The images for the coins of Olympia were cut by the most capable die cutters of the time. This can clearly be seen on the reverse of this coin: the eagle is of great elegance and so lifelike that one means to hear the whoosh of his large wings. The statue on the obverse represents Zeus, in whose temple the coin was struck.
On the obverse, the lower end of this stater is countermarked. The people of Elis were enterprising people and gave out new coins for every Olympiad – every four years thus. Only the latest coins were allowed as legal tender in Olympia. Old coins could only remain in circulation when they had been revaluated, which was indicated with the countermark.