Finally got a bee!

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Milo W, Jan 25, 2025.

  1. Milo W

    Milo W Active Member

    Bronze coin from Ephesus, lonia, 4th-3rd Century BC

    I finally found an Ephesus Bee! This has been one of my dream coins for a while - it's not silver, but I'm ok with that! I have a soft spot for small bronze coins anyways. This type of coin has become incredibly popular over the last few years. Understandable, it's a truly lovely design!

    IMG_3458.jpeg
    Reverse: E-Φ, Bee with straight wings
    IMG_3463.jpeg
    Obverse: Turreted female head left (I think!)
    Untitled408_20250122115037.jpeg
     
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  3. -monolith-

    -monolith- Supporter! Supporter

    Very nice.
     
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  4. Tall Paul

    Tall Paul Supporter! Supporter

    Very nice and congratulations on realizing a dream. One of the suites in my collection is coins with bees and/or beehives. The suite consists primarily of Conder tokens and Civil War tokens but there are also some beautiful French Jetons and a silver Ephesus Bee with a stag on the reverse. It's one my favorite coins.

    Again, congratulations.
     
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  5. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    Neat. I once got several of them in an uncleaned bronze lot.
     
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  6. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    Not quite as ancient (I don't have any of the little "bee" bronzes anymore), but following along with the "Ephesus" theme...

    [​IMG]

     
  7. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

  8. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    Yeah, the ones I found in that uncleaned lot were the "bee and stag" type.
     
  9. nerosmyfavorite68

    nerosmyfavorite68 Well-Known Member

    Cool. I don't have any of these but I seem to recall Alex Malloy having a quantity in his catalog, back in the 90's.
     
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  10. Milo W

    Milo W Active Member

    Thats awesome! Bees are a really fun area of numismatics lol
     
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  11. Milo W

    Milo W Active Member

    That's a stunner! I got to handle a similar coin at Baldwins a while back. Ephesus knew how to make a nice coin.
     
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  12. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    I am a Beekeeper, trained in NC where the mountain flowers make for fantastic honey! I grew up in the Midwest where we thought clover honey was good... The mountain flowers are incredible for honey.

    Bee with 2 opposing stags:

    upload_2025-1-26_17-0-42.png
    Iona-Ephesos
    AR Obol Bee
    opposing stag heads
    340 BCE
    Seaby


    Bee with Magistrate name

    upload_2025-1-26_17-4-6.png
    Iona-Ephesos
    AR Hemi-Drachm-TriObol
    Bee -
    Incuse Sq TIMESIANAX
    335-320 BCE
    Seaby 4368
     
  13. Milo W

    Milo W Active Member

    That bee with the magistrate is lovely! I’m from N.C. so I can second your claim.
     
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  14. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    I used to live in Black Mountain, NC, where the local sourwood honey was a big deal. So much so, in fact, that Black Mountain has an annual Sourwood Festival centered around it.
     
  15. Tall Paul

    Tall Paul Supporter! Supporter

    I was once a beekeeper and when we overwintered NY hives in SC we always placed some hives in the Francis Marion Forest just for the Tupelo honey. In my cupboards I have some honey from Pitcairn Island.
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2025
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  16. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    10 years in Pfafftown, NC. Really enjoyed living there!
     
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  17. mrweaseluv

    mrweaseluv Supporter! Supporter

    Very nice Bee!
    I'm not big on ancients.. only have a few low grade examples, but one of the lil Bee's have been on my want list for some time.. just have yet to find one I like for the price lol :D I've seen a few posted here and they have caught my interest now you got me thinkin about em again (why do I know this is gonna cost me lol)
     
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  18. Milo W

    Milo W Active Member

    18 years in Winston for me lol. It is a really lovely state.
     
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  19. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Agreed! Very much enjoyed the W-S area. Could be in the mountains or the coast within a few hours.

    Also spent 10 years in TN, a few years in AR, and a few years in FL. Gotta real reckoning when I moved to northern WI…lol a bit “chilly” in their winters. Experienced a -50 below temp, which is about the same temp in F and C thermometers.
     
  20. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Thank you.
     
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