January 28th: the OPTIMUS PRINCEPS.

I don't own a coin depicting Trajan, but I have a denarius of Nerva, who wisely adopted Trajan as his successor.



Nerva
AR Denarius
97 A.D.
Obverse: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P II COS III P P, laureate head right
Reverse: CONCORDIA EXERCITVVM, clasped hands.
Diameter: 17mm
Weight: 3.20g

 

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The longest obverse legend, 52 letters fitted on a 25 mm As.

Trajan AE As RIC 681
IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO P M TRP COS VI P P, laureate and draped bust right / SENATVS POPVLVSQVE ROMANVS, SC in exergue, two trophies.


Trajan AE Dupondius RIC 676
IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC PARTHICO P M TR P COS VI P P, laureate, draped bust right / SENATVS POPVLVS QVE ROMANVS, SC in ex. Trajan in military dress, advancing right, looking back, between two trophies.

 

I wonder how many different bust types we have here in this thread. 29 would be a good goal!


Trajan between two vexillum of Trajan

 

Traian/Trajan is a preferred character on Romanian banknotes as well.
Hope this is not off topic, will post some from my collection

100 lei 1893-1907, on the reverse


20 lei 1947- 1950, Trajan and king Decebal of Dacia


Same busts present on 100.000 and 1.000.000 lei banknotes (1947)



and 5.000 lei 1943-45


Also many banknotes have Trajan watermarks:

1000 lei 1941-45


2000 lei 1945



500 lei 1936 and many more

 

If we are looking for different portrait styles this is one of the "chesty" ones Trajan Ar denarius 116-117 AD Obv Bust of Trajan right laureate aegis on left shoulder with bare chest showing globe below. Rv. Felicitas standing left. RIC 333var Woytek 570n+ 3.20 grms 18 mm Photo by W. Hansen Someday if the fates smile on me I would like to get this portrait on a sestertius. I have always admiired this portrait style and I love the subtle messaging of this coin Rome is lucky to have such a manly guy running it.

 

I have posted Trajan sestertii quite recently, so here are some of my favorite denarii :


IMP CAES NERVA TRAIAN AVG GERM, laureate head right / PONT MAX TR POT COS II, Concordia seated left, holding patera over altar and cornucopiae.
RIC 12; BMCRE 4; RSC 302


Trajan AR Denarius. Rome, circa AD 104-107. IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TR P COS V P P, laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder / S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, Annona standing left, cradling cornucopiae in left arm, and with right hand holding grain ears over modius containing poppy and grain ears; stern of grain ship behind. RIC 166; BMCRE 169; RSC 467b. 3.50g, 19mm, 6h.
Ex Michael Kelly Collection of Roman Silver Coins.

Annona was the divine personification of the grain supply to the city of Rome, a creation of Imperial pseudo-religious propaganda, manifested in iconography and cult practice, but lacking in narrative mythology or a historical tradition of devotion.


Trajan (98-117), AR Denarius, 3.37g, Rome, c. AD 110, 3.37g,
laureate 'heroic' bust left, with slight drapery,
rev. Arabia standing left, holding branch and bundle of cinnamon sticks; camel at feet
(RSC 89c; RIC 142 var.),

very rare bust type


Trajan (98-117), AR Denarius, 2.99g, Rome, AD 114-117,
laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front, baldric over chest
rev. Fortuna seated left, holding rudder and cornucopia, fort red in exergue
(RSC 154C var (bust); RIC-; MIR 526y+ (1 Example),
extremely rare variety, only second example known



Trajan AR Denarius. Rome, autumn AD 116 - August AD 117.

IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GERM DAC, laureate 'heroic' bust right, wearing aegis, with bare chest showing / PARTHICO P M TR P COS VI P P S P Q R, Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and cornucopiae.

RIC 333; BMCRE 629; RSC 192.

 

I have posted Trajan sestertii quite recently, so here are some of my favorite denarii :

View attachment 1243601
IMP CAES NERVA TRAIAN AVG GERM, laureate head right / PONT MAX TR POT COS II, Concordia seated left, holding patera over altar and cornucopiae.
RIC 12; BMCRE 4; RSC 302

View attachment 1243602
Trajan AR Denarius. Rome, circa AD 104-107. IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TR P COS V P P, laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder / S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, Annona standing left, cradling cornucopiae in left arm, and with right hand holding grain ears over modius containing poppy and grain ears; stern of grain ship behind. RIC 166; BMCRE 169; RSC 467b. 3.50g, 19mm, 6h.
Ex Michael Kelly Collection of Roman Silver Coins.

Annona was the divine personification of the grain supply to the city of Rome, a creation of Imperial pseudo-religious propaganda, manifested in iconography and cult practice, but lacking in narrative mythology or a historical tradition of devotion.

View attachment 1243603
Trajan (98-117), AR Denarius, 3.37g, Rome, c. AD 110, 3.37g,
laureate 'heroic' bust left, with slight drapery,
rev. Arabia standing left, holding branch and bundle of cinnamon sticks; camel at feet
(RSC 89c; RIC 142 var.),

very rare bust type

View attachment 1243604
Trajan (98-117), AR Denarius, 2.99g, Rome, AD 114-117,
laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front, baldric over chest
rev. Fortuna seated left, holding rudder and cornucopia, fort red in exergue
(RSC 154C var (bust); RIC-; MIR 526y+ (1 Example),
extremely rare variety, only second example known

View attachment 1243605

Trajan AR Denarius. Rome, autumn AD 116 - August AD 117.

IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GERM DAC, laureate 'heroic' bust right, wearing aegis, with bare chest showing / PARTHICO P M TR P COS VI P P S P Q R, Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and cornucopiae.

RIC 333; BMCRE 629; RSC 192.

 

I have posted Trajan sestertii quite recently, so here are some of my favorite denarii :

View attachment 1243601
IMP CAES NERVA TRAIAN AVG GERM, laureate head right / PONT MAX TR POT COS II, Concordia seated left, holding patera over altar and cornucopiae.
RIC 12; BMCRE 4; RSC 302

View attachment 1243602
Trajan AR Denarius. Rome, circa AD 104-107. IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TR P COS V P P, laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder / S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, Annona standing left, cradling cornucopiae in left arm, and with right hand holding grain ears over modius containing poppy and grain ears; stern of grain ship behind. RIC 166; BMCRE 169; RSC 467b. 3.50g, 19mm, 6h.
Ex Michael Kelly Collection of Roman Silver Coins.

Annona was the divine personification of the grain supply to the city of Rome, a creation of Imperial pseudo-religious propaganda, manifested in iconography and cult practice, but lacking in narrative mythology or a historical tradition of devotion.

View attachment 1243603
Trajan (98-117), AR Denarius, 3.37g, Rome, c. AD 110, 3.37g,
laureate 'heroic' bust left, with slight drapery,
rev. Arabia standing left, holding branch and bundle of cinnamon sticks; camel at feet
(RSC 89c; RIC 142 var.),

very rare bust type

View attachment 1243604
Trajan (98-117), AR Denarius, 2.99g, Rome, AD 114-117,
laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front, baldric over chest
rev. Fortuna seated left, holding rudder and cornucopia, fort red in exergue
(RSC 154C var (bust); RIC-; MIR 526y+ (1 Example),
extremely rare variety, only second example known

View attachment 1243605

Trajan AR Denarius. Rome, autumn AD 116 - August AD 117.

IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GERM DAC, laureate 'heroic' bust right, wearing aegis, with bare chest showing / PARTHICO P M TR P COS VI P P S P Q R, Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and cornucopiae.

RIC 333; BMCRE 629; RSC 192.

 

Apologies for the duplication - a system failure.

 

Managed to add another Trajan denarius in my collection. I think I overpaid for it but I really wanted a Trajan coin with clear connection to Dacia and Dacian wars.


RIC II Trajan 130

Date Range: AD 103 - AD 111
Obverse Legend: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P
Type: Bust of Trajan, laureate, right (sometimes draped on left shoulder)
Reverse Legend: COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC
Type: Victory, naked to hips, standing right, left foot set on a step, inscribing DACICA on shield

 

Trajan Ae Sestertius 98 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv Pax seated left RIC 401 Woytek 58a 25.73 grms 32 mm This is one of the earlier portraits of Trajan of which there seems to be two distinct types. This one has a thick muscular neck, generally fine facial features and very fine engraved hair. The other seems to have more coarser features and thick "ropey" hair. This coin used to be in my collection and it does illustrate the type Trajan Ae Sestertius 101-102 AD Rv Pax seated left RIC 432

 

A little bit late....but here it is! My first coin of 2021!

Trajan (AD 98-117)
AV Aureus

Date: AD 108-110
Obv: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind.
Rev: COS V PP SPQR OPTIMO PRINC, Ceres standing left, holding grain-ears and long torch.
Diameter: 18.5mm
Weight: 7.31 g
RIC III 109
Ex: Classical Numismatic Group Triton XXIV.

 

I really like the coins of Trajan he minted some really nice reverse types , here are some of my favourites
(3 sestertii, 3 denarii and an As )

 

Some of the earliest coins of Trajan show his face rather more like that of Nerva than would be shown later.

 

Thank you @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix for your write up. It is enjoyable to see all the coins depicting Trajan which have been posted.

I remain as thankful today to have my beautiful Trajan coin as I was the day I unexpectedly received it from a fellow CoinTalker. Again, I am not able to tell you who had JA send it to me because I simply do not know.

I consider myself blessed to be part of CoinTalk with members who are so generous - not only by sharing coins but also by sharing their knowledge.

Thank you to my mysterious benefactor for infusing a delicious excitement and joy into this CoinTalker's existence by sending her this beautiful coin. G-d bless you. This is a coin I will always keep.

 

You're welcome @LaCointessa . But I'd like to add to your comment: many thanks to all our CT friends who participate and show so many wonderful coins here. It often feels like we're visiting a museum while admiring parts of the collection of the generous members. Most threads would be very boring without so many examples displayed from all around the world.

 

For sure! Exactly as you say. I should have made my enjoyment of looking at all the coins of others more explicit.