KINGS OF PONTOS. Mithradates VI Eupator, circa 120-63 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 32 mm, 16.83 g, 11 h), Pergamon, BE 212, 10th month = July 85. Diademed head of Mithradates VI to right. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ - MIΘPAΔATOY / EYΠATOPOΣ Stag grazing left; to left, star-in-crescent (Pontic royal badge) above monogram; to right, BIΣ above monogram; in exergue, I; all within Dionysiac wreath of ivy and fruit. Callataÿ D2/R1. A lovely coin with a beautiful portrait. Struck from a slightly worn obverse die and with some minor marks, otherwise, about extremely fine.


This coin shows us a beautifully idealized portrait of the great Pontic king. It was struck in July 85 BC, just weeks before Mithradates met Sulla in Pitane to seek for peace after a series of crushing defeats against the Romans in the First Mithradatic War (89-85 BC).