Unpublished and Unique Ephesos Drachm

Sale: CNG 75, Lot: 360. Estimate $300.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 23 May 2007.  Sold For $1700. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

IONIA, Ephesos. Circa 550-500 BC. AR Drachm (3.32 g). Bee / Double incuse square punch. Cf. Karwiese series III, otherwise unpublished. Good VF, light porosity. Apparently unique.

The bee on this early drachm is clearly that found in Karwiese’s series III, particularly the electrum issues. Karwiese did not know of any drachms for this period. Also of interest is the reverse, which was struck twice by the same punch. No other coin in the Ephesos series has this feature.