The honey bee has been a part of the Human Diet since the Dawn of the times. Long before people developed agriculture and lived in settled communities, honey gathered from the hives of wild bees was valued as a precious, almost magical commodity. The honeybee is native to the lands in the continent of Asia.

Images of the bee as a symbol appear very early in the development of ancient Greek coinage. The high priest of the temple was known as the “king bee”. There are nearly a thousand different known types of bee-and-stag coins from Ephesus. One of the earliest known examples, a rare electrum hemistater dated to c. 550 BCE brought. By the fourth century BCE, Ephesian die-cutters, growing in skill and confidence, were engraving far more “realistic” bees.

The above Silver tetradrachm was issued during 350 BC. The obverse depicts a well-executed bee in the center with the Greek letters E and theta on the either side. The Reverse, on the other hand, forepart of stag facing right with its head turned to look back. A palm tree is in the left field and magistrate’s name in the right field.

Image Courtesy: coinweek.com