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Trajan, 25 January 98 - 8 or 9 August 117 A.D.
This coin celebrates Alimenta Italiae, a program to aid orphans and other needy children. Pliny, in his panegyric in 100 A.D., testified that infants were diligently looked after and registered, in order to be brought up at the expense of the state. "There were very nearly 5000 free-born children, whom the liberality of our prince sought out and adopted. A reserve in case of war, and an ornament in peaceful times, they are nourished at the public cost; and learn to love their country, not as their country only, but also as their nourishing mother. From the ranks of these will our camps, our tribes, be filled."RB72491. Bronze sestertius, Woytek 354d1, RIC II 459 (S), Hunter II 344, BMCRE III 869, Cohen II 7, BnF IV 524, Strack I 405, SRCV II 3177, aF, nice portrait, edge flaking, Rome mint, weight 20.247g, maximum diameter 30.7mm, die axis 180o, 111 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TR P COS V P P, laureate bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder and back; reverse S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, Abundantia standing facing, head left, stalks of grain downward in right, drapery and cornucopia in left; child at her feet on left holding roll, S - C (senatus consulto) flanking across field, ALIM ITAL in exergue; ex Morton & Eden auction 59 (13 - 14 Nov 2012), part of lot 883; ex Seaver Collection; scarce; SOLD
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