CENTRAL EUROPE. Helvetii. Viros, circa 75/50-25 BC. Quinarius (Silver, 13 mm, 1.53 g, 3 h). VIROS Celticized male bust to left, wearing torque with four pendants; staff surmounted by torque protruding from head. Rev. Horse springing left; above, carnyx to right; below, round shield decorated with a star of six rays. DT -. Frey-Kupper, Viros, Fig. 52. LT -. Nick p. 70, ill. 58, 6. SLM 875. Extremely rare and of great historical importance. The reverse struck somewhat off center, otherwise, very fine.

Frey-Kupper reads the obverse legend of this highly interesting issue as VIROS, Celtic 'uiros', which translates as 'man', but certainly is, as she points out, the name of an otherwise unknown local nobleman or moneyer. The Viros-quinarii are closely connected to those in the name of Vatico, with which they share a recorded find spot in Avenches, while three other examples came to light in the vicinity of the oppidum in Altenburg-Rheinau, some 25 kilometers north of Zurich. With only about fifteen examples recorded by Frey-Kupper, the quinarius in the name of Viros is one of the great rarities in the coinage of the Helvetii, and it is one of the earliest coins ever produced in Switzerland.