I was looking through PNGs dealer list trying to find a mail order source for coins. I haven’t had real good results in the past buying coins I can’t see in advance. Almost all of the dealer web sites listed coins costing in the hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars. I can’t spend thousands on a single coin right now and feel I would be wasting the time of one of these dealers asking if they have a 1949-S Roosevelt in AU for my collection. I found the Harlan J. Berk, LTD site and liked what I found. Coins ranging from $15 to a few hundred dollars, good quality pictures of even the lower priced coins, and a professional looking site. I placed a test order for a 1916 Barber dime in XF condition for $20; I hope to have it next week. I was wondering if anyone could tell me about good or bad experiences with this company. I don’t have any local coin shops and my collection has stagnated for a long time because of it. Finding a good mail order dealer would really help me. I would also appreciate any suggested dealers you have had good results with in grading and price.

Thanks for helping a guy stuck in the boonies.

I hadn't heard of Harlan Burk but I'll give him a try. Thanks for posting the info and welcome to Coinpeople.

I haven't made a purchase from them, I've been tempted many times because of the selection and good pics. Read on other boards that they are OK. I hope you first order goes well.

There are a couple folks here in the advertising section of the forums that have items for sale often, and are excellent sellers, 28Plain & Blackhawk are quick to ship, accurate with grading and no problem to deal with.

What are S/H charges ? Thanks for the info on the great looking site...

I'll post details when I receive the coin. Postage for this coin was $5.00 so $25.00 total spent. There postage rates are:

$1-199.99 $5
$200-399.99 $7
$400-600.99 $9
$601-1000.99 $11
$1001-3000.99 $12
$3001-up $13

Thanks for the info on the advertising section Dan769. I haven't look there yet but will check it out. Thanks for the welcome 28Plain, I can't vouch for them yet but will post the results of my first buy.

Harlan J. Berk, LTD ,,,, what's the URL.

I didn't know 28plain had a site.... u got a url for or link 28?

http://harlanjberk.com/

Berk, not Burk: Dutch, not English.

Harlan J. Berk is one of the most respected dealers in the United States and name known internationally in numismatics. As board member for the Professional Numismatists Guild (http://www.pngdealers.com) Harlan J. Berk arranged for the purchase and distribution of thousands of State Quarter Boards back in 1999 when the program was lauched. He funds the David R. Cervin Ancient Coin Project for young numismatists. (http://www.money.org/Content/NavigationMenu/ExploretheWorldofMoney/Outreach/young_numismatists.htm)

However, as a client, I can assure you that Berk is not really Santa Claus. He knows what the material is worth because he sells only the best. If you buy a Very Fine 1944-P Mercury Dime and pay $1 for it, it will be a nice 44-P, accurately graded, no problems.

As a client, I also know that at an ANA convention on a Friday morning, I told him that I would like to see a certain series of coins he did not have on display. He had them Fedexed in for me to look at. I told him how much money I had to spend and what I was looking for generally and he hit the nail on the head. I did not buy everything only because he offered a very full inventory of possibilities for me to choose from.

Among the people on his staff are Tom DeLorey and Curtis Clay, two highly respected researchers and writers.

http://www.harlanjberk.com/

My experiences with HJB have been positive. - Preussen

Got an email that they received my payment this morning and my coin will be in the mail this afternoon. I'll let you know when it arrives, but with what mmarotta said I expect everything to be exactly as discribed.

With an endorsement like that from Michael Marotta, I think you can feel pretty safe in the fact that you will enjoy buying from them.

I think you are trying to hert my feelings 'cause i can't spell. ;-)

No, I don't have a site. I just sell to finance my own coin habit. BTW, what I list here is only the tip of the iceberg. I have an inventory that I take to a flea market on Sundays as well as things from my own collection which I may sell in order to acquire something else. What I list here is often what I've recently bought from the walk in trade at my jewelry kiosk. If you're looking for something in particular, PM me and I may have what you need.

I got my 1916 Barber dime today. Shipping was very quick, they got my payment Monday and I have the coin on Wednesday. The coin is XF 40.

This is the coin:





Looks like it matches pretty close to the Photograde discription for XF 40. Let me know if you agree.

1 more spot on my Capital Plastics 20th Century type set filled. I'm sure more will be filled with coins from Harlan J. Berk.

Nice coin. I'd have to agree with the grading. I've always heard they were a good company to deal with. They have quite a nice offering of Large Cents. SO .... soon.

Yep, it looks to be accurately graded. Nice coin. I like Barbers in the better grades like that. One of my few good coin experiences on ebay was a Barber dime. I bid on a 1913 listed as a VF and with a dark, blurry pic but from a seller with good feedback. When it arrived it was a dark toned uncirc. I was the only bidder at $9.00

[attachmentid=290] I got a 1946 Walking Liberty DDR-AU from them today.

Glad to hear good words said about this company. It's a bigtime company in Chicago and I may check them out when I get time/money to collect while at school.

I love these threads from the past

Old thread, but I buy often from Berk (Roman mostly, but some medieval as well). Always a pleasure to do business with this company.

As a Chicago person that has gone to Harlan J. Berk, Ltd for many, many years I'd like to say that place is the pits. It's obvious anyone that purchases from them has very little experience with coin stores. Way, way back in the 1960 era it was Rare Coin Compan of America, Inc. I used to love that place back then. When it first became Harlan J. Berk. it was still an OK place to go. Then they started to change as they went more and more into the ancient relic items, which is now over half the store. They never support the local coin shows in the area. They have become rude, ignorant sales people in that place. One time I asked why they are never at the local coin shows and was flatly told not the right people for our business. To low class. I USED to go there frequently during lunch and many times have had people walk away from me while asking a question due to it's their lunch time also. Ive had a person try waiting on me with a piece of Pizza in his mouth and say why not come back when I'm done. Look in the window at all the cleaned coins. I asked about that and was told if you don't like cleaned coins, go somewhere else. As to thier coins on the web sites I would really be carefull of what you get since they deal with so many cleaned coins. And prices are all well over what they should be compared to the local coin shows. That is the only coin store I've ever been in where there is no lowering of the stated price on the item. Also, was told one time since we are here in the middle of such a large city, why worry about a few customers that are not up to our standards anyway.
Sorry for the negative response about that place but I just never had a good experience there. Like I said I've been going to or by that place for almost 50 years now and it's now the last place I'll ever do buisness with again.

Fascinating story. Sure wish you tried communicating with them at their store and during thier lunch time which is every one elses. Try asking them why they do not attend and of the 3 local coin shows? Why are most of the coins in the window cleaned and overpriced? And a Mercury Dime there for $1. Not a chance unless it has no date, no mint mark, no face and no reverse. I've never, ever seen a Mercury Dime there for $1. I've passed by there and/or gone in there probably a thosand times over the years and never, ever seen any coin for $1.
Sorry but I'm just used to being treated as a person and they don't do that.