Trajan Silver Denarius RIC II Trajan 817

Monetary Context and the Trajanic Restoration Series

The restoration coinage of Trajan occupies a distinctive niche in the Roman imperial monetary system. Around 107 AD, following his triumphant conclusion of the Second Dacian War and the influx of substantial bullion reserves, Trajan initiated a sweeping demonetization of worn pre-Neronian silver denarii and antique Republican issues. As recorded by the historian Cassius Dio, older silver currency that had remained in daily trade due to its higher purity was systematically gathered and melted down to be restruck at contemporary weights and fineness. Alongside standard imperial denarii, the mint of Rome prepared a specialized group of restored types celebrating pivotal moments, distinguished families, and prominent individuals from the Roman Republic and the Augustan principate. The issue catalogued as RIC II Trajan 817 belongs to this program, reviving an Augustan denarius originally produced more than a century earlier. By issuing these coins, the monetary authorities did not simply recoin silver bullion; they explicitly honored the numismatic legacy of the past while underscoring imperial continuity, legitimacy, and respect for established Roman traditions.

Mint Production and Physical Standards

RIC II Trajan 817 was produced exclusively at the central imperial mint in Rome. Unlike standard circulating denarii of Trajan, which were manufactured in massive quantities to support the administrative, military, and infrastructural commitments of the empire, the restored series was struck in limited volumes. Numismatists generally consider these pieces to have served commemorative or presentation functions alongside limited circulating utility. In terms of metrology, the coin conformed to the adjusted silver standard established after Nero's reform of 64 AD and maintained through the Flavian and Trajanic eras. While the Augustan prototype of 12 BC was struck at roughly 3.8 to 3.9 grams of high-purity silver, Trajanic restored denarii were minted at a lower target weight of approximately 3.1 to 3.4 grams, with an alloy containing around eighty to eighty-five percent silver. Die engraving was executed by skilled die-cutters at Rome who meticulously copied the compositional details of the Augustan original while employing the refined, clean aesthetic typical of the Trajanic court style.

Obverse Design and Portraiture

The obverse of RIC II Trajan 817 replicates the portraiture of the first Roman emperor, Augustus. Rendered in a sober, classicizing manner characteristic of late Augustan official art, the portrait shows the bare head of Augustus facing to the right. Die-cutters at the Rome mint captured the youthful, idealized facial structure associated with Augustan coin portraits, avoiding the individualized realism or heroic armor that dominated Trajan's own contemporary imperial portraiture. The field surrounding the head is open and uncluttered, bearing only the brief legend AVGVSTVS. The fidelity with which the second-century die-engraver copied the first-century original demonstrates that the mint maintained high technical standards and may have had direct access to well-preserved specimens or archival records of the moneyer's original dies. The depiction of Augustus served as a visual reminder of the founder of the Principate, aligning Trajan's rule with the peace and political stability established during the Augustan era.

Reverse Iconography: The Agrippa Equestrian Statue

The reverse design presents an equestrian statue of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Augustus's key general, advisor, and designated successor who died in 12 BC. The statue shows Agrippa mounted on a horse proceeding toward the right, elevated upon an architectural pedestal. Agrippa is depicted in military dress, occasionally holding an attribute such as a trophy or branch, commemorating his military achievements and devotion to the Roman state. The monument itself reflects public honors decreed in Rome following Agrippa's death, which the moneyer Cossus Cornelius Lentulus celebrated on his original coinage. On the Trajanic issue, the composition faithfully preserves this statue group, making it one of the rare numismatic depictions of an equestrian monument dedicated to Augustus's closest collaborator. By reissuing this specific design, Trajan commemorated not only Augustus but also the military excellence and loyal generalship embodied by Agrippa, themes that resonated deeply during Trajan's own militarily active reign.

Epigraphy and Legends

The inscriptions on RIC II Trajan 817 are divided into obverse identification, historical prototype reference, and Trajan's restorative formula. The obverse legend is brief and classic: AVGVSTVS, positioned neatly around the portrait. The reverse features two distinct inscriptions reflecting the dual nature of the coin. Across the upper perimeter runs Trajan's imperial legend: IMP CAES TRAIAN AVG GER DAC P P REST, an abbreviation for Imperator Caesar Traianus Augustus Germanicus Dacicus, Pater Patriae, Restituit. The inclusion of REST signifies the formal restoration of the coin type by Trajan. Below or surrounding the monument appears the original Augustan moneyer's signature: COSSVS CN F LENTVLVS, designating Cossus Cornelius Lentulus, son of Gnaeus, who served as triumvir monetalis circa 12 BC. Lettering on the Trajanic restoration is executed in the crisp, monumental capital script of the early second century, contrasting with the slightly irregular lettering occasionally found on late Republican and early Augustan originals.

Typology, Prototypes, and Chronological Placement

RIC II Trajan 817 reproduces the Augustan denarius classified as RIC I (second edition) Augustus 412. The original was struck at Rome in 12 BC by Cossus Cornelius Lentulus during the year of Agrippa's death, forming part of a moneyer series dedicated to celebrating the imperial household and its military commanders. Trajan's restored issue is traditionally dated between 107 and 114 AD. The terminus post quem of 107 AD is derived from Cassius Dio's account of the melting of obsolete currency and Trajan's celebration of his Dacian triumphs, while the title DAC on the coin confirms an issue date after the end of 102 AD. Because the legend lacks the title Optimus, conferred in 114 AD, or Parthicus, assumed in 116 AD, the series can be firmly placed within the middle of Trajan's reign. RIC II Trajan 817 is classified alongside a broad suite of restored silver issues honoring prominent Republican gentes, military dynasts such as Julius Caesar, and divinized figures of the Julio-Claudian dynasty.

Circulation, Hoard Presence, and Contemporary Usage

Due to their specialized nature and relatively small production numbers, restored denarii such as RIC II Trajan 817 were far less common in daily commerce than Trajan's regular imperial issues. Surviving hoard data from across the Roman Empire indicates that while restored denarii did enter general circulation, they appear in very small percentages within contemporary coin hoards of the early and mid second century AD. Their presence in hoards alongside ordinary denarii of Trajan, Hadrian, and the Antonines confirms that they were fully tariffed as legal tender and circulated at the standard value of one denarius. Wear patterns on existing specimens range from pristine, uncirculated pieces to moderately worn examples, suggesting that while some were kept as commemorative keepsakes or prestige gifts, others passed through trade channels until the general debasement of the silver coinage later in the century.

References

1. Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Volume III: Nerva to Hadrian. pp. 140-145
2. Die Restitutionsmünzen der frühen römischen Kaiserzeit. pp. 120-135
3. The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume II: Vespasian to Hadrian. pp. 311-314
4. Online Coins of the Roman Empire: RIC II Trajan 817. ric.2.tr.817
5. Die Reichsprägung des Kaisers Traianus (98-117). MIR 14, nos. 845-850