This silver denarius of Trajan, struck in Rome within the generally accepted period of AD 112–113, belongs to an equestrian type of great distinction, particularly prized by high-level collectors, in which the obverse IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P accompanies a laureate bust to the right with slight drapery on the left shoulder, while the reverse S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI shows the emperor on horseback to the left, holding a long spear and a small Victory; specialized commercial literature and recent comparanda assign it to Woytek 394b and to RIC II 291 var., with references to BMCRE 445 note and Cohen 497a, which places the specimen within a closely followed typological family, technically secure and clearly sought after when it preserves, as here, a broad reading of the portrait and of the statuary reverse.

Analysis & expertise

Careful observation under ×10 magnification and raking light. The obverse presents a laureate head of Trajan to the right, whose stylistic quality remains very satisfactory, with hair rendered in lively and clearly superimposed locks, a laurel wreath well legible in its structure, a high forehead, a firmly open eye, a continuous nasal line, a concise mouth, and a very well-formed chin, while the slight drapery on the left shoulder remains perceptible and contributes to the good definition of the bust type; the beaded border preserves remarkable continuity over a large part of the circumference, the legend reads clearly over most of the perimeter, and the flan, although slightly irregular at the edges, remains highly favorable to the overall presentation of the coin.

The reverse immediately attracts attention through the strength of its composition, for Trajan on horseback to the left remains legible there with real authority, the mass of the horse being well established, the imperial figure preserving its verticality, and the two essential attributes of the type — the long spear and the small Victory — remaining sufficiently distinct to support an expert identification without hesitation; the whole belongs to that group which specialized catalogues describe precisely as a reverse with Trajan on horseback left, holding spear and small Victory, under Woytek 394b and RIC 291 var. (bust type), with a dating centered on 112–113.

The silver surface presents a coherent ancient appearance, with relief remaining sharp on both the portrait and the equestrian group, a slightly nuanced light gray patina, and discreet old handling marks, normal for a denarius that truly circulated, which in no way compromise either the readability of the types or the aesthetic balance of the specimen; minor marginal irregularities and very slight flan tensions, visible at several points around the edge, fit naturally within the logic of hammer striking on an irregular flan, in accordance with the published characteristics of the type.

The numismatic interest of this specimen lies in the conjunction, rarely so well preserved within this group, of a strong portrait, a largely preserved obverse titulature, a fully intelligible equestrian reverse, and metrology very well aligned with the observed standard, specialized documentation publishing for this type specimens around 3.12 to 3.50 g and 19 to 21 mm, which places the described example, at 3.40 g for 19 mm, in a particularly satisfactory range for the informed collector.

Characteristics

The typological attribution may be stated precisely as follows: Trajan, mint of Rome, silver denarius, struck circa AD 112–113, observed weight 3.40 g, diameter 19 mm, obverse IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P, laureate bust right with slight drapery on the left shoulder, reverse S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, Trajan on horseback to the left, holding a long spear and a small Victory; recent specialized bibliography publishes it under Woytek 394b, with comparison to RIC II 291 var. (bust type), BMCRE 445 note, and Cohen 497a. The related type listed by Numista under RIC II 291 denarius is given as silver, 18.5 mm, 3.1 g, technique hammered, and with the same obverse titulature as well as the same reverse legend, which confirms the full material and weight consistency of the present specimen within the group.

Historical context

This denarius belongs to the high phase of Trajan’s principate, when the titulature COS VI and the formula OPTIMO PRINCIPI were already stabilized in the coinage of Rome, at a time when the imperial image sought less to experiment than to monumentalize the figure of the prince; it is precisely in this context that the equestrian reverse takes on its full significance, since it is not merely a generic military scene, but refers to a monumental formulation of triumphant power. The documentation for the monumental reconstruction of the Plan of Rome by the University of Caen indeed recalls that an equestrian statue of Trajan stood at the center of his forum, and that the restoration hypotheses are based in part on monetary representations showing the emperor holding a Victory and a downward-pointing spear, a description that closely corresponds to the iconographic family to which the present denarius belongs.

From this perspective, the legend S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI adds decisive institutional depth, because it formulates the official praise of the prince by the Senate and the Roman People, and gives the imperial horseman the value of a fully constituted political image; the reverse therefore does not merely celebrate a sovereign in motion, but a model of public, civic, and monumental principate, made visible through one of the strongest compositions of Trajanic denarii in this sequence.

Cultural value

The cultural interest of this coin is high, because it brings together in a small silver module three elements that great collectors know immediately how to appreciate: a Trajan portrait of excellent style, a major institutional legend, and an equestrian reverse that clearly enters into dialogue with the honorific statuary of the forum; it is therefore a piece that goes beyond strict catalogue description to enter the category of representational coins, that is, those in which monetary iconography condenses a monumental program of power.

For a cabinet specialized in the denarii of Trajan, in issues bearing OPTIMO PRINCIPI, or in series iconographically linked to Trajan’s Forum, this specimen possesses particular strength, because it combines a solidly identified reference, a reverse of high visual personality, and a state of preservation that still allows the engraver’s design to be fully appreciated; specialized documentation moreover readily describes it as a scarce issue or a beautiful statuary reverse, which corresponds exactly to the way a connoisseur appreciates this type when it appears, as here, in such materially coherent form.

Traceability & guarantees

Coming from a European provenance, from an established numismatic dealer, this specimen was acquired within the framework of a specialized international transaction, conducted in a recognized numismatic network and validated by reference experts, according to the highest standards of the art and heritage market; its examination retains only the stylistic, technical, epigraphic, and metrological characteristics actually observable on the coin, placed back within the framework of the Trajan / S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI / equestrian reverse group, and compared with the typological documentation and specialized comparanda published under Woytek 394b and RIC 291 var.

Each specimen is examined, described, and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity in accordance with the standards of the art and heritage market; in the present case, the concordance between the obverse titulature, the bust type, the reverse showing Trajan on horseback holding a Victory and a spear, the observed metrology, the mint of Rome, and the references Woytek 394b / RIC II 291 var. / BMCRE 445 note / Cohen 497a establishes a particularly solid numismatic attribution, drafted for an audience of informed collectors within a framework of strict descriptive accuracy.

Ref: GMVR46TB42