Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XVII 28 Mar 2019
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Kingdom of Pontos, Mithradates VI Eupator AR Tetradrachm. Uncertain mint in Pontos, dated month 10, year 210 of the Bithyno-Pontic era = July 87 BC. Diademed head of Mithradates VI to right / Pegasos grazing to left on ground line, BAΣIΛEΩΣ above, MIΘPAΔATOY EYΠATOPOΣ below; star-in-crescent to left, IΣ above monogram to left, I in exergue, all within Dionysiac wreath of ivy and fruit. De Callataÿ D64/R1; SNG Copenhagen -. 16.82g, 30mm, 12h.
Extremely Fine; dark cabinet tone. Extremely Rare; one example only recorded by de Callataÿ.
Ex Argyros Collection.
The first Mithridatic War began in 89 BC and in 88 BC Mithradates' general, Archelaos faced Sulla's legions in a long siege of Athens and the Piraeus. De Callataÿ notes that the timing of this siege matches the cessation of production at the main Pontic mint from August 87 to April 86 (this tetradrachm being part of the final issue) and the appearance of a new series which does not follow the usual dating system but instead runs for seven months in year 1 of a new era (see L'histoire des guerres Mithridatiques vue par les monnaies, 1997, p. 41). Further, he highlights that all the examples of this unusual series were struck from the same obverse die which closely resembles the last issues from the main Pontic mint and that these tetradrachms are only found in two published hoards from the Piraeus and the Dipylon. He therefore concludes that the main mint was relocated to Athens until March 86 BC to assist Archelaos and, when Archelaos left the Piraeus, apparently with the mint workers, the main mint resumed its output using the usual Bithyno-Pontic dating.
Extremely Fine; dark cabinet tone. Extremely Rare; one example only recorded by de Callataÿ.
Ex Argyros Collection.
The first Mithridatic War began in 89 BC and in 88 BC Mithradates' general, Archelaos faced Sulla's legions in a long siege of Athens and the Piraeus. De Callataÿ notes that the timing of this siege matches the cessation of production at the main Pontic mint from August 87 to April 86 (this tetradrachm being part of the final issue) and the appearance of a new series which does not follow the usual dating system but instead runs for seven months in year 1 of a new era (see L'histoire des guerres Mithridatiques vue par les monnaies, 1997, p. 41). Further, he highlights that all the examples of this unusual series were struck from the same obverse die which closely resembles the last issues from the main Pontic mint and that these tetradrachms are only found in two published hoards from the Piraeus and the Dipylon. He therefore concludes that the main mint was relocated to Athens until March 86 BC to assist Archelaos and, when Archelaos left the Piraeus, apparently with the mint workers, the main mint resumed its output using the usual Bithyno-Pontic dating.