Bought this Artemis budget bee for a song, despite it's size and off center reverse I like the dark green patina. Please show your bees
Nice addition @Andres2! I got this miniature piece of art: Ionia, Ephesos. AR Hemitetartemorion (?), circa 500-420 BC. Obverse: Bee. Reverse: Head of an eagle to right within incuse square. Reference: Karwiese Series IV, Type 1. SNG Kayhan 130. 0.12g; 8mm
I've got only 2 bees. First the ancient: Ephesos, Ionia 280-258 BC AE16 Magistrate Apollonides Obverse: E-Φ to left and right of bee Reverse: Stag grazing right, quiver above. 1927 Italy 10 Centesimi
Another coin that I first saw on CT and decided to add an example in my collection. Quite happy with it! Ionia. Ephesos circa 500-420 BC. Diobol AR 11 mm., 0,92 g Karwiese Series VI, 2A; SNG Kayhan 124 Fun fact about the 10 c Italy coin presented by @furryfrog02 - I have at least 10 examples in my albums, but I never noticed the actual bee. Embarrassing
IONIA, Ephesus AR Tetradrachm 4th Century B.C. 14.64 gram, 24 mm Obv: Bee with straight wings E to left and Φ to right. Rev: Forepart of stag r. looking l. with palm tree to left. ΠАPθENIOΣ to right. Grade: EF toned with great strike. Other: E-Φ Bee purchased in an NGC slab From private sale 7/17.
My first Ephesus bee, from earlier this year: Ionia, Ephesos Æ 14 Python, Magistrate (c. 48-27 B.C.) E-Φ, Bee with straight wings, within laurel wreath / ΠYΘΩN beneath stag standing right, head turned left, torch in background. SNG Cop 347; SNG Tuebingen 2805; SNG von Aulock 1873; (3.25 grams / 14 x 12 mm)
Ah, nice! Ephesos bees are beautiful coins but not the easiest to get especially in better condition. Here is my one and only example, a cute little drachm:
@Collect89, the tetradrachm you've show above is simply fantastic. That's a coin to dream of! Here is my own humble bee: Ionia, Ephesos, AE13, ca. 387–280 BC. Obv: bee, ethnic E–Φ. Rev: stag l., head turned r. 13mm, 1.84g. SNG von Aulock 1838; BMC 67.
The color of that coin is pretty extraordinary. Is that silver toning, an artifact of the photography, or is there some other explanation?
The ancients were not dumb, they realized that bees are essential for pollinating agriculture which was why they were rather well regarded in representation on coins, this one is from Chersonesos.
Ionia/Ephesus4 Asia Minor, Greek; Silver 44 ar diobol; Ephesus mint, 390 BC, g, mm; Obv: Bee, with straight wings, dividing E---0.. Rev: E0 above two stag's heads confronted. Ref: GCVSII #4375.
Ionia/Ephesus 2 Asia Minor, Greek; Bronze 20 ae10; Ephesus mint, 280 BC, 1.21 g, 9.92 mm; Obv: Turreted head of Artemis left. Rev: Bee, E---0 in upper field. Ref: GCVSII #4409; ABCAM #454. Grade: VF
I wish to get a bee tetradrachm from Ephesos one day. It shall join this nice drachm on unusual flan. Ephesus, drachm, AR 3.37 g. Bee seen from above. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square. SNG Kayhan 121. Rosen 571.
Ionia/Ephesus3 Asia Minor, Greek; Bronze 35 ae18; Ephesus mint, 280 BC, 2.71 g, 16.67 mm; Obv: Bee, E---0 in upper field, all within laurel-wreath.. Rev: Stag grazing r., quiver above.. Ref: GCVSII #4406; ABCAM #452; SNG COP269.
