A bearded Crispus

RIC gives it as 324-5 for Rome with the PROVIDENTIA legend. 324 is probably at the earliest as it follows a rather long period of backwatering (or even closure) for the mint of Rome soon after the quindecennalia of Constantine and its celebratory issues of 320-1 (I wrote a bit about this here).

I would figure that if the die-makers would've tried to point to a barba prima celebration for Crispus, this would've happened in 320-1 for the issues dedicated to Constantine's quindecennalia. If there are similar portraits on those issues, then it could be possible that the style was carried over to when the new types were introduced in 324(?)

 

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I guess you are right. Maybe the barbartoria was no longer celebrated by the time of Crispus and the slight beard on the coins of the Roman mint was just their to suggest the young age of the Caesar. Maybe this is also the reason, why this bust style is rare. Perhaps it was rejected.