Sale: Triton XIII, Lot: 3. Estimate $1500.  Closing Date: Monday, 4 January 2010.  Sold For $1600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CELTIC, Northwest Gaul. Carnutes. Pixtilos. Circa 50-30 BC. Æ 17mm (4.45 g, 5h). Draped bust left, wearing crested helmet; PIXTILOS before, pellet-in-annulet between two annulets above, uncertain object behind / Lion springing left; PIXTILOS before, pellet-in-annulets above, ornament below. Scheers, Pixtilos 20; D&T 2473 (same dies as illustration); Depeyrot, NC V, 91; CCCBM III 119. Superb EF, dark green patina.

The historical figure of Pixtilos is unknown except for this series of coinage. S. Scheers wrote the definitive article on these coins (S. Scheers. "Les monnayage post-césarien des années 40-30 av. J.-C.: les monnaies a la légende PIXTILOS" in RN 1979), in which she identified 10 varieties and ascribed them to the Carnutes tribe, circa 50-30 BC. All of the types in the series show Roman influences, and reflect the good relations between the tribe and Rome during this period. It is most likely that Pixtilos was a local chieftain in the tribe.