★ An interesting tessera from Ephesus ★

IONIA. Ephesus. Pseudo-autonomous issue. Tessera (Bronze, 21 mm, 3.60 g, 11 h), circa 1st century AD. KHΡIΛIΣ ΩΔE ΠΡOΣ ΠAΛΥΡIN Bee. Rev. Stag kneeling left, head turned to right; to left and right, ΕΦ; in exergue, CKωΠΙ. SNG Copenhagen 355. SNG von Aulock 1875. Rare and unusually attractive. Somewhat smoothed and with minor areas of flatness, otherwise, very fine.

These small bronze tesserae from Ephesos are something of an enigma. While they are struck from good dies, the Greek legend is unintelligible, and probably had a mystical meaning connected to the cult of Artemis.