ELIS, Olympia. 108th Olympiad. 348 BC. AR Stater (23mm, 11.64 g, 12h). Good VF.

CNG Feature Auction 132
Lot: 312. Estimated: $ 5 000

Greek, 12h, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 10 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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ELIS, Olympia. 108th Olympiad. 348 BC. AR Stater (23mm, 11.64 g, 12h). Head of Hera right, wearing stephanos ornamented with three palmettes connected by tendrils at their base; F-[A] flanking neck / Eagle standing left within olive wreath. Seltman, Temple 327 (dies FB/ιη); BCD Olympia 149 (same dies); HGC 5, 382. Toned, flan crack, cleaning scratches, marks, roughness. Good VF. Struck from dies of elegant style. Extremely rare. Only two known to Seltman. Lot includes an old collector’s ticket in Greek.

From the Thomas Palmer Collection, purchased from Atlantis.

Located on the northwest corner of the Peloponnesos, the sacred shrine of Olympia became established as the site of the most important Greek festival of athletics in the eighth century BC. The first Olympic Games were held in 776 BC, consisting solely of a foot race, or stadion, won in that year by Koroibus of Elis. As time went on, more events were added, including wrestling, boxing, long jump, javelin, discus, and chariot races. The contests became so important that Greek cities at war would declare a temporary truce to allow athletes to cross their lines. Soon a permanent complex was built to house the games, and a magnificent temple of Zeus containing a statue ranked as one of the Seven Wonders of the World was completed in 463 BC. The first coins of Olympia date to the games of 468 BC, and new types were issued at four year intervals (to coincide with the games) thereafter. Three basic types were struck, depicting a head of Zeus, his wife Hera, or an eagle, Zeus’ animal avatar; it is likely that different workshops of the mint struck each type. The exceedingly rare example offered here is from the Hera mint and is dated to the 108th Olympiad, circa 348 BC, a time of great ferment in the Greek world. The Macedonian king Philip II, who was beginning to pull the other Greek city-states under his control, is actually recorded that year as the winner of the Synoris, or chariot race.

The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 132 lots will be determined at the live online sale that will be held on 18-19 May 2026.

CNG Feature Auction 132 – Session One – Lot 1-318 will be held Monday morning, 18 May 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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