Æ29 - Claudius ΚΛΑΥΔΙ ΚΑΙϹΑΡΙ, ΗΡΑ

Heraclea Pontica had a long tradition of civic coinage stretching back to the fourth century BC, and under the Julio-Claudians the city retained enough autonomy to strike bronze issues in Claudius's name through local magistrates. The reign of Claudius saw a modest but deliberate expansion of provincial civic coinage across Bithynia and Pontus, partly as a practical response to chronic shortages of small bronze in the eastern provinces — Rome had no interest in supplying the region with low-denomination metal, so cities filled the gap themselves.

Heraclea's issues for Claudius are sparsely documented and surface infrequently at auction.