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Orbis Collectibles

Roman Empire — Trajan — Silver Denarius

Also known as: Denarius of Trajan

DocumentedSupported by at least one credible specialist source.

Record status

Individual type · partial

Period

AD 98–117

Issuing entity

Roman Empire

Silver denarius struck during the reign of Trajan, with a laureate imperial portrait and a wide range of reverse types. The obverse shows laureate bust of Trajan right, with imperial titulature in the legend. The reverse shows varies widely by issue — personifications, deities, military and architectural types.

Evidence at a glance

Linked sources
2
Photograph views
1
Catalogue references
0

Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.

Historical context

Trajan's reign saw a very large output of denarii from the mint of Rome, with reverse types referring to military campaigns, public works and imperial virtues.

Physical characteristics

Material
Silver
Manufacture
Hand struck from engraved dies
Typical diameter
18–20 mm

Design

Obverse
Laureate bust of Trajan right, with imperial titulature in the legend
Reverse
Varies widely by issue — personifications, deities, military and architectural types

Identification

Warning
Never attribute an ancient coin on visual similarity alone; legends, weight and style must all agree
Key diagnostics
Attribution depends on the full obverse legend and titulature, which changes across the reign and dates the issue
Source note
Type description from the American Numismatic Society's Online Coins of the Roman Empire (OCRE); individual specimens differ in die, flan size, weight and wear, and legend breaks may vary.

Documentation checklist

Denomination
Research required
Issue or mint date
Recorded
Material
Recorded
Weight
Research required
Mint or printer
Research required
Mint or printer mark
Research required
Catalogue reference
Research required
Attached photograph (check rights)
Recorded

Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.

Field evidence

  • images.primary{"url":"/catalogue/f21c8bb9-db5a-479f-9c2f-4dd7a26e1148.jpg","view":"Obverse and reverse","credit":"Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service / Ben Paites, Portable Antiquities Scheme","license":"CC BY-SA 2.0"}Source locator: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Roman_silver_denarius_of_Trajan_(AD98-117),_dating_AD_114-117_(FindID_798316).jpg

Catalogue references

No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.

Conflicting sources

  • Standard references differ in how Trajan's issues are ordered and dated; the RIC arrangement has been revised by later scholarship.

Research required

  • Individual RIC numbers are not recorded here; each reverse type requires its own verified entry.
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