Æ24 - Antoninus Pius ΑΜΑϹΤΡΙΑΝΩΝ

Amastris occupied an unusual position among Pontic cities — founded by the niece of Darius III and later absorbed into the kingdom of Pontus before becoming a free city under Roman provincial administration. Its civic coinage under Antoninus Pius reflects a period of genuine municipal autonomy, with local magistrates controlling issue decisions rather than imperial directive. The city's harbor trade with the eastern Black Sea kept it prosperous enough to sustain a consistent bronze output throughout the Antonine period.