Tetricus was governor of Acquitaine in Gaul when Victorinus, the emperor of this secessionist region, was murdered. Victorinus ' mother, who evidently had a certain degree of influence in the army, then appointed the Governor to emperor. The reign of Tetricus was potmarked by a string of battles against loyalist Romans, other secessionist states, would-be crown usurpers and barbarians. It all finally ended when Tetricus arranged for surrender to the forces of Aurelian in exchange for his life. The plot was carried off and Aurelian subsequently pardoned him as well as appointed him to office either as governor of Lucania or as corrector of Italy. Contemporary historians relate how the two former adversaries retained a strong friendship. 

 

As a whole, the coins of Tetricus I (and his son too) are easily available and cheap. The problem is that finding coins of either of these guys in desirable condition can be a challenge. 

 

By the closing years of the Gallic empire the coins were produced with wild carelessness and of very low grade metal. The dies, particularly obverse dies, were typically used until they were worn smooth or broke apart under ceaseless hammering. This left mint state coins nearly unrecognizable even back then. Add in over a dozen centuries of weathering and it 's understandable that nice coins are hard to come by. 

 

To complicate matters, many of the coins for this reign were minted in territories nominally under Tetricus 's control but more or less autonomous. The people who lived in these areas struck their own coins imitating the "official" Tetricus issues as best they could. These barbarous coins, as they 're now termed, range in style and workmanship from the good to the abominable and, unfortunately, often blend elements of the official coinage so close that telling the two apart is an academic exercise of little consequence.  

1) Laureate bust right of Tetricus I, bareheaded bust left of Tetricus II 

2) Laureate head left 

3) Laureate head right 

4) Laureate, cuirassed bust left 

5) Laureate, cuirassed bust left holding scepter over shoulder and shield 

6) Laureate, cuirassed bust right 

7) Radiate, cuirassed bust right 

8) Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right 

 

 

1) IMP C C P ESV TETRICVS AVG 

2) IMP C C P ESVVIVS TETRICVS AVG 

3) IMP C P ESV TETRICVS AVG 

4) IMP C P ESVVIVS TETRICVS AVG 

5) IMP C TETRICVS 

6) IMP C TETRICVS AVG 

7) IMP C TETRICVS P AVG 

8) IMP C TETRICVS PF AV 

9) IMP C TETRICVS PF AVG 

10) IMP C TETRICVS PIVS AVG 

11) IMP TETRICI AVGG 

12) IMP TETRICVS 

13) IMP TETRICVS AVG 

14) IMP TETRICVS P AVG 

15) IMP TETRICVS PF AVG 

16) IMP TETRICVS PIVS AVG 

17) IMPP TETRICI AVGG 

18) No Legend 

 

 

1) ABVNDANTIA 

2) ABVNDANTIA AVG 

3) ADVENTVS AVG 

4) AEQVITAS AVG 

5) AEQVITAS AVGG V 

6) AETERNIT AVG 

7) AETERNITAS AVGG 

8) CARITAS AVGG 

9) COMES AVG 

10) COMIT AVG 

11) CONCORD 

12) CONCORDIA AVG 

13) CONCORDIA AVGG 

14) CONSACRATIO 

15) CONSECR 

16) CONSECRA 

17) CONSECRATIO 

18) CONSERVAT AVG 

19) COS III 

20) FECVNDITAS 

21) FELICIT AVG 

22) FELICITAS AVG 

23) FELICITAS PVBLICA 

24) FIDES MILITVM 

25) FORTVNA AVG 

26) FORTVNA REDVX 

27) HILARITAS 

28) HILARITAS AVG  

29) HILARITAS AVGG 

30) IMP C CLAVDIVS AVG 

31) IMP C POSTVMVS PF AVG 

32) IMP C VICTORINVS PF AVG 

33) INVICTVS 

34) IOVI CONSERVATORI 

35) IOVI STATORI 

36) IOVI VICTORI 

37) LAETITIA AVG 

38) LAETITIA AVG N 

39) LAETITIA AVGG 

40) LIBERALITAS AVG 

41) LIBERALITAS AVGG 

42) MARS VICTOR 

43) MONETA AVG 

44) NEPTVNO CONS AVG 

45) NOBILITAS AVGG 

46) ORIENS AVG 

47) ORIENS AVGG 

48) P I TETRICVS C 

49) PA PVBLIC 

50) PAX AETERNA 

51) PAX AVG 

52) PAX AVGG 

53) PIETAS AVG 

54) PIETAS AVGG 

55) PIETAS AVGVSTO 

56) PM TR P COS III PP 

57) PM TR P COS PP 

58) PM TR P I COS PP 

59) PM TR P II COS PP 

60) PM TR P III COS II PP 

61) PM TR P III COS PP 

62) PRINC IVVENT 

63) PRO AVG 

64) PROVID AVG 

65) PROVIDENTIA AVG 

66) ROMAE AETERNAE 

67) SAEC FELICITAS 

68) SAECVLI FELICITAS 

69) SALVS AVG 

70) SALVS AVGG 

71) SPES AVG 

72) SPES AVGG 

73) SPES PVBLICA 

74) TVTELA 

75) VBERITAS AVGG 

76) VBERTAS AVG 

77) VICTORIA 

78) VICTORIA AVG 

79) VICTORIA AVG I 

80) VICTORIA AVG IIII 

81) VICTORIA AVGG 

82) VICTORIA GERM 

83) VIRTVS AVG 

84) VIRTVS AVGG 

85) VIRTVTI AVGVSTI 

86) VOTA PVBLICA 

 

 

1) Abundantia standing left, holding grain ears and cornucopia 

2) Abundantia standing left, pouring cornucopia 

3) Abundantia standing right, pouring cornucopia 

4) Aequitas standing left, holding scale and cornucopiae 

5) Aeternitas standing left, holding phoenix on globe and holding robe 

6) Altar 

7) Altar, Concordia standing by holding patera and cornucopia 

8) Concordia standing left, holding patera and cornucopia 

9) Eagle 

10) Felicitas sacrificing over altar and holding caduceus 

11) Felicitas standing left with crossed legs, leaning on column and holding caduceus 

12) Felicitas standing left, holding patera and cornucopia 

13) Felicitas standing, facing, holding caduceus and cornucopia 

14) Feunditas standing left, holding two babies and two babies by feet 

15) Fides standing left, holding standard and scepter 

16) Fides standing left, holding standard in each hand 

17) Fortuna seated left on wheel, holding rudder and cornucopia 

18) Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia 

19) Hercules standing right, leaning on club; lion skin lying on rock. 

20) Hilaritas standing left, holding palm and cornucopia 

21) Hilaritas standing left, holding palm and cornucopia, child on either side. 

22) Hilaritas standing left, holding palm and cornucopia, two children on either side. 

23) Hilaritas standing left, holding wreath and leaning on scepter. 

24) Hippocamp advancing right. 

25) Jupiter seated left, holding Victory and spear 

26) Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and scepter, Tetricus to lower left. 

27) Jupiter standing right, holding thunderbolt and scepter 

28) Laetitia standing left, holding patera and rudder, child on right. 

29) Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and anchor 

30) Laetitia standing left, pouring cornucopia into vase 

31) Liberalitas standing left, holding coin counter and cornucopia 

32) Liberalitas standing left, holding palm and cornucopia 

33) Mars advancing right, holding spear and trophy 

34) Mars standing left, holding branch and spear 

35) Moneta standing left, holding scale and cornucopiae 

36) Nobilitas standing right, hold spear and globe. Galley prow by feet. 

37) Pax standing left, holding anchor and feeding serpent on altar 

38) Pax standing left, holding branch and scepter. 

39) Pax standing left, holding broken bow and cornucopiae 

40) Pax standing left, holding palm and cornucopiae 

41) Pax standing left, holding patera and scepter, facing snake. 

42) Pax standing left, holding scale and two cornucopiae 

43) Pax standing left, holding wreath and rudder 

44) Pietas standing left, holding branch and cornucopiae 

45) Pietas standing left, sacrificing over altar and holding box 

46) Providentia standing left, holding rudder and cornucopiae 

47) Providentia standing left, holding wand and cornucopiae, globe by feet. 

48) Providentia standing left, holding wand and cornucopiae. 

49) Roma seated left by shield, holding Victory and spear. 

50) Sacrificial implements: aspergillum, simpulum, cruet, lituus (variously arranged) 

51) Sacrificial implements: cruet 

52) Sacrificial implements: cruet with a lituus on either side 

53) Salus standing left, feeding snake on altar and holding rudder. 

54) Salus standing left, feeding snake on altar and holding scepter. 

55) Salus standing left, holding wreath and anchor. 

56) Salus standing left, holding wreath and anchor; altar by feet. 

57) Sol advancing left, raising hand and holding globe. 

58) Sol advancing left, raising hand and holding whip. 

59) Sol standing right 

60) Spes advancing left, holding flower and raising skirt 

61) Spes standing left, holding flower and palm 

62) Spes standing left, holding patera and scepter 

63) Tetricus I and Tetricus II, facing each other, jointly holding Victory on globe 

64) Tetricus I handing over globe to Tetricus II, both holding scepter, altar in between. 

65) Tetricus I riding horse left, raising hand and holding scepter 

66) Tetricus I sacrificing over altar, standing next to Tetricus II, holding globe and being crowned by Victory. 

67) Tetricus I seated left, holding branch and scepter 

68) Tetricus I seated left, holding globe and scepter 

69) Tetricus I standing left, holding globe and parazonium; seated captive to left. 

70) Tetricus I standing left, holding globe and scepter 

71) Tetricus I standing left, holding wand and scepter 

72) Tetricus I standing left, sacrificing over altar and holding scepter 

73) Tetricus I standing right, holding spear and globe 

74) Tetricus I standing right, stepping on globe, holding spear and parazonium. 

75) Tutela standing left, holding patera and spear 

76) Uberitas standing left, holding grapes and cornucopiae 

77) Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm 

78) Victory advancing right, holding wreath and trophy 

79) Victory advancing right, trampling enemy, holding wreath and trophy 

80) Victory crowning globe held by Tetricus, captive by feet 

81) Victory standing left, holding wreath and palm 

82) Victory standing left, in front of altar, holding wreath and palm 

83) Victory standing right, holding trophy 

84) Virtus seated left, holding branch and spear. 

85) Virtus standing left, resting hand on shield and holding spear. 

86) Virtus standing right, holding spear and leaning on shield. 

 

 

1) Colonia Agrippinensis 

2) Gaul 

3) Treveri 

 

 

 

1) B4, O16, R83, T69 RIC Vii 41, C 205 

2) B5, O13, R83, T69 

3) B6, O09, R60, T74 RIC Vii 7, C 130 

4) B6, O09, R83, T84 RIC Vii 21, C 202 

 

 

5) B7, O09, R29, T20 RIC Vii 79 

6) B7, O09, R78, T77 RIC Vii 141 

7) B7, O13, R24, T16 RIC Vii 71, C 43 

8) B7, O15, R29, T20 RIC Vii 80 

9) B7, O15, R39, T29 RIC Vii 88 

10) B7, O15, R49, T38  

11) B7, O15, R70, T53 RIC Vii 127f, C 152 

12) B8, O06, R22, T12 

13) B8, O06, R24, T16 RIC Vii 69 

14) B8, O09, R09, T81 RIC Vii 56, C 17 

15) B8, O09, R51, T36 RIC Vii 100, C 95 

16) B8, O09, R70, T53 RIC Vii 126c, C 154 

17) B8, O09, R70, T53 RIC Vii 128 

18) B8, O09, R73, T60 RIC Vii 136 

19) B8, O09, R84, T85 RIC Vii 148 

20) B8, O15, R09, T77 RIC Vii 57