Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 125 23-24 Jun 2021
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Trajan Decius, 249 – 251.
Double-sestertius 249-251, Æ 31.07 g. IMP C M Q [TRAIA]NVS DECIVS AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. FELICITAS SAECVLI Felicitas standing l., holding long caduceus in r. hand and cornucopiae in l.; in field, S – C. C 40. RIC 115c.
A magnificent portrait well struck in high relief and with a very pleasant green patina.
Metal flaws, otherwise extremely fine
Ex Künker 89, 2004, 2533 and NAC 95, 2016, Ploil, 353 sales.
For an emperor who came to the throne through rebellion and inherited the overwhelming political, economic and military chaos of the age, it is remarkable that Trajan Decius had any interest in reforming the aes coinage. The brevity of his reign and the instability that followed the massacre of Decius' army by the Goths assured there was no easy path for his reform to take root. But even if Decius had ruled for a lengthy period, it likely would have failed, for the integrity of the coinage continued its precipitous slide. Indeed, by the reign of Decius the intrinsic value of the double-denarius had fallen enough for it to be practical to strike new double-denarii over Severan denarii without concern for a perceived reduction in value. Like his immediate predecessors, Decius continued to strike the sestertius in large quantities and the dupondius and as on a modest scale. However, he expanded the repertoire of aes coinage with a double-sestertius and a small copper piece, usually called a semis, but which may have been a reduced-weight as. His other numismatic creation was a series of double-denarii portraying eleven of Rome's deified emperors, from Augustus though Severus Alexander, which presumably was meant to celebrate the state religion, which included emperor worship. The novelty of the series – unparalleled by anything other than the 'restored' coinage of his adopted namesake, Trajan – seems a frivolous luxury in this difficult era. Perhaps even more interesting is his selection of emperors since, for example, he omits Claudius yet includes Commodus. Both choices defy explanation from a modern point of view, yet they likely reflected common opinion at the time.
Double-sestertius 249-251, Æ 31.07 g. IMP C M Q [TRAIA]NVS DECIVS AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. FELICITAS SAECVLI Felicitas standing l., holding long caduceus in r. hand and cornucopiae in l.; in field, S – C. C 40. RIC 115c.
A magnificent portrait well struck in high relief and with a very pleasant green patina.
Metal flaws, otherwise extremely fine
Ex Künker 89, 2004, 2533 and NAC 95, 2016, Ploil, 353 sales.
For an emperor who came to the throne through rebellion and inherited the overwhelming political, economic and military chaos of the age, it is remarkable that Trajan Decius had any interest in reforming the aes coinage. The brevity of his reign and the instability that followed the massacre of Decius' army by the Goths assured there was no easy path for his reform to take root. But even if Decius had ruled for a lengthy period, it likely would have failed, for the integrity of the coinage continued its precipitous slide. Indeed, by the reign of Decius the intrinsic value of the double-denarius had fallen enough for it to be practical to strike new double-denarii over Severan denarii without concern for a perceived reduction in value. Like his immediate predecessors, Decius continued to strike the sestertius in large quantities and the dupondius and as on a modest scale. However, he expanded the repertoire of aes coinage with a double-sestertius and a small copper piece, usually called a semis, but which may have been a reduced-weight as. His other numismatic creation was a series of double-denarii portraying eleven of Rome's deified emperors, from Augustus though Severus Alexander, which presumably was meant to celebrate the state religion, which included emperor worship. The novelty of the series – unparalleled by anything other than the 'restored' coinage of his adopted namesake, Trajan – seems a frivolous luxury in this difficult era. Perhaps even more interesting is his selection of emperors since, for example, he omits Claudius yet includes Commodus. Both choices defy explanation from a modern point of view, yet they likely reflected common opinion at the time.