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Unknown Maker, Greek

Stater coin
Now On View

Maker

Unknown Maker, Greek

Culture

Greek

Title

Stater coin

Year

ca. 421-365 BCE

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

silver

Geography

Mint: Elis

Dimensions

Weight: 11.8 g (11.8 g)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Museum Appropriation Fund

Object Number

40.015.5

Type

Publications

Exhibition History

Ancient Greek and Roman Galleries
Sep 22, 2010

Label copy

In the 5th and 4th centuries BCE, the city of Elis hosted the Olympic Games. These games were highly profitable for the Eleians, and at the end of each festival they had an excess of silver that they used to mint their own coinage. This coin features a realistically rendered eagle head and a winged thunderbolt. These symbols are attributes of the father god Zeus, who is rarely depicted on coinage. This unique choice of symbols of Zeus was appropriate for the city hosting the games honoring the gods.

Image use

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Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Greek
Stater coin, ca. 421-365 BCE
Silver
Weight: 11.8 g (11.8 g)
Museum Appropriation Fund 40.015.5

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