Sale: Nomos 6, Lot: 140. Estimate CHF6000.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 May 2012.  Sold For CHF4800. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Trajan. AD 98-117. Sestertius (Orichalcum, 33mm, 27.83 g 7), c. 116. IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P Laureate and draped bust of Trajan to right. Rev. REGNA ADSIGNATA S C Trajan, in military dress, seated left on a folding stool atop a platform, stretching out his right hand and holding a parazonium in his left; behind him, two officers standing left, the one on the right holding a wreath in his left hand and the other extending his right hand and holding a spear in his left; on the ground before them to left, three bearded and draped male figures standing to right, the first raising his right hand to Trajan. BMC 1043 var. cohen 325 var. Hill 730. RIC 666 var. Woytek 550v. A very rare variety. Attractive green patina. Good very fine.

This coin, while known from a further five examples cited by Woytek, shows Trajan, after his initially successful campaigns in the east, assigning kingdoms to three eastern client rulers. His lack of the title Parthicus within the obverse legend, indicates that this coin must have been struck in c. 115/116, before it was awarded (the somewhat more common issues of Trajan with this reverse type include that title). The heavily bearded figures of the ‘kings’ of the reverse are meant to be Armenians and Parthians, but they are surprisingly reminiscent of Dacians as well!