A silver obol of Ephesus dated to 550–500 BC belongs to the earliest monetary issues of this Ionian center in the late Archaic period.
Ephesus was one of the most important cities of western Asia Minor, a major commercial and religious hub, renowned above all for the monumental Artemision.
The development of coinage at Ephesus in the 6th century BC forms part of the broader process of the spread of struck silver coinage in the Ionian world.
The obverse depicts a bee, a motif closely associated with the cult of Artemis of Ephesus.
Greece
Ionia, Ephesos, Obol, 550-500 BC
Obverse: bee
Reverse: incuse punch
Diameter 8 mm, weight 0.47 g
