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Stater - 105th Olympiad
| Issuer | Olympia |
|---|---|
| Year | 360 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Laureate head of Zeus facing left, rendered in fine high relief with masterful Classical Greek artistry. The god is depicted with a full, flowing beard rendered in detailed wavy locks, and long hair falling behind the neck in similarly naturalistic waves. A prominent olive or laurel wreath crowns the head, its leaves and berries finely engraved. The facial features are idealized and powerful, conveying divine majesty characteristic of the Elis mint's finest fifth-to-fourth century coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The sanctuary at Olympia held the rare privilege of issuing coinage tied directly to the quadrennial games, and staters attributed to the 105th Olympiad — held in 360 BC — belong to a series produced under Elean administration, which controlled the sanctuary throughout this period. Elis had managed the games since at least the 8th century, a monopoly interrupted briefly after the Spartan-backed seizure of 399 BC but restored by the mid-4th century.
These staters circulated primarily as prize and festival currency, not everyday coinage. The Boston MFA example (acc. 1211) is among the better-documented specimens of this specific Olympiad attribution.