Maximinus Thrax Denarius, Late Style Portrait

For comparison, here is the current portrait in my collection, of the intermediate style:

My early bust

You already have two types of portrait,
need to get the third.

The most probable theory I have heard regarding the evolution of his portraits stresses the practice of various mints receiving delivery of marble busts of each new emperor. Most of the adults who rose to the principate were quite wealthy men with large real estate holdings in many parts of the empire. Max being of high military rank probably had quite a few 'Villas' in various parts of the Empire along with agricultural holdings (vineyards and olive groves) with nicely decorated McPalaces on each for when the boss was in town.
Max was already 62 years old when he seized power and he had begun his military rise under the emperor Septimius Severus. At least 30 years earlier.
The earliest coins (as almost always) look like the predecessor (Alex). But busts would no doubt be retrieved from the nearest source before the "official" likeness came from the emperor himself. This explains why the first bust type shows a man in his 30's. A fairly handsome felllow at that !
I am reminded of the wrestler Andre the Giant. Back at the beginning of his career he was really large but the disease progresses ever onward. By the time the movie Princess Bride was filmed Andre was a true giant and his facial features extreme.
The die engravers must have been really really perplexed when the official portrait arrived. They couldn't just scare the bejesus out of every school boy (and girl) and so a gradual evolution was necessary.
Max being in his sixties must have lived in near constant agony from this painful condition. I actually feel some bit of sympathy for the man.
He had to endure his medical condition as well as his social stigma of being a "barbarian peasant" in lineage. This was a first for Rome to have someone quite like this. Even the Gothic kings like Alaric while sacking Rome didn't dare seize the supreme Office. That was for the "real" Romans only.
Besides ....... it had become a crumby job !