I am in Chicago this week, and would love to see if I can find something that I cant cant live without. Any suggestions of coin dealers that are in the downtown area?
Harlan J. Berk is at 31 North Clark Street. It's near city hall in the middle of the downtown. I've been there a few times. They have a lot of world coins, which is my interest, but they have U.S. too, and they have a big inventory, some high value stuff too. It's the only shop I'm familiar with in Chicago. They close at 4:30 I think so be aware of that.
Don't plan on parking on the street , either take the el , or there's a parking garage about 1/2 block away . I highly recommend Harlan Berks , prices are a little high but there are plenty of deals to be found too
And you won't find any nicer, more knowledgeable folks than Tom DeLorey and Bob Greenberg at Harlan J Berk! One time I bought a complete MS64 PCGS-certified set of Franklin halves from them. It sold at my very next show, shoulda kept that one. Also a complete G-VG full rims set of circ Barber halves. That one went at the next show as well. Best Regards, :hail: George
never been to Harlan J. Berk, but i will say that i have found most of the chicago local coin shops to be nothing more than glorified pawn shops.
Harlan Berk is a REAL coin store. Ask to see the ancients and they direct you to a floor up above in the main offices. That is where I love to hang out. Some of the most knowledgable ancient coin dealers in the world work for Harlan, (or IS Harlan).
Harlan J. Berk is the real deal. A couple I've been to have been like glorified pawn shops or they try to combine coin and jewelry with the hopes that people come in looking to sell scrap gold and silver. Can't really blame them. There are some good ones in the suburbs. Archies is on the fringe of Chicago on Devon. Old World Coin is solid in McHenry.
Unfortunately this was a sign of the times back in 2008/09 when Gold and Silver was making its mark. Even here in the SF bay area, lots of great B&Ms have resorted to bullion exchange, now a lot them are just some convoluted riff raff place to do business. Real sad...
And where do you go? I found a shop in Niles through a Google search but haven't been there. I also visited one in Glenview but didn't like it.
i pulled 5 1981 Type-2 SBA proof sets out of the glenview shop clearance bin last year. they are like the rest of our local shops; bullion exchange/pawn shops. like i said earlier, this has been the experience with all of the LCS i have gone to in this area. heavy on the silver, light on numismatics. shops tend to be overpriced anyway, so its no big loss in my opinion.
if you are ever in des plaines, let me know. i have a big bag of foreigns you can paw through. i got them buying lots on CL, but im not into them. 1860's to modern.
I used to work for and live in Arlington Heights and there is a shop (probably a "crusty old man" establishment) right in the downtown on Northwest Highway - Arlington Coin - https://plus.google.com/111364111588473054603/about?gl=us&hl=en
Their hours of operation are like 10-2 Monday-Friday. I live about two miles away and can never go there because of work.
gotcha...honestly I worked two blocks from that shop for the five years I worked for the Village and never went inside...though I wasn't active with my collection at the time.
It would probably cost more to park than it would to buy a coin. I'd be a little scared to be carrying collectable coins on the el.
I have been to Hjb many times, and picked up some nice coins. One thing i like about them is that they keep an updated website with virtually their whole inventory listed. The Clark/Lake el station is nearby. I wouldn't worry about security on the el during their business hours, as there are people everywhere. Finding parking on the street is tough, and the nearby garage is something like $26 for an hour or two.
