Glass Coin of Ephesos Key Ring (Teal Tone)

This keyring is adorned with a handcrafted glass coin, by Michael Michaud, featuring an ancient coin design from the Museum's collection. Made exclusively for the Getty, these vibrant tones showcase the original art object's artistic quality.

- Dimensions: 3 1/2 inches L x 1 1/4 inches W
- Materials: Glass, 24K gold plate, brass
- Made in the USA
- Item #: 137B

This silver tetradrachm (four-drachma coin) is stamped on the obverse with a bee within a dotted border, with the Greek letters ‘epsilon’ and ‘phi’, to either side.

The bee, stag, and palm are all emblems of Ephesos, a Greek city on the west coast of Turkey. This city was an important center of worship for the Greek goddess Artemis, and the images on Ephesian coinage typically promote this association.

The bee was originally the symbol of an early Anatolian goddess who the Greeks later identified with their goddess, Artemis; so close was the connection that the priestesses of the goddess were called "honey bees." The two Greek letters ‘epsilon’ ‘phi,’ are an abbreviation for Ephesos.

Coin (tetradrachm) of Ephesos
East Greek (Ephesian), Ionia, 390-380 BCE
Silver
27 mm
80.NH.152.62