You might expect London-mint coins to be inferior, given the remote location of London, and some of its coins are pretty crude. However, the portrait of Maximian struck c. 303 onward was the motivation for buying this coin in 2014. Sometimes tetrarchal portraiture is dismissed as not being individual, but this portrait looks realistic to me. 28 mm. 9.89 grams. RIC VI London 23b.
As usual, the reverse of this Perikles stater leaves something to be desired but the obverse is one of the nicest dies, and one of the first portraits of a living king on a coin:
I probably shared this one too recently, but had to include it given the theme of this thread. I've always though that the left facing portrait denarii of Octavian had an exquisite style, so when I saw this one, I knew that I had to have it. I've also included my sestertius of Maximinus I, which I purchased because of its portrait.
Purchased for the portrait. Romanos III AE Follis 1028 - 1034 A.D., Constantinople Mint, null Officina 14.97g, 29.00mm, 6H Obverse: +ЄMMANOVHΛ/IC - XC, Nimbate bust of Christ facing, square in each limb of cross; wearing pallium and collobium and holding book of Gospels Reverse: IS XS/bASILЄ/bASILЄ, Legend in three lines divided by limbs of cross with dot at each extremity on three-stepped base Class: B Provenance: Ex. CNG Auction 430, Lot 433; Ex. Anthony DiDonato Collection Reference: SBCV 1823