Triton XVII, Lot: 437. Estimate $750. Sold for $1100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

GAUL, Northeast. Ambiani. Circa 100-50 BC. AV Stater (16mm, 6.21 g). Gallo-Belgic E. Gallic Wars issue. Plain bulge / Large disjointed horse right; ornaments around. D&T 238; Depeyrot, NC VI, 161; Scheers series 24, class II; De la Tour 8710; Van Arsdell 54-1; SCBC 11. EF, toned. Well centered reverse.

Ex David Cassel Collection (Goldberg 47, 25 May 2008), lot 1214.

As their name implies, Gallic War staters were issued to fund the fight against Julius Caesar in Gaul. Two explanations for the blank obverse have been suggested: firstly, to signify that the coins were minted by a coalition of tribes – ‘headless’ in other words – and, secondly, to speed up the production process, because the coins were often made in a hurry. The latter rationale seems to be more plausible.