ARVERNES Clermont-Ferrand region Late 1st third of the 1st c - Lot 28

ARVERNES Clermont-Ferrand region Late 1st third of the 1st century and Gallic War 120 - 60 Beardless head to left, curly hair. R/. Free galloping horse to left. Above, recumbent S-shaped spiral and below, amphora. ♦ DT 3571; LT 3745 Gold statère "à l'amphore". (7.26 g) Vercingetorix type. *Pionsat treasure. Rare. Very fine. *Pionsat treasure. This treasure trove of Arverne staters was discovered in 1852 in the commune of Pionsat in the Puy-de-Dôme department. The treasure was buried just a few kilometers from the Combraille open-pit gold mines. At the time of its discovery in 1852, it was said to contain between 200 and 300 statères, most of which were quickly dispersed. Today, only 51 examples are known to exist in public and private collections. Twenty-one of these are held in the Cabinet des Médailles of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. A copy bearing the name of Vercingetorix is kept at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Lyon. This treasure trove is the most important source of information on Arverne coinage, and especially on the staters attributed to Vercingetorix.