Description
Asia. Pontos. Mithradates VI Eupator. Tetradrachm 79-78 BC, Pergamon. Silver 16.55 g.; 32 mm.
Obverse: Diademed head of Mithradates VI Eupator to right // Reverse: Stag grazing left on ground line; star-in-crescent above monogram in left field; ΘΙΣ (Date) above monogram in right right; BI (month) in exergue; all within Dionysiac wreath made of ivy and fruit. Reverse caption: BAΣΙΛEΩΣ // MIΘPAΔATOY / EYΠATOPOΣ
HGC: 7-340.
NGC graded XF Strike: 5/5 Surface: 3/5, brushed
Comment
Coin dated by the Bithyno-Pontic calendar, with BI (inverted IB?) for the twelfth month of the year, September, and the year ΘΙΣ (219th Bithyno-Pontic year), corresponding to the years 79-78 BC. The coin was therefore struck in September 78 BC. An extremely rare date, two other coins are known for this year, and only one other for this month, however inscribed ‘IB’. Possibly struck in Pergamon, the HGC only mentions the mints of Amisos, Sinope or Amaseia.
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