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Lansky Auction 3 5 Jan 2021
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Ionia. Ephesos. 350-340 BC. AR Tetradrachm (15.21g, 12h). Pixodaros Group G; SNG von Aulock 1829. Old cabinet tone. Well-centered. Good very fine. From a private collection; Triton 2004 (7) lot 230
From almost the very beginning of the history of coinage the Greeks made coins depicting animals symbolic of their city. Ephesos used the bee on coins since it was a producer of honey, its most famous product. It was also mythologically connected to Ephesos because, according to Philostratos, the colonizing Athenians were led to Ephesos and Ionia by the Muses who took the form of bees.
From almost the very beginning of the history of coinage the Greeks made coins depicting animals symbolic of their city. Ephesos used the bee on coins since it was a producer of honey, its most famous product. It was also mythologically connected to Ephesos because, according to Philostratos, the colonizing Athenians were led to Ephesos and Ionia by the Muses who took the form of bees.