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Author Topic: Trajan Dacia Capta Sestertius  (Read 757 times)

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Offline Trajanus

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Trajan Dacia Capta Sestertius
« on: January 06, 2022, 05:54:53 pm »
Hey everybody. I just noticed this while examining coinage of Trajan that commemorate his victory over Dacia and I am confused why there are two different spots for the SC on the reverse of the coin. The more common type is the SC in exergue, but on this one the S and C bookend the image of the mourning Dacian and trophy. Does this mean there is an entirely different RIC number for these two coins or is it just a inconsistency with the dies in Rome at the time? Thank you and I hope it brings light to this interesting difference on the same type of Sestertius.


Offline clueless

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Re: Trajan Dacia Capta Sestertius
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2022, 02:11:39 am »
I'd suggest that you would try to get a copy of Woytek, he has written THE reference on Imperial coins of Trajan, listing all known dies and combinations.

If I have understood things correctly, Woytek is working on upgrading the part of RIC covering Trajan.

Cheers,

Clueless

Offline SC

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    • A Handbook of Late Roman Bronze Coin Types 324-395.
Re: Trajan Dacia Capta Sestertius
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2022, 10:09:53 am »
I have his two-volume work on Trajan (Bernhard Woytek, Die Reichsprägung des Kaisers Traianus (98-117), Moneta Imperii Romani/MIB 14)
Sestertius with SC in fields is 243 whereas those with SC in the exergue are 326.  He dates the first (243) to Group 9, Cluster 3-4, AD 106-107 and the second (326) to group 10, Cluster 3-4, AD 109/110.  The obverse legends are the same.

It is true that Woytek is working on RICII.2 covering Trajan.  From what I understand the approach will be similar to that taken in Richard Abdy's RICII.3 covering Hardian.  Differences such as SC in field vs SC in exergue, and legend breaks, will all be treated under the same RIC number unless there is a specific reason to divide them - for example a fair certainty that the variation represents one that was important chronologically, e.g. the SC field came before the SC exergue like this one.

SC





SC
(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Offline Trajanus

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Re: Trajan Dacia Capta Sestertius
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2022, 12:37:26 pm »
Thank you so much for this information. So they now just combine these two types into one RIC number since they are so similar? I thought maybe there was an entirely different number for each. I mean its easier I guess to do that since they are so similar just where the SC stands. So it's mainly just a die difference instead of an entirely new coin type that would require a different RIC number I guess? Thank you and have a great weekend!

Offline SC

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Re: Trajan Dacia Capta Sestertius
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2022, 04:03:35 pm »
Sorry, to be clear, these types have separate numbers for RIC 1st edition and Woytek's MIB and will certainly have separate numbers for RICII.2 when it comes out because the placement of the SC does have a chronological implication.

But that is not the case with every type.  Sometimes the placement of the SC is not deemed important and is only a footnote to the type.

SC
 
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(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Offline Trajanus

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Re: Trajan Dacia Capta Sestertius
« Reply #5 on: January 08, 2022, 05:42:48 pm »
Thank you so much. Do you by chance own the book by Woytek? It looks like it is in German and costs around $200 nowadays. Also you said they have two separate RIC numbers, I can only find the RIC type with the SC in exergue which is RIC 506. What would the other RIC number be for the SC in the fields? Have a wonderful rest of your day.

Offline SC

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Re: Trajan Dacia Capta Sestertius
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2022, 07:14:13 pm »
I do indeed have Woytek's book.  It is in German.  My German is good enough to handle the catalogue entries, tables and charts but not to get everything from the text.

The type with SC in the fields, Woytek's 243, is apparently RIC-560.

Personally I would say wait until RIC II.2 comes out unless you are fluent in German

SC
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(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Offline Trajanus

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Re: Trajan Dacia Capta Sestertius
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2022, 08:32:00 pm »
Thank you for that extra information. I was wondering when the new revised version will release. I know that the last version was published in 1986 I think? Do you or anybody else possibly have that earlier version of the RIC book that focuses on Trajan? I seem to not be able to find it anywhere online much less for free. Thank you all.

 

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