It's been awhile since I've seen a bee thread. So here goes... Ionia, Ephesos AR Drachm. Circa 202-150 BC. Adaios, magistrate. Bee with straight wings; E-Φ across fields / Stag standing right before palm tree; AΔAIOΣ downwards to right. Kinns, Attic p. 84; SNG Copenhagen -; SNG von Aulock -. 4.12g, 19mm, 12h.
Nice one, JBG. Most people think "bee" when they see this type, but for me it's "venison rump roast" everytime.
Perhaps we underestimate the thrill of bee products to people that had no five pound bags of refined sugar in everthing they ate. Of the bee types, the one shown here is probably the best to my eyes. There are older, larger and more rare ones but the deer combination makes a nice coin.
My only bees: Ephesos, Ionia, 4th-3rd BC AE, 1.08g, 11mm; 12h Obv.: Turreted female head left, Artemis Rev.: [E-Φ] (mostly off flan, hints of the letters); bee with straight wings Ephesos, Ionia, BC 280-258 AE, .42g, 7mm; 7h Obv.: Bee Rev.: Stag head right
I wish I had one even near as nice as the OP coin. I only have a poor bronze example, and it took me quite some time to get it. EPHESOS, IONIA AE11 OBVERSE: E-F, bee REVERSE: Forepart of stag recumbent right, head left Sturck at Ephesos, ca 387-289 BC 11mm, 1.63 g SNGCop 244
Nice apiary, everyone! I bought a bee a month or so ago but haven't posted it. Tonight I'll work on the writeup and also add it to this thread
Oh, I do have another bee! I picked it up this weekend at CICF. I've wanted an ancient coin pendant for longer than I've been collecting ancients. I couldn't bring myself to turn one of my coins into a pendant though. Since this drachm was already set, I don't have to feel guilty. It's a very nice drachm of Philip III, struck in Sardes. There is a little bee control mark on the reverse, looking more like a space shuttle than a bee KINGS OF MACEDONIA, Philip III Arrhidaios AR drachm, Sardes; struck c. 322-319/8 BCE mounted in 14k pendant Obv: head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress Rev: ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ; Zeus Aetophoros seated left; TI above bee Ref: Price P97
My wife and I are Beekeepers. So I got one of these. and I got her one too (but she is not a collector) IONIA, Ephesos. Circa 335-320 BC. AR Hemidrachm, Obv: Bee, Eta-Phi Rev: Incuse square, TIMESIANAX IONIA, Ephesos Ca 340 BCE AR Obol Obv: Bee Rev: Opposing Stags, Eta-Phi
It's a good thing you pointed it out. Otherwise I would not have seen it as a ee. But now, it's plain as day.
My Alexander drachm has the bee under the throne. The small AE is ordinary but has a tiny countermark making it unusual. I'm not sure what the mark is....bird???
