Today is Trajan's birthday!

[MrZun]

Let's share all our Coins of him!

[Amarmur]

Happy birthday to the best. Here is a few, early Trajan portrait resembling Nerva with victory, Trajan column denarius, Dacia Capta Dupondius, Bridge across Danube Sestertius. He has a lot of interesting and beautiful coins. A very fun emperor to collect.

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Happy Birthday to the Best Emperor.

[CPK]

Happy birthday Trajan!

GALATIA-CAPPADOCIA, NEOCLAUDIOPOLIS
Time of Trajan
AE (26.02mm, 11.44g, 6h)
Struck AD 109/10
Obverse: ΑΥΤ ΝΕΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ ϹΕΒ ΓΕΡΜ ΔΑΚΙΚΟϹ, laureate and cuirassed bust of Trajan right, seen from rear
Reverse: ΝΕΟΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΠΟΛΕΙΤωΝ ΕΤΟΥϹ, Dacia, bound, seated on rocks right; ΡΙΕ in exergue
References: RPC III 2906A.2 (this coin)
This coin illustrated on wildwinds.com
An interesting and extremely rare type, apparently unknown except for this coin and one other specimen, both cited by RPC Online.

[MrZun]

44 minutes ago, Amarmur said:

Happy birthday to the best. Here is a few, early Trajan portrait resembling Nerva with victory, Trajan column denarius, Dacia Capta Dupondius, Bridge across Danube Sestertius. He has a lot of interesting and beautiful coins. A very fun emperor to collect.

My dream to have a Trajan column too :0

[Limes]

Where's the cake? 🙂

Coins with architecture on the reverse, or architectural references:

[ominus1]

...happy Bday Trajan....let the party begin!  🙂

[Curtisimo]

Woo hoo Trajan party!

 

[Al Kowsky]

I won this mis attributed Trajan tetradrachm at a Heritage auction. It is listed as RARE by McAlee 😃.

[Kali]

Trajan (98 - 117 A.D.)

Phoenicia, Tyre
AR Tetradrachm
Dated COS 5, year 15 (111 AD)
O: AVTOKP KAIC NEP TPAIANOC CEB ΓEPM ∆AK, Laureate head right set on eagle standing right; club to left.
R: ∆HMAPX - EΞ IE YΠAT E, laureate bust of Melqart draped in lion-skin.
Tyre Mint
24mm
13.7g
Prieur 1515; BMC Phoenicia pg. 301, 15

Trajan (98 - 117 A.D.)

AR Didrachm
CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea-Eusebia
O: ΑΥΤΟΚΡ ΚΑΙС ΝЄΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝω ΑΡΙСΤω СЄΒ ΓЄΡΜ ΔΑΚ Laureate head of Trajan to right, with slight drapery on his left shoulder.
R:ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ЄΞ ΥΠΑΤΟ Ϛ Mount Argaios with grotto containing cult stone, flanked by two pyramidal objects; at top, second grotto with flames.
6.98g
21mm
RPC III 3046. Sydenham 208-209.

 

Trajan (98 - 117 A.D.)

SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch.
AR Tetradrachm
O: AYTOKΡ KAIC NEΡ TΡAIANOC CEB ΓEΡM ΔAK, laureate bust right
R: ΔHMAΡX EX IΣ YΠAT Σ, Eagle standing facing on club, wings spread, head left, palm branch right. Struck 110 -111 A.D.
13.94g
25mm
McAlee 439; Prieur 1504 (Tyre).

[LONGINUS]

Here’s to our many good times with the ‘Good Emperor’ Trajan 🎂!

 

[GERMANICVS]

I have a few of his coins...

[expat]

Born just three hours away from where I live. Happy Birthday

[GERMANICVS]

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

@Kali your Trajan of Mt. Argaeus looks most like a cake! He gets to have his cake and eat it, too! Nice coin.

[expat]

[Octavius]

My two sestertii's worth...

1. The Danube river rising up and kneeling down on Dacia...

 

2. Trajan appoints a king to the Parthians...

[robinjojo]

Here are a couple of B-day contributions for the old boy.

Trajan, AR denarius, 107/8 AD.  DΛNVVIVS reverse.

3.57 grams

 

Trajan, AR tetradrachm, Antioch, 113/4 AD.

Prieur 1518; RPC III, 3550.

14.83 grams

[Edessa]

Roman Egypt, Alexandria. Trajan, AD 98-117. Billon Tetradrachm (23mm, 12.83g, 12h). Dated RY 19 AD 115/116). Obv: ΑΥΤ ΤΡΑΙΑΝ ΑΡΙ ϹƐΒ ΓƐΡΜ ΔΑΚΙΚ; Laureate bust right, star before. Rev: Draped bust of Zeus right, wearing taenia; L I-Θ (date) across field. Ref: Dattari (Savio) 696; RPC III 4884 (7 examples); Emmett 395.19 (R2). Very Fine, nicely toned. Said to be ex-Berk.

[Gumrum]

Wow, what a coincidence! I literally just picked up this example of the Optimus Princeps for my own collection!


Denarius of Emperor Trajan, from the mint of Rome, c. 103 - 111 CE, RIC II Trajan 193
Obv: Bust of Trajan, laureate, draped, right | IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P, Imperator Traiano Augustus, Germanicus, Dacicus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribunicia Potestate, Consul Quintum, Pater Patriae [Supreme commander (Imperator), of Trajan, emperor, conqueror of the Germans, conqueror of the Dacians, high priest, holder of tribunician power, consul for the fifth time, father of the nation]
Rev: Victory, winged, naked to waist, standing left, holding up wreath in right hand and palm in left | S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, Senatus Populusque Romanus Optimo Principi [The senate and the Roman people to the best of princes]

I'm pretty pleased with this example, as it features the longer legends and has a nice, clear portrait and reverse too!

[Roman Collector]

Happy birthday, Trajan! I have too many Trajans to post, so I'll post a fun one -- this denarius with a very curvaceous Pax. 

Trajan, 98-117 CE.
Roman AR Denarius, 3.21 g, 17.8 mm, 6 h.
Rome, 98-99 CE.
Obv: IMP CAES NERVA TRAIAN AVG GERM, laureate head right.
Rev: PONT MAX TR POT COS II, Pax standing left, holding branch and cornucopiae.
Refs: RIC 17; BMCRE 14-17; Cohen/RSC 292; Strack 13; Hill UCR 29; RCV 3152.

[Croatian Coin Collector]

[DonnaML]

A belated Happy Birthday to one of my favorite emperors, at least numismatically speaking!

Some of my favorite Trajans:

Trajan AR Denarius, 106 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right; IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TRP COS V P P / Rev. Captive Dacian in peaked cap with wide brim, seated right on shield in mournful attitude with left elbow on raised left knee, and face resting in left hand; below, curved Dacian sword (falx) right; SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI. RIC II 219 (http://numismatics.org/ocre/results?q=RIC+II+Trajan+219); RSC II 529; Sear RCV II 3168 (obv. var.); BMCRE 175 (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-11584). 17 mm., 3.02 g., 6 h.

The rest:

Trajan AR Denarius, AD 107 [Sear RCV II], Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder, IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P / Rev. Danuvius (the Danube), naked to waist, reclining with left elbow on rocks amidst reeds, looking right, cloak billowing out in circle behind head, right hand resting on ship behind him with prow in shape of bird’s head (swan?), COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC; in exergue, DANVVIVS. RIC II Trajan 100, RSC II 136 (ill. p. 88), Sear RCV II 3138 (ill. p. 102), BMCRE III 395. 19 mm., 3.05 g. Purchased from Silbury Coins, UK, Jan. 2022.*

*According to Foss at p. 100 [Clive Foss, Roman Historical Coins (Seaby, London, 1990)], this coin (Foss, Trajan No. 22), together with two other types (RIC II 542-544 and RIC 556-569), commemorate the preparations for the second Dacian war in AD 106, including “crossing into Dacia by a bridge and with the aid of the god of the Danube who helped to overcome Dacia.” 

Trajan AR Denarius, AD 107-108, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder, IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P / Emperor standing in triumphal quadriga to right (decorated with image of Trajan standing left erecting trophy to right), holding branch with right hand extended and eagle-tipped scepter with left hand, COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC. RIC II 139 corr. (bust type); BMCRE III Trajan 349 at p. 78; RSC II 94; Sear RCV II 3131. Purchased Jan. 6, 2022 at Roma Numismatics E-Sale 93, Lot 974. 19 mm., 3.03 g., 6h.

Trajan AR denarius, AD 108-109, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P / Rev. Dacian captive, wearing cloak and peaked cap, seated left on pile of arms in attitude of mourning; right elbow resting on raised right knee, and face resting on right hand; about him, two curved swords in front, two spears and an oblong shield behind; COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC around; in exergue, DAC CAP. RIC II 98; RSC II Trajan 120(a) (rev. ill. p. 87); see also Foss (Trajan No. 286(b) at p. 101). Black patina. Purchased from Herakles Numismatics, Jan. 2022, NYINC 2022. 19 mm., 3.05 g.

Trajan AR Denarius, AD 108-109, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder, IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TRP / Rev. Dacian captive, wearing peaked cap, standing left with hands bound in front of pile of arms, including round shield to right, and, to left, two curved swords, two spears, and an oblong shield; COS V PP SPQR OPTIMO PRINC around; in exergue, DAC CAP. RIC II 99, RSC II Trajan 121 (ill. p. 87), Sear RCV II 3137 (ill. p. 101). 3.04 g. Purchased from Emporium Hamburg, Auction 100, 15 Nov. 2022, Lot 356.

Trajan AR Denarius, AD 113, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right with light drapery on far shoulder, IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI PP / Rev. Female figure personifying the Via Traiana, nude above waist, reclining right (from viewer’s perspective) on rock outcropping, head turned to right; supporting wheel set on knee with right hand, and holding branch with left hand,  S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI; in exergue, VIA TRAIANA. RIC II 266, RSC II 648 (ill. p. 102), BMCRE III 487, Sear RCV II 3173 (ill. p. 105). 18 mm., 3.48 g., 6 h. Purchased from Classical Numismatic Group, LLC (CNG) E-Auction 531, Jan. 26, 2023.*

*This issue “records the construction in AD 109 of the Via Traiana, an important highway which replaced the Via Appia as the preferred route between Beneventum [in Campania]  and the port city of Brundisium on the Atlantic coast.” Sear RCV II, p. 106.

Trajan AR Denarius, AD 113-114, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate & draped bust right, seen from three-quarters behind; IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI PP / Rev. Trajan’s column, with spiral bands enclosing large dots on face, placed on decorated base with door in center, flanked by two eagles with beaks facing inwards, and surmounted by statue of Trajan standing facing, holding long scepter in left hand [right arm not visible]; SPQR OPTI-MO PRINCIPI. 17.5 mm., 3.06 g., 6 h. RIC II Trajan 293, RSC II Trajan 558 (laureate bust draped but rev. var.: OPTIMO rather than OPTI-MO), BMCRE III Trajan 455 & Pl. 17 No. 2 (laureate bust draped, OPTI-MO); Sear RCV 891 (3rd ed. 1981) [not in Millennium Edition]. Purchased from cgb.fr Internet Auction, 26 April 2022, Lot 95.

Trajan AR Denarius, ca. AD 114, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate & draped bust right, IMP TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC P M TR P / Rev. Mars, helmeted, naked but for cloak behind, advancing right, holding transverse spear, pointing up to right, with right hand and trophy over left shoulder with left hand, COS VI P P S P Q R. RIC II Trajan 299, RSC II Trajan 103, BMCRE III Trajan 516. Purchased Jan. 6, 2022 from Herakles Numismatics at NYINC 2022. 20 mm., 3.41 g. 

Trajan AR Denarius, ca. AD 115 (Sear). Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder, IMP TRAIANVS AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI PP / Rev. Trajan’s deified father, Marcus Ulpius Traianus, bareheaded and togate, sits left on a curule chair, feet on stool, holding patera in extended right hand and straight scepter upright in left hand, DIVVS PATER – TRAIAN. RIC II Trajan 252, RSC II Trajan 140 (ill. p. 88), BMCRE III Trajan 500 (p. 101) (ill. Pl. 17 no. 20), Sear RCV II 3323 (ill. p. 124). 19 mm., 2.57 g. Purchased from Gorny & Mosch, Munich, Germany, Online Auction 299, 7 Nov. 2023, Lot 3693.*

 

*See commentary at Sear RCV II p. 124: “Trajan’s father, M. Ulpius Traianus, came from Italica in Baetica (southern Spain) and commanded Legio X Fretensis under Vespasian during the Jewish War. He was later granted patrician rank by the Emperor Vespasian and honoured with a consulship, probably in AD 70. Governor of Syria for several years in the mid-70s, the highly successful public career of Trajan Senior culminated with the prestigious proconsulship of Asia during the reign of Titus. His death probably occurred around AD 100, but his deification and appearance on the Imperial coinage did not occur until late in the reign of his son, the Emperor Trajan.”

Trajan AR Drachm, 115-Feb. 116 AD [before granting of Parthia title], Arabia Bostra (or Rome*) Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Trajan right, with paludamentum, seen from rear, AYTOKP KAIC NЄP TPAIANѠ APICTѠ CƐB ΓƐPM ΔAK [equivalent of IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GERM DAC] / Rev. Bactrian (two-humped) camel, walking left, ΔHMAPX ЄΞ YΠATO ς [equivalent of TR P COS VI (sixth consulship)]. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. III 4076 (2015); RPC III Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/4076, SNG ANS VI 1158; Sydenham 205 [E. Sydenham, The Coinage of Caesarea in Cappadocia (1933 & 1978 Supp. by A.G. Malloy)]; BMC 20 Cappadocia 65-66 at p. 54 & Pl. IX No. 16 [Wroth, Warwick, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Galatia, Cappadocia, and Syria (London, 1899)]. 19 mm., 3.10 g.  Purchased from Kenneth W. Dorney. (Coin is double die match to Roma Numismatics Auction, May 21, 2013, Lot 767 [https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=474&lot=767]; image of that coin is reproduced as Plate 14, No. 7 in Woytek & Butcher article cited in note below.)

* See Bernhard E. Woytek and Kevin Butcher, "The Camel Drachms of Trajan in Context: Old Problems and a New Overstrike," The Numismatic Chronicle Vol. 175 (2015), pp. 117-136 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/43859784) (dies engraved and coins possibly struck in Rome for provincial use).

Trajan, AE Drachm, Year 15 (111/112 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right, nude and with aegis on left shoulder, ΑΥΤ ΤΡΑΙΑΝ ϹЄΒ ΓЄΡΜ ΔΑΚΙΚ / Rev. Emperor (Trajan), laureate and togate, standing in elephant quadriga, right. holding eagle-tipped sceptre and branch; first three elephants with trunks turned down at end and fourth elephant with trunk turned up; in exergue, L IƐ (Year 15).  RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. III 4605.4 (2015); RPC Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/4605.4 ; Emmett 462.15 [Emmett, Keith, Alexandrian Coins (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; Dattari (Savio) 769 [Savio, A. ed., Catalogo completo della collezione Dattari Numi Augg. Alexandrini (Trieste, 2007)]; BMC 16 Alexandria 512 [Poole, Reginald Stuart, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 16, Alexandria (London, 1892)]; Milne 669 at p. 19 [Milne, J.G., Catalogue of Alexandrian Coins (Oxford 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay, 1971)]. 33.5 mm., 21.26 g. Purchased from Odysseus- Numismatique, Montpellier, France, June 2021.

[Coinmaster]

Woohoo! Congrats to you all!

My denarius: 103-111 CE, Rome, 3.42 g, RIC II Trajan 151.
DIR Trajan
Obverse: Bust of Trajan, laureate, right (sometimes draped on left shoulder). Lettering: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P

Translation:
Imperator Traiano Augustus, Germanicus, Dacicus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribunicia Potestate, Consul Quintum, Pater Patriae.
Supreme commander (Imperator), of Trajan, emperor (Augustus), conqueror of the Germans, conqueror of the Dacians, high priest, holder of tribunician power, consul for the fifth time, father of the nation.

Reverse: Ceres, draped, veiled, standing left, holding two corn-ears in right hand and vertical torch in left. Lettering: S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIP

Translation:
Senatus Populusque Romanus Optimo Principi.
The senate and the Roman people to the best of princes.

About: Ceres, goddess of agriculture, carries grain ears and a torch used when she descended into the underworld in search of her daughter Persephone.

[DonnaML]

PS: Three more Trajan Provincials I forgot about, but also very much like:

Trajan AR Drachm, AD 98/99, Koinon of Lycia. Obv. Laureate head of Trajan right, ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ ΝΕΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ ϹΕΒ ΓƐΡΜ / Rev. Two lyres with owl perched on top of them, standing to right, ΔΗΜ ΕΞ ΥΠΑΤ • Β [COS II]. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. III 2676 (2015); RPC III Online 2676 at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/2676; SNG von Aulock 4268 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Deutschland, Sammlung Hans Von Aulock, Vol. 2: Caria, Lydia, Phrygia, Lycia, Pamphylia (Berlin, 1962)]; BMC 19 Lycia 9-11 at p. 39 (ill. Pl. IX No. 11) [Hill, G.F., A Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum, Lycia, Pamphylia, and Pisidia (London, 1897)]. Purchased Jan. 6, 2022 at Roma Numismatics E-Sale 93, Lot 717. 18 mm., 2.87 g., 6 h. 

Trajan AR Tetradrachm, AD 100, Phoenicia, Tyre. Obv. Laureate head of Trajan right; behind, ear of grain in left field; to right, club in right field; below, eagle with folded wings standing right, ΑΥΤΟΚΡ ΚΑΙϹ ΝΕΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ ϹΕΒ ΓΕΡΜ / Rev. Laureate bust of Melqart (as Herakles) right, lion’s skin tied at neck, ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ΕΞ ΥΠΑΤ Γ [= COS III]. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. III 3526 (2015); RPC Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/3526; Prieur 1482 [Prieur, Michel and Karin, Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms (London, 2000)]; McAlee 452/2 (ill. p. 203; portraits appear to be a die match) (Group 5) [McAlee, Richard, The Coins of Roman Antioch (2007), ascribing Melqart types to Tyre or Rome]. 27 mm., 14.25 g. 

Trajan AR Tetradrachm, 112 AD, Seleucis & Pieria, Antioch Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, club below to left and eagle (standing right) below to right, AYTOKP KAIC NER TPAIANOC CEB ΓEPM ΔAK / Rev. Tyche of Antioch, wearing mural crown, seated on rocks, right, holding two ears of wheat and a poppy-head in her right hand, river god Orontes at her feet in river swimming right, looking up at Tyche, left arm extended and left forefinger pointed, ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ΕΞ ΙϚ ΥΠΑΤ Ϛ [= TR POT XVI, COS VI]. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. III 3543 (2015); RPC III Online 3543 at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/3543, McAlee 471 (ill. p. 205) (Group 6) [Richard McAlee, The Coins of Roman Antioch (2007)]; Prieur 1499 [Michel and Karin Prieur, Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms (London, 2000)]; Sear GIC 1089 at p. 100 (ill.), attributed to Tyre [D. Sear, Greek Imperial Coins and their Values (1982)]. 25 mm., 13.88 g.