Sale: Triton IX, Lot: 982. Estimate $200.  Closing Date: Monday, 9 January 2006.  Sold For $275. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of CAPPADOCIA. Ariarathes VI Epiphanes. Circa 130-112/0 BC. AR Drachm (4.19 g, 11h). Mint C (Comana?). Diademed head right / BASILEWS ARIARAQOU EPIFANOUS, Athena Nikephoros standing left; monograms to outer left; IG (date) in exergue. Mørkholm, Coinages I, Issue 2, pl. 44, 4 (same obv. die); Simonetta 25; SNG Copenhagen Supp. 737; BMC -; SNG von Aulock 6284 (same obv. die). Good VF. ($200)

Mørkholm's analysis of the obverse dies in this series clearly demonstrates that the exergual letters are not dates on the issues of the kings following Ariarathes V. He does argue that they represent numbers, but their purpose remains unknown.