§ OF THE METHOD OF DATING COINS.

Dates are not found on Greek coins before the age of Alexander the Great, and even after his time they are of rare occurrence, except on certain Asiatic series and on the money of Egypt. They are usually placed either in the field or the exergue of the coin.

UnitsA.B.Γ.Δ.E.ς.Ζ.H.Θ.
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.
Tens.I.Κ.Λ.Μ.Ν.Ξ.Ο.Π.κοππα
10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.90.
Hundreds. P.Σ.Τ.Υ.Φ.Χ.Ψ.Ω.σαμπι
100.200.300.400.500.600.700.800.900.

They are sometimes preceded by the word ΕΤΟΥΣ, thus, ΕΤΟΥΣ ΡΚΔ = Anno 124. On the coinage of Egypt, both under the Ptolemies and under the Roman Emperors, the character [L] is used instead of the word ΕΤΟΥΣ, thus, ΛΓ = Anno 33. This character was probably an ancient Egyptian symbol meaning year, adopted into the Greek system of numeration for the sake of brevity. The following are a few of the many epochs or æras according to which coins are dated:—