The association of
monograms with
Bactrian mints originates with Mitchiner's 1975
work Indo-Greek and Indo-Scythian Coinage. This
work was the first comprehensive
catalogue of Greco-Bactrian coinage, but the
mint attributions were based on nothing more than
Mitchiner's conjecture, associating
monograms and inferring city names in them, unsupported by archaeological, or other hard evidence. This aspect of
Mitchiner's
work has fallen into disrepute and modern studies, including
coin hoards from Ai Khanoum and other sites indicate there is no substance to
his conjecture regarding
mint and workshop attributions.
That said debate rages regarding possible mints particularly between coins attributed to Bactra/Balkh by
Bopearachchi versus Ai Khanoum of
Holt, Kritt, and
Houghton and Lorber. Ai Khanoum was unknown to
Mitchiner, the publication of the archaeological excavations post-dating
his work, so it does not even figure in
his mint attributions. Yet the evidence for a
mint at Ai Khanoum is compelling in my opinion. By the same token there is absolutely no archeological evidence found to date of Greek age archaeological remains at Bactra/Balk so the idea of a Greco-Bactrian
mint at this city remains conjectural. As for the other mints you note the basis is even more speculative.
Start with the articles in the bibliography attached to this paper if you want to start to understand the issues involved ...
https://www.academia.edu/4429886/When_Did_the_Greeks_Abandon_Ai_KhanoumFrank
Holt's books and articles on the subject are recommended ...
https://uh.academia.edu/frankholtAlso refer ...
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=102790.0
