Æ20 - Valerian and Gallienus ΕΦΕϹΙΩΝ Γ ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ

Ephesus held the title of neokoros — warden of the imperial cult temple — multiple times, and the Γ (gamma) designation on this issue records a third such wardenship, a civic honor aggressively competed for among the great cities of Asia Minor. During the joint reign of Valerian and Gallienus, Ephesus was still maneuvering politically while the empire fractured around it; Valerian's capture by Shapur I at Edessa in 260 effectively ended this provincial coinage series, making issues from the final years of the period rarer than earlier strikes.