The Perino Clovis	by John Booth
Central States Archaeological Societies 2026 January Journal	Norcross, Georgia

This issue of the Central States Archaeological 2026 January Journal can be purchased on-line after March 2027

At top: Figure 1. Two views of the Perino Clovis point (Perino #1236),. It was found by Gregory Perino in the edge of the Mississippi River Valley on a low bluff in St. Clair County, Illinois. It measures 4” x 1 3/8”. It is made from Burlington chert

On Saturday, 3-May-2025, I was driving back from Navarre Beach Florida with my wife when my cell phone rang. I did not recognize the number, but the area code was from Oklahoma and I have lots of friends and family there, so I answered the phone. It was Mr. Robert Perino and he said he had decided to sell the Clovis point that his father, Gregory Perino had found. I told him I was driving back to Georgia from Florida, but I would drive to Oklahoma on Sunday and could stop by his house on Monday afternoon. He agreed and we had a plan in place.
Background

In 2024, I was visiting with Steven Cooper regarding the Who’s Who in Indian Relics #13 spread I was envisioning. Some 20+ years ago I had the opportunity visit with Gregory Perino several times at his home in Idabel, Oklahoma, which was only a short drive from where most of my family lived in Latimer County, Oklahoma. During those visits, I was fortunate to acquire many artifacts, including several that were documented in the Selected Preforms, Points and Knives and the Native American Indians Volumes I, II & III (1985, 1992, 2002) that I wanted to share in my WW#13 spread. I was showing Steven the COA’s that Mr. Perino had done for me and he noticed the Clovis COA and asked where that point was. I told him it was a long story, but he wanted to hear it.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, every time I went back to Oklahoma to visit my family, I always made a side trip to Idabel to visit with Gregory Perino. I learned more from those conversation than I could have ever learned reading books as he was an encyclopedia of information. Mr. Perino was also my introduction into this amazing hobby of artifact collecting and I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from the best. Gregory Perino had an amazing collection, but every time I visited, I always wanted to check out the big Burlington chert Clovis point. Mr. Perino told me that this was the only complete Clovis that he ever found. He also told me that he found it in the edge of the Mississippi River Valley on a low bluff, in St. Clair County llinois. It was NEVER for sale and he never gave me a price, but he knew I loved that Clovis point. On the 4th of July, 2004 I was visiting with Mr. Perino and I had acquired several nice artifacts and was about to depart when he asked me if I wanted to buy the Clovis. I was shocked…I never thought he would sell it. I of course said yes without even asking the price…he just laughed at me and said he knew I was going to cherish it as much as he had. I asked if he would make me a COA and he agreed and did it on the spot. I was so happy, until one week later when...

Read other great columns in the Central States Archaeological Societies 2026 January Journal which can be purchased on-line after March 2024