For the portrait…

[Arcane76]

So I have no real goals as far as collecting coins. I take a more shotgun approach and buy what appeals to me regarding either looks, content, or historical significance etc. Likewise, due to an unfortunate lack of time and/or focus, I’m not the best at writing up coins that I have purchased. Nonetheless I had to post this coin I purchased from Victor Clark. It is one of the few coins that I just hit the buy button without any thought because the portrait, to me, was that great! So without any more preamble here is my Licinius I :

  
He looks like such a happy emperor! 😂😂 please feel free to post coins you bought because you liked the portrait or some other aspect of the coin( as an aside the photos were taken by Victor Clark since they are much better than the ones I have obtained thus far)!

[CPK]

Not just the portrait, but also look at that reverse! That is a great coin. Congrats!

Here's one that I bought for the portrait, also purchased from @Victor_Clark!

CONSTANTIUS I as Caesar, AD 293-305
AE Follis (25.21mm, 9.06g, 12h)
Struck AD 304/5. Alexandria mint
Obverse: FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, laureate head of Constantius I right
Reverse: HERCVLI VICTORI, Hercules, draped in lion skin, standing facing, head left, leaning on club with right hand and holding apples in left; Δ / S / P in fields, ALE in exergue
References: RIC VI 40, RCV 14078
Well centered and well struck. An extraordinary portrait, in a style more reminiscent of the earlier Flavian/Antonine coinage than that of the Tetrarchy. Detailed reverse.

[expat]

Really nice example @Arcane76 great portrait and reverse. Really good acquisition for your collection. I don´t really LRB but this one I bought on impulse because of its look

[Postvmvs]

I have many several Victorinus, but this one I bought recently just because I liked the bust:

[Ryro]

Nice coin!

I'm not big on LRBs, but these two spoke to me

 

[Limes]

Nice Licinius! I don't have a coin of Licinius, but I've noticed that on many of his coins, his eyes are almost jumping out his head. I wonder if there's some kind of meaning behind it (similar to big noses signifying power)? Or maybe just a lack of artistic quality? Compare they eyes on my coin of Constatine below. Not as expressive as the eyes of the Licinius portrait, but similar in design (an open ring) and quite big.  

[expat]

My only Licinius pales into insignificance to the others shown here

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Oh, cool!  I received great service from Victor Clark.  That's a very pleasant nummus of 12 1/2 denarii.

 

[JAZ Numismatics]

It's definitely an excellent example of the type!

[DonnaML]

A wonderful portrait, @Arcane76! I am quite fond of my Licinius II portrait, more so than my Licinius I, because he actually looks like the child he was -- something that isn't usually the case with child emperors/caesars.

Licinius I, silvered AE Follis, Siscia Mint (4th Officina) 315-316 AD. Obv. Laureate head right, IMP LIC LICINIVS P F AVG / Rev. Naked Jupiter standing and facing left, chlamys across left shoulder, holding Victory on globe in right hand and leaning on scepter held in left hand; eagle with wreath in beak at his feet left, IOVI CON-SERVATORI. Δ [Delta] in right field, • SIS • in exergue. RIC VII Siscia 17 (p. 424), Sear RCV IV 15212, Cohen 66. 21 mm., 3.36 g.

Licinius II Caesar, AE follis, Cyzicus Mint (1st Officina), AD 318-324. Obv. Helmeted and cuirassed bust left, holding round shield over left shoulder and spear over right shoulder, DN VAL LICIN LICINIVS NOB C / Rev. Jupiter standing facing, head left, chlamys over left shoulder, holding crowning Victory with right hand and eagle-tipped long scepter with left hand; at his feet to left, another eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in beak; at his feet to right, bound captive with beard, seated right, head turned back to left; IOVI CONS-ERVATORI around; X/IIμ [μ = lower-case M or mu] in right field [mark of value signifying 12 ½?*]; in exergue, mintmark SMKA (Cyzicus, 1st Officina). 19 mm., 3.48 g., 12 h. RIC VII Cyzicus 18[A] at p. 646; Sear RCV IV 15409, Cohen 21. Purchased from London Ancient Coins, Feb. 2022. Reverse die match (see https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/licinius_II/_cyzicus_RIC_018_A.jpg) to example posted at Wildwinds,com, which is ex CNG March 2015. 

*See Sear RCV IV at p. 396 re the X/IIμ in reverse right field: “It has been suggested that the curious numerical formula in the reverse field indicates a revaluation of the follis from 25 to 12 ½ denarii (cf. Carson, “Coins of the Roman Empire”, p. 167).”  See RIC VII at p. 12 & n.5:  "The figure [X]IIμ on the coin reverses clearly stands for 12 1/2.  The last sign is clearly an episemon [a distinguishing mark or symbol], epigraphically employed for S(emis) [1/2] also." Other sources describe the “X” as a star (e.g., Roma Numismatics 2022 at https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8964547 ), and describe the “IIμ” as a “III” (see Gorny & Mosch 2015 at https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2379511, and CNG 2011 at https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1123276 ) or a IIΓ [gamma].

[Severus Alexander]

Great portrait indeed, and lovely surfaces too!  That coin has what we might call "toning" on copper, very pleasing.

Here's a consular portrait of Licinius that I like:

I often bid on coins for the portrait.  Here's a relatively recent one I snagged for that reason:

Hard to improve on this for an early portrait of Gallienus, I think.  It's Viminacium mint, first or second issue I think(?), and makes a nice pair with my first issue Valerian from the same mint, also purchased for the portrait:

[Orange Julius]

Love the coin @Arcane76! I have a Licinius with a look similar to yours. This one was bought in May of 2020 and mailed to Minneapolis where the post office was burned down in the riots. It was thought it was lost with much of the mail that burned but arrived many weeks later after they went through the mess. So! This coin although common has some personal history added to it.