Mass analyses of coins of ancient Greek states of the Black Sea Coast, Asia Minor and Northern Africa were carried out by means of two independent nondestructive and fast analytic methods: X-ray fluorescent spectroscopy and electrical conductivity measurements.

Unparalleled fact of minting coins of the particular type, the so-called Bosporan anonymous obols, of "pure" copper was confirmed for a great amount of speciments.

Silver and bronze coins were issued in Bosporos during the initial Mithradatic period. Then cardinal changes in coinage happened, which must be connected with Mithridates' son as satrap of Bosporos and with a turn of Mithridates' policy from philhellenic course of granting democratic liberties to oriental despotic ways in regard to North Pontic towns. Anonymous Bosporan obols began to be issued in Bosporos after the establishment of satrap power (88/89 ВС). They could have replaced silver coins, which ceased to be issued in Bosporos at that very time. Bosporan anonymous obols were overvalued, they were coins of conventional value, therefore it was necessary to strike them of an unknown before coinage material: "pure" copper.

Some specimens of two other types of coins, also struck of "pure" copper, were discovered among the coins of Asia Minor of Hellenistic time: the so-called Pontic anonymous obols with a head in leather helmet and an eight-rays star and the obols of Amisus, Chabacta and Dia of "Perseus/Pagasus" type.

The first mass production of articles of brass (zinc-copper alloy) in ancient Greek states were coins. The earliest articles issued are coins of the types "Dionysus/cista" of Amisus and Dia and "ahead in wolf skin/Nike" of Amisus. Some centers in Mysia and Phrygia also began to issue coins of brass since the second decade of the 1st с. SUN onwards. It is necessary to associate this phenomena with the expansion of Mithradates VI in Asia Minor. From the very beginning the use of new alloys ("pure" copper and brass alongside with bronze) was absolutely deliberate and premeditated in character. Only coins of some certain types were struck of these materials; mixed alloys were not used for striking coins of the same type. Among the possible objects pursued, one could mention the desire to issue coins of considerable value and of acceptable small size. Such coins of conventional value could possibly substitute silver coins at least for inner market circulation.

The introduction of new copper-base alloys into coinage coincides with epoch of Mithradatic wars with Rome, and was dictated by the necessity of searching additional financial sources for preparing wide-scale military operations, and also for the organization of provincal coinage in the expanded Pontic state. The beginning of minting coins from brass and "pure" copper meant a definite stage on the way to issuing money of conventional value, which could bring a great benefit to the government.

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