What would be a good subject for a coin book?

[smed]

Next time, do a google search before you waste all that time. It's amazing what you can find in 2 seconds on google.

[GarryN]

There are no books about coins in any bookstores in downtown Chicago, like Barnes and Noble, Barbara's Bookstore, Books a Million, for example. If you want a book, go to or call Harlan Berk's at 31 S. Clark. They have a decent selection. The only other option is the internet or the few coin shows that have book dealers in the bourse.

Another option is to try to buy the book thru Southgate Coins in Reno, Nevada http://www.southgatecoins.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=8&Itemid=18

As I said, Weimar White contributes to the Carson City Coin Collectors Journal. The owner of Southgate Coins, Rusty Goe, organized that club. I just looked there, and what a surprise, it is listed in the website for $20. If you are nice to him, maybe Mr. White will autograph a copy for you.

[carlb]

go to or call Harlan Berk's at 31 S. Clark.

Ouch. Sore subject with me. Being a Chicago person I've gone to or past that place for so long I still remember it before they bought it. Gone downhill ever since. Overpriced, very, very rude people, garbage coins that are cleaned, etc. They worry more about the ancient relics than coins there.
Sorry but that place makes me mad.

[GarryN]

I dont agree with that assessment. Ive bought a few of my best coins there. I bought a raw 1857 half cent there that was about AU55. It was 95% brown with a wispy area of red on the obverse. Very nice looking coin. I sent it to a grading service and it came back described as "cleaned". I brought it back and spoke with Tom DeLorey and he bought it back and he told me it was sold the next day. Tom said he did not agree with the assessment that it was cleaned. I still miss that coin. I should have kept it regardless. Tom may not be a ball of fire, but he is not rude by any stretch of the imagination. As many know he is an authority on copper coins. Former editor of Collectors Clearinghouse in Coin World.

It is true that the namesake, Mr. Harlan Berk is an antiquity specialist. They have a large selection of ancient coins, in copper, silver and gold and they also have a large selection of other antiquities. But he has managed to create a market for some great coins there. Many are raw, and no doubt some are cleaned, or otherwise not original, but they will tell you if thats the case. The store was Rarcoa before Harlan Berk took it over. Harlan Berk's was in Joliet and moved to 31 S. Clark in the late 60's at least. Rarcoa moved to Willowbrook, near Oak Brook. I believe Rarcoa is not a shop, but an office operation. They also sell some nice coins on Ebay.

[Steven]

MAYBE HELP OUT THE NEWBEES LIKE ME WITH A BOOK FOR BEGINNERS:

Information including:
Classifications of doubled dies with definitions and to include photos.
Different kinds of mint errors with photos.

Probably would not want a single book to be too wide ranged. If one covered these two subjects along with differences concerning the two maybe.

Lots of references directing the reader to coin sites related to book content.

I hope this Title is not already out there. If it is I have waisted my time.

Different coins on the cover of course, but had this photo lying around.

Steven

[Dick]

Steven, even if it IS out there, I would venture to say that you did NOT waste your time, because we all need a little reminder, from time to time. I don't have the book, but I DO have a lot of others, and the sad thing is, I get so caight-up, looking at the coins, and trying to ID them, catalogue them, and finally find some place for them, that I forget about my "reference library"! I trust the site to "have all the answers", and with all the p[hotos, and info in the database, even it cam't have all the answers! One of the best, and closest resorces id Chucks book(s), and even better, being able to ask Chuck, directly for any info re copper cents.
Dick

[carlb]

GarryN. If you had good luck with Harlan J. Berk, congradulations. Glad you did. Myself being in the area for many,many years and going there prior to them, never had any luck there. Also, many, many people in the area I know will not go there anymore. If you go to coin shows in the area, mention that name and watch the reaction. Sorry, I've had way, way to many poor, bad, horrible experiences there. Like I said, if you never had any problems there, especially with all the cleaned coins, your lucky. My last time inside that place I mentioned some cleaned looking coins and was told if I didn't like it, go somewhere else. Nice, HUH? And after attempting to be customer for well over 30 to 40 years. Like I said, I work near there and have been in or by there virtually thousands of times.

[GarryN]

Carl, I dont want to drag this out, because other than the name Tom DeLorey, virtually no one else here knows what we are talking about. Suffice it to say that when raw coins are for sale there are going to be many altered, whizzed and cleaned coins in the lot. That was the way things were done years ago and we are all dealing with it now. No one at Harlan Berk's cleaned the coins. If the coins were cleaned, they will be priced accordingly. But there is still a market for them. There is no need to shoot the messenger. As for the rudeness, I can't speak to that. My experience is that attitude begets attitude. Like I said, I once bought a half cent there that PCGS sent back as "cleaned". Tom said he did not agree but refunded my money immediately, and I used it to buy something else from him. I dont know who was right. Tom is as qualified to grade a copper coin as anyone at PCGS. Someday I will relate my experience with PCGS and a 3 Leg Buffalo nickel I bought raw from another dealer.