Ephesos — Cistophoric Tetradrachm, Serpents & Bow Case

Struck at Ephesos, one of the great cistophoric mints of western Asia Minor, circa 180-67 BC. The cistophorus was introduced in the Attalid kingdom of Pergamon in the second century BC and stayed the standard silver coinage of the region long after Rome inherited the province in 133 BC. Ephesos struck them in quantity, and this is the classic civic type.

The obverse shows the cista mystica, the sacred basket of the Dionysiac mysteries, with a serpent sliding out from under its half-open lid, all within a wreath of ivy. On the reverse a bow-case stands between two coiled serpents. The lit torch at right is the badge of Ephesos, and a monogram sits in the left field. Good metal with an even old tone.

Attribution: SNG von Aulock 1863

Mint: Ephesos

Weight: 12.52 g

Diameter: 25 mm

Catalogued in the NumisLens cabinet — NL-086F8-1K88N

Combined shipping: buy more than one coin and the rest ship free in the same package.

Attributions are my own, made from the references listed. Ancient coins are not always

straightforward, and a reference can turn out to be wrong or open to argument, so please

study the photographs. They are part of the description, and if you read the coin

differently I would like to know.