Scholarly commentary:
    In 1967, during Vani archaeological excavations,  the hoard  consisting of 119 copper coins was discovered under the altar of  the mosaic-floored temple. The hoard was  kept in  a purse.  118  of them are identical. Description of the coins is given above. Eight-pointed star on the reverse of the coin indicates to its connection with Pontic kingdom. This was the  dynastic emblem of the ruling dynasty of Pontus – the Mithridatids.  The different coin of the hoard is struck in Amisus in 111-105 B.C. or in 105-90 B.C.  (Obv. Ares’ head, right; Rev. Sword in a scabbard). This coin dates other samples of the hoard by the 1st c. B.C.  only 126 samples of copper coins with lotus-effigy  are known. The coins, supposedly, were issued in Vani (Surion of the Antique period). The arguments we have are the following:
    1. The coins of Vani hoard with the effigy of lotus are unique.
    2. Anonymous copper coins with star-effigy were struck in Pontus, though not in the times of Mithridates VI, but earlier, and with totally different typological combination. In spite of the fact that anonymous coins of Pontus have been published for more than a century, the samples, identical to Vani ones, are not known. They are not kept even in the big world numismatic collections. This makes impossible to attribute Vani coins to Pontus. This is also impossible from chronological point of view. Anonymous copper coins struck in Pontus date back to the times before the reign of Mithridates VI, while the samples found in Vani are undoubtedly issued in the 80s of the 1st c. B.C. The point is that the hoard contains Amisus’ tetrachalkon struck in 111-105 B.C. or 105-90 B.C. This sample is preserved poorly. This indicates to the fact that the coin was in circulation for a long time. Other coins of the hoard are preserved perfectly. Thus, the coins of Vani hoard should be attributed to the times of Mithridates VI.
    3. The issue of anonymous coins of Vani in Pontus  is also impossible due to the following reason: Mithridates Eupator unified the monetary system. Gold and silver coins were struck only in the king’s name and the violation of his regalia was punished badly. Pontic cities had coin regalia, but only to use common standard type (they had to be standardized).  Thus, municipal monetary activity was actually controlled by Mithridates. Under these circumstances, the emission of anonymous coins on the territory of Pontus is quite unimaginable. Whom could Mithridates VI allow to do this?
    4. But let us admit the synchronous existence of anonymous copper coins from Vani and  anonymous copper coins of Pontus. Comparative analysis is the following: a) the main nominal for anonymous coins of Pontus is tetrachalkon, obol was struck rarely, and dichalkon and chalkos even more seldom. Two nominals can be seen in the coins of Vani hoard: chalkos and hemichalkon. None of them is characteristic for Pontic coinage; b) none of the anonymous coins of Pontus has the depiction of lotus; c) indeed, the coins of both groups have eight-pointed star on the reverse, but early Pontic copper samples also have two crescents there and the later ones are decorated with the effigy of bow. The coins of Vani hoard do not have these details. Some series of Pontic coins also have monogrammes and inscriptions while Vani samples are anepigraphic. Thus, the two coin groups are very different.
    5. The coins are not found anywhere except Colchis. The major part of them is discovered in Vani, several samples – in Eshera. These circumstances have huge significance concerning the localization of copper coins’ mint, especially, when we have such a small nominal.
    Thus, it seems there is a real basis to connect anonymous copper coins with lotus-effigy to Vani mint. What historical explanation does this fact have?
    Mithridates subjugated Colchis in 105-90 B.C. First Colchis was a Pontic satrapy, but later, according to Appian, the Colchians revolted and asked Mithridates to make his son – Mithridates Philopator Philadelphos their king. Mithridates Eupator satisfied their demand. Thus Mithridates Philopator Philadelphos became king in Western Georgia. This event apparently might have happened in 85 B.C. From this point onwards, Colchis is nominally a vassal state of Pontus. Although this status of Colchis did not last too long. Mithridates laid the blame of treason on his son and a year later, in 84 B.C., put him to death.
    Unfortunately, the details of father and son’s collisions are not known. Perhaps,  Mithridates Philopator Philadelphos really encouraged the Colchians to revolt while his anepigraphic emissions showed his “loyalty” to his father. He himself as the member of royal family should have been well acquainted with juridical nature and typology of anonymous copper emissions. The coins with eight-pointed star had been struck by Pontic kings’ viceroys before Mithridates VI Eupator. That is why the reverse of the Vani coins has a star, this is a compulsory companion of the whole anonymous series and is interpreted in scientific literature as Pontic kings’ dynastic emblem.
    However, what is the meaning of lotus on the reverse of the coins? What should it be connected to? As it is supposed, the statue of Demeter/Isis stood in the doorway of Vani/Surion. This was a protector deity of the city. Mithridates the Junior’s residence in Colchis could be Vani. Who or what could he depict on the reverse of the coin if not a protector of the city or her symbol?
    This is the logical chain which gives us an opportunity to prove the  possibility of coin issue in Vani.

Mint: Vani (?).

Nominal: Hemichalkon– the weights range from 0,8 to 1,1 gr., chalkos– the weights range from 1,2 to 2,1 gr.

Date: 85-84 B.C.

Collection: Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia – ex. GF. (Fund of Treasury, Numismatic Collection, Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia) №11114, etc.

Bibliography:
G. Dundua. Were the coins struck in Vani?  “Matsne”. Series of History, Archaeology, Ethnology and Art History. №2. Tb. 1974 (in Georg.); Coins from Vani. Vani III. Tb. 1977 (G. Lordkipanidze as co-author) (in Georg.); Money in Georgia (Georg. and Engl. parallel texts). Tb. 2003 (2nd Edition) (G. Dundua, N. Javakhishvili and A. Eristavi as co-authors); Georgian Numismatics. I. Tb. 2006 (T. Dundua as co-author) (in Georg.); Georgian Numismatic Dictionary. Tb. 2009. (I. Jalaghania as co-author) (in Georg.).

T. Dundua. Colchis, Iberia and the Kingdom of Pontus According to Numismatic Material. Tb. 1993 (in Georg.); Georgia and the West According to Numismatic Material. Vol. I-II. Tb. 1995. (in Georg.); The Revolt of the Colchians and Mithridates the Junior. Proceedings of Tbilisi State University (History, Archaeology, Art History, Ethnography). 321. Tb. 1996 (in Georg.).

Г. Ф. Дундуа. Денежное обращение центральной Колхиды в V-I вв. до н. э. (по материалам Ванского городища). Тб. 1983 (G. Lordkipanidze as co-author); Нумизматика античной Грузии. Тб. 1987.

T. Dundua. Georgia within the European Integration. Graeco-Roman World, Byzantine Commonwealth, Orthodox Alliance and the Georgians. Tb. 2013.

Imported coins found in Georgia:
    There are two regions in money circulation of Colchis in the 3rd-1st cc. B.C.: the coastal region and the hinterland. In the first case, as an example, coins from Dioscurias and the neighbouring territories are taken, whereas in the second one, mainly, coins from Vani.

Dioscurias and the neighbouring territories:

1.    During archaeological excavations in Eshera, the 3rd c. B.C. Sinopean hemidrachms were found: a) Obv. Head of Nymph Sinope; Rev. Eagle – 1 sample (identical coins were found in Pichvnari (3 samples), and Dapnari (1 sample)); b) Obv. Head of Nymph Sinope; Rev. Prow.
2.    In 1939 late 3rd c.-early 2nd c. B.C. Amisus’ siglos was found on the territory of the Sokhumi fortress.
3.    On the same territory was found one Roman republican denarius struck in 171-151 B.C.
4.    On the same territory was found one silver piece of Panticapaeum dated by the first half of the 2nd c. B.C. (Obv. Satyr; Rev. Cornucopia placed between two caps of the Dioscuri).
5.    In 1949 in Sokhumi, nearby the seaboard, the so-called “new style” Athenian tetradrachm (its emission began in Athens at the end of the 3rd c. B.C. (Obv. Athena’s head in helmet to the right, which is the copy of the work of the 5th c. B.C. Greek sculptor Phidias; Rev. Owl sitting on an amphora, date and name of the city, magistrates etc.)) was found dated by 130-129 B.C.
6.    Roman republican denarius struck in 99-94 B.C. in the name of Marcus Sergius Silus was found in Sokhumi.
7.    In 1942 tetrachalkon of Panticapaeum struck in 100-75 B.C. was found by chance on the territory of the Sokhumi fortress (Obv. Apollo; Rev. Scepter on a tripod).
8.    During archaeological excavations in Eshera, tetrachalkon and dichalkon of the times of Mithridates VI Eupator (dated by 111-105 B.C. or 105-90 B.C.) were discovered. One of them is struck in Amisus (Ares – sword).
9.    Another 7 copper coins (dated by 105-90 B.C. (Gorgon-Nike)) of the Pontic cities are found in the same territory. Although the coins are badly preserved, one of them is definitely struck in Amisus, and another, probably, in Amastris.
10.    In 1886 in Sokhumi during archaeological excavations copper coin struck in Amisus in 105-90 B.C. was found.
11.    Tetrachalkon was  found in Eshera in 1971 dated by the reign of Mithridates VI Eupator and struck in the city of Pharnacia (Tyche – Zeus).
12.    In 1972 in Eshera dichalkon was found of the same date struck in Neocaesarea (Obv. Dionysus’ head; Rev. Thyrsos).
13.    Tetrachalkon struck in Amisus in 80-70 B.C. was found in Eshera (Zeus – Eagle).
14.    In 1936 in the outskirts of Sokhumi, Mithridates VI Eupator’s two tetradrachms were found dated by 74 B.C.
15.    In the seaboard of Sokhumi Roman republican denarius was found dated by 87 B.C.
16.    On the territory of the Sokhumi fortress Roman republican denarius was found dated by 83 B.C.
17.    In Eshera Roman republican denarius was found struck in Sicily and dated by 49 B.C.
18.    In the outskirts of Sokhumi Roman republican denarius was found struck in 48 B.C.

Vani:

1.    Three copper coins of the 2nd-1st cc. B.C. (?)
2.    The so-called “new style” Athenian coins: a) drachm struck in 146/5 B.C.; b) tetradrachm dated by 125/4 B.C.
3.    Small-size silver coin, struck in Rhodes in 166-88 B.C. with the depiction of Helios and a rose. This is the only case of finding a Rhodean coin in Georgia.
4.    Drachms of the Cappadocian kings: a) Ariarathes VI (130-116 B.C.) – 1 sample; b) Ariarathes VII (116-101 B.C.) – 1 sample; c) Ariarathes IX (101-87 B.C.) – 2 samples; d) Ariobarzanes I (96-63 B.C.) – 3 samples.
5.    Roman republican denarii – 2 samples (one struck either in 119-110 B.C. or in 90-80 B.C., the other – 64 B.C.); quinarius (half denarius) – 1 sample, dated by 102 B.C.
6.    Copper coins of the Pontic cities struck in Mithridates VI Eupator’s reign:
a)    Dated by 111-105 B.C. Type: Ares – Sword; 1 sample;
b)    111-105 B.C. or 105-90 B.C. – 14 samples, type – identical. Amisus’ mint – 5 samples, undecipherable – 9 samples;
c)    105-90 B.C. – 1 sample. Type: Athena – Perseus, Amisus’ mint;
d)    105-90 B.C. Type: Gorgon – Nike, Amisus – 7 samples, Amastris – 3 samples, unidentified mint – 14 samples. Altogether 24 samples;
e)    90-80 B.C. – 1 sample. Type: Dionysus – cista (sacrificial chest); Amisus;
f)    80-70 B.C. – 5 samples. Type: Zeus – Eagle, Amisus – 2 samples, unidentified mint – 3 samples;
g)    Badly preserved copper coins, but, undoubtedly struck in the Pontic cities during the reign of Mithridates VI – 9 samples.
Thus, there are 55 samples, out of which: 47 samples – tetrachalkon; 6 samples – dichalkon; 1 – obol (nominal of copper coins).
7.    Mithridates VI Eupator’s tetradrachm dated by 74-3 B.C. Obv. Mithridates Eupator’s head with hair loose to the right (his face resembling Alexander the Great’s); Rev. Grazing deer to the left. Above the deer the emblem of the Mithridatic dynasty – crescent and a star. Inscription – BΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΙΘΡΑΔΑΤΟΥ ΕΥΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ – “of king Mithridates Eupator”, date and monogrammes.
8.    Another tetradrachm of Mithridates VI Eupator was found during Vani archaeological excavations. The only difference is the depiction of a winged Pegasus on the reverse.
9.    Parthian drachms: Sinatruces (77-70 B.C.) – 1 sample; Orodes II (57-38/7 B.C.) – 1 sample.
10.    Cistophorus (large-size silver coin. It owes its name to a figure on its reverse: cista) struck in Pergamon in 50-49 B.C.

Other parts of the hinterland:

11.    In 1914 in Zugdidi District, tetradrachm of the Armenian king Tigranes II (95-55 B.C.) was found by chance.
12.    In the vicinity of Chiatura a tetradrachm (struck in Antioch in 83-69 B.C.) of  Tigranes II was found.
13.    In 1930 in the Ghumuri village of the Gali District three silver coins were found by chance. According to A. Zograff, one of them, denarius of Titus Carizius, was struck in 45 B.C.
14.    In 1897 in the Sazodelavo village, Senaki District, the 1st c. B.C. hoard of 23 Roman denarii was found by chance.