Stater - Mithridates VI Pergamon

Historical Context: This gold stater, issued between 89-88 BC, dates to the zenith of Mithridates VI Eupator’s power during the First Mithridatic War. Having expanded his Pontic kingdom and challenged Roman hegemony in Asia Minor, Mithridates conquered vast territories, including Pergamon. This coinage, struck in significant quantities, was crucial for funding his immense military campaigns against Rome, symbolizing his imperial ambitions and presenting him as a formidable Hellenistic monarch, a direct challenge to Rome’s ascendant authority in the East.

Artistry: The coin’s design exemplifies the sophisticated Hellenistic artistic tradition prevalent in Asia Minor. While the engraver remains anonymous, the work reflects the skill of Greek artisans, possibly from Pergamon itself or other major mints. The obverse features a powerful, idealized portrait of Mithridates VI, often depicted with flowing hair and a diadem, conveying a sense of dynamic energy and regal authority, perhaps alluding to Alexander the Great or Dionysus. The reverse typically shows a grazing stag, a symbol strongly associated with Pontus and its royal house.

Technical/Grading: Struck on an 8.41 gram, 21 mm gold flan, this stater’s technical quality often exhibits excellent execution. High-points for wear or strike include the king’s diadem, hair, nose, and chin on the obverse, and the stag’s head, antlers, and musculature on the reverse. A well-centered strike with strong relief on a broad flan is desirable. The specific references (HGC 7#333, SNG Copenhagen#233, SNG BM Black Sea#1028) denote a consistent and widely recognized type, attesting to its numismatic significance.