Vetranio, who commanded the legions in Illyria and Pannonia at the murder of Constand by Magnentius in AD 350, followed the example of this usurper and assumed the purple at Sirmium. Constantius II marched with his army to meet him, and on a plain near Serdica, Constantius II, appealing to the assembled armies that he was a son of Constantine the Great, Vetranio took off his diadem and abdicated. Constantius II treated him with kindness and allowed him to retire to Prusa in Bithynia, where he spent the remaining six years of his life.
The following coins were struck during his short reign of ten months:
Gold Coins
1. Obv: DN VETRANIO P P AVG, laureate |bust| of Vetranio to right, with paludamentum and cuirass. Rev: SALVATOR REIPVBLICAE, Vetranio walking to left, holding the labarum on which Christogram, and spear, and crowned by Victory, holding a palm, who is following him; in the exergue SIS (Sisca); gold.
Silver Coins
2. Obv: Same Legend, diademed |bust| of Vetranio to right, with paludamentum. Rev: RESTITVTOR REIP, Vetranio standing in military dress, holding labaarum and small Victory on a globe; in the field FIII and a star; in the exergue CONS; silver.
3. Obv: Same legend, laureate |bust| of Vetranio with paludamentum and cuirass. Rev: VICTORIA AVGVSTORVM, Victory waling to left, holding a palm and a trophy; in the exergue SIS sometimes followed by a dot; silver.
Brass Coins
4. Obv: Same legend, laureate |bust| of Vetranio to right with paludamentum and cuirass; sometimes behind the head A and before a star. Rev: CONCORDIA MILITVM, Vetranio standing in military dress to left, holding two labara; over his head a star; in the exergue SIS or TS (Thessalonica); bronze AE 2.
5. Obv: Same legend and type. Rev: GLORIA ROMANORVM, Vetranio standing in military dress to left, holding a labarum and a sceptre; bronze AE 3.
6. Obv: Same legend and type. Rev: HOC SIGNO VICTOR ERIS, Vetranio standing in military dress to left, holding the labarum and spear, and crowned by a Victory holding a palm behind; in the exergue SIS; bronze AE 2.
7. Obv: Same legend and type. Rev: VIRTVS AVGVSTORVM, Vetranio standing in military dress to right, holding a spear and a globe and placing his foot on a seated captive; bronze AE 3.
8. Obv: Same legend and type. Rev: VIRTVS EXERCITVM (sic) or VIRTVS EXERCITVS, Vetranio standing in military dress to left, holding a labarum and leaning on a shield; in the exergue TS or TES; bronze AE 2 and AE 3.
9. Obv: VETRANIO NOB CAES, bare head of Vetranio, beardless. Rev: FEL TEMP REPARATIO, Vetranio holding a barbarian seated on the ground; in the exergue ALE (Alexandria); bronze AE 3. Cited by Banduri.
The legend SALVATOR REIPVBLICAE (number 1) is new and only occurs on the coins of Vetranio.
The legend HOC SIGNO VICTOR ERIS (numbers 6 - 8) was first issued under Constantius II and also occurs on the coins of Constantius Gallus.