Obverse: Head of Hera in profile, facing to the right. She wears a stephane, or crown, decorated with palmettes and lillies with loose locks of hair falling below. Reverse: a fiery thunderbolt within an elaborate olive wreath. Inscribed flanking the thunderbolt: Ϝ [digamma] and A [alpha], an abbreviation of ϜΑΛΕΙΟΝ, an archaic spelling meaning "of the Eleians."
Minted at Olympia in a mint associated with the Temple of Hera, under the authority of Elis.
Interested in Natural history?
Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.