Lot 11

Elis, Olympia, AR Stater, Zeus mint, 108th Olympiad (348 BC), 12.08g.

Ancient and British coins, featuring The Imperator Collection of Greek and Roman coins - Auction 133 | C26008

Auction: 23 November 2026, 10:30 GMT

Estimate: £8,000 - £12,000

Description

Laureate head of Zeus right. Rev. Eagle with closed wings standing right on Ionic column capital, F-A across fields. (BCD Olympia 136 (this coin); Seltman 196-8 var. (dies CM/-; unlisted reverse die); SNG Copenhagen -; Pozzi 1865 (same obverse die). Extremely Fine. Excellent style. Pleasing cabinet tone with iridescent highlights.

Foreign money was not accepted in Olympia, meaning that visitors would have to exchange their cash for these special issues, to spend during the games or take back with them. This served as a substantial source of revenue for the city, and funded the games. Coins of Zeus were modelled after the great statue, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. This stater bears a superb provenance, having been part of the Johns Hopkins University Collection, and is one of the truly important coins of antiquity.

Footnote

Ex. Classical Numismatic Group, Auction 87 (18/05/2011) lot #480; Ex. Classical Numismatic Group, Auction 70 (21/09/2005) lot #196; Ex. BCD Collection, Leu Numismatik AG, Auction 90 (10/05/2004) lot #136; Ex. Johns Hopkins University Collection, Bank Leu - Numismatic Fine Arts (16/10/1984) lot #226; Ex. John Work Garrett Collection, privately purchased from C. J. Seltman, 08/11/1926; Ex. Naville & Cie., Auction X (15/06/1925) lot #595.

Elis, Olympia, AR Stater, Zeus mint, 108th Olympiad (348 BC), 12.08g.