The First and Second Mithridatic Wars were preceded with heavy minting. However, after the second war all minting ceased. During the wars between Rome and Pontus Mithridates VI funded his military campaigns by introducing new materials for coinage. Copper and brass coinage appeared as new financial sources for the Pontic state. Romans later exploited, during monetary reforms of Augustus in 23 BC, the wide circulation of these new forms of currency. Both materials are useful for overvalued coinage. Pure copper coinage may have been meant to partly substitute silver coinage. It is also possible that copper coins were meant for use in the region of Cimmerian Bosporus.