column denarius. Difficult to see in this photo, but this coin has a very tiny edge flaw. Despite this, I thought it still worth $14.99 given the column and Trajan's portrait were not affected. The eBay listing title was "Roman 237 249 AD Denarious Silver Philip II Antoninianus," which helped suppress bidder interest. Below is a close-up of the tiny, almost imperceptible edge flaw. It does not appear to be a fourree, but rather, I suspect, the silver has crystalized, but it is peculiar how smooth the edge is. Or did the Cookie Monster get to in during one of his frenzies? Since Cookie Monster doesn't appear to have any teeth, his bite mark may look like this. Or is the whole thing just a fake? It is a bit light-weight at 2 grams, although the tiny edge flaw may account for this. Also, why is it I can't find that the SPQR on the back is separated by dots in any of the descriptions? This seems fairly apparent on a lot of the examples of this type I found online (not just RIC 307), but I never see it noted. Dots have been added to my description: Trajan Denarius (114-117 A.D.) Rome Mint IMP TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DA[C PM TRP] laureate and draped bust right. / [COS VI P]P S[•P]•Q•R Trajan's column with statue of Trajan holding scepter and globe, two eagles at base. RIC 307; BMC 523 (2.00 grams / 18 mm) eBay Dec. 2020 $14.99 Finally, I'd like some opinions, please: is this a die match to a specimen in the British Museum? https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-11738 Here are some more photos - the British Museum specimen is the round one on the bottom:
I would say close, but not a match. Compare the foreheads on the obverses, and the bases of the columns on the reverses.
A very nice coin and also a great historical type. Yes , the coin is a die match(obverse and reverse) with the one from BM , no doubt your coin is genuine.
Yeah, the reverse on mine is missing so much of the legend, I was not as confident about a die-match on the tails side.
Thanks Donna. I have more confidence in the obverse - I think my example has so much gunk (horn silver?) around the forehead, it might mask a closer resemblance. But any time I think I have a die-match, I suspect I am talking myself into something.
I think the reverse is also a die match , the letters O and R have identical shapes and are positioned at the same distance from the column, , the two eagles are identical. The P is at the same distance from the raised hand.
Although the Republic was long obliterated by this time, the significance of SPQR really comes out on this coin. I bought specifically because it is one of the few coins that I have run across that SPELLS OUT the acronym "SPQR". SENATVS POPVLVS.QVE ROMANVS RI AE As Trajan CE 98-117 26mm 11.0g Rome mint Laureate Draped - SENATVS POPVLVSQVE ROMANVS Victory R wreath palm S-C RIC 675
Thanks again, singig - I really appreciate the graphics. I'm feeling better and better about this coin.
That's a great looking AE of Trajan. Not only does it showcase the fine workmanship of Trajan's coins, but it has really nice colors as well.
So you would account for the clear differences between the bases of the columns as an alteration of the die?
I'd say the British Museum specimen was struck after die deterioration had occurred. You can see some cuds to the right of the column and on the column's base.
Yes , as @Roman Collector said. Details are missing but the proportions of the bases are the same , the small access door has the same position and size .
I bought this coin in October, I already have two denarii with this reverse type ''Pax setting fire to pile of arms '', the dupondius was very hard to find. Probably the reverse will show better details cleaned , but I decided to leave it like this. Trajan AE Dupondius. 103-111 AD. RIC 507 , Cohen 414. IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TRP COS V P P, radiate head right / SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI, S-C across fields, Pax standing left, holding cornucopiae and setting fire to pile of arms.
"A cud on a coin is a damaged area resembling a blob on the surface of a coin. The cud is raised above the field, and it obliterates the device or inscription where it appears. Cuds are the result of die cracks or die breaks which have become severe. They can also form from die chips where part of the die surface has become damaged and broken away."