King Mithradates of Pontos and Tyrant Aristion of Athens

CNG 87, Lot: 466. Estimate $1000. Sold for $10000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ATTICA, Athens. Circa 165-42 BC. AR Tetradrachm (29mm, 16.55 g, 12h). New Style coinage. King Mithradates and Aristion, “magistrates”. Struck 87/6 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right / Owl standing right, head facing, on amphora; BAΣI-ΛE/MI-ΘPA/ΔA/THΣ and APIΣ/TIΩN in fields; to right, star between two crescents; A on amphora, EΠI below; all within wreath. Thompson 1145a (same rev. die, but after re-engraving). Good VF, toned, small die break on obverse, area of find patina on reverse. Very rare.

By the early years of the 1st century BC, the skillful use of diplomacy, propaganda, and conquests made Mithradates VI of Pontos appear as a viable champion of Greek interests. Aristion, an influential Athenian politician, adhered to a faction that believed it was in Athens' interest to align itself with Mithradates against Rome. In 87 BC, during the First Mithradatic War, with the support of Mithradates' general Archelaos, Aristion declared himself tyrant of Athens and struck coins bearing his name and 'King Mithradates' as the magistrates (Thompson 1143-1146), an issue believed to have been used for the king's military necessities. Sulla responded by besieging Athens, which suffered miserably for months. As starvation set in, the Romans stormed the walls, and the city quickly fell. Aristion and his supporters tried to hold out in the Acropolis, but were forced to surrender due to a lack of food. Soon afterward, Sulla ordered Aristion's execution.

This particular coin is of special numismatic interest, as it was struck from a reverse die that Thompson only saw after it had been re-engraved with a new month on the Amphora (a Z was placed over the original A). Also, the obverse die used for this coin was not known to Thompson.