Bold Portrayal of the Olympian Zeus

Sale: CNG 82, Lot: 547. Estimate $10000.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 16 September 2009.  Sold For $8000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ELIS, Olympia. 128th-132nd Olympiad. 268-252 BC. AR Stater (11.92 g, 6h). Laureate head of Zeus right; AP below neck / Eagle with closed wings standing right; vertical thunderbolt to right. Seltman, Temple 234 (dies DD/ζo); BCD Olympia 219 (this coin). Near EF, attractively toned. Bold portrayal of Zeus.

Ex BCD Collection (Leu 90, 10 May 2004), lot 219; Hess 253 (8 March 1982), lot 292.

Named for its inhabitants, the Eleans, Elis was a district located in the western Peloponnese, border by Achaea to the northeast, Arkadia to the east, and Messenia to the south. Though the city of Elis itself was one of the largest classical cities in the Peloponnese, Olympia was its most important site. The home of the Olympic festival, traditionally dated to 776 BC, Elis was also the home of the judges of these games, the Hellanodikai. In order to support the volume of visitors which the games attracted, mints were established specifically for the striking of a uniform coinage which could serve as the medium of exchange throughout the ceremonies. The first of these two mints was located at the Temple of Zeus, and began striking coins for the 78th Olympiad of 468 BC. This was followed by the addition of a second mint at the Temple of Hera circa 421/0 BC.