Happy New Year!!

Does this mean we can retire our 2020 Bingo Cards now??????

 

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Doesn't Coin Talk's (and FORVM's) own @curtislclay work there? Not only does Berk have a lot of really nice coins, and not only is he ahead of many other dealers in using videos, but I happen to think that his "buy" prices are quite reasonable in general. But isn't it really Aaron Berk (Harlan's son) who's the public face of the company now and responsible for the various innovations? I know Harlan is still listed as the first person in their catalogs, and was the author of the "100 Greatest Ancient Coins" book (which I have and very much like), but I'm under the impression that Aaron runs things at least as much as Harlan at this point. After all, Harlan Berk isn't exactly Jerome Eisenberg, but his store has been around since 1964 and he's around 80. So he may not be quite as active as he once was, as I understand it, and Aaron deserves some credit too. But here's an interesting interview with Harlan from a few years ago. I like what he has to say about slabs!

https://coinweek.com/featured-news/...lan-j-berk-on-the-modern-hobby-ancient-coins/

 

Thank you so much -- it worked! I would never have figured that out by myself in a million years.

 

Now that I'm properly oriented again I'll again say Happy New Year! Today is the 1st of Thoth, August 29 on the Julian calendar and the first day of the Alexandrian new year .

Here's a fairly recent acquisition I'm thrilled to have. Not only are Alexandrian coins of Caracalla hard to come by, this one is unknown for the date (rare but known for RY 10, with one Dattari collection example and one other in ACsearch) and it features one of my favorite reverses: Agathodaemon atop a horse .


EGYPT, Alexandria. Caracalla as Caesar
RY 9 of Septimius Severus, 200/1 CE
Diobol
Obv: [illegible but probably AVT] KMAVPHΛANTωNINOCCEB; laureate draped bust right
Rev: Agathodaemon standing erect right, "holding" grain ear; atop horse galloping right; LΘ below
Ref: Dattari 4050; Emmett 2774 (known only for RY 10)

I bought this from fellow CoinTalker @Thesymbolteam.

 

I didn't download it. I just right-click-copied the video URL and pasted it in CoinTalk's video link thingie (the icon next to the photo icon on the reply toolbar).

 

Harlan is still in the office very often (or at least he was pre-COVID) but yes, Aaron is more of the "front man" these days. Although he previously focused more on antiquities, he's certainly bringing a lot to the table on coins as well.

 

That he is and does! My first purchase with HJB was this Jul and nearly every interaction has been with Aaron. Quite the professional and always prompt to reply. Even once received an email from him over the weekend!

Their excellent customer service cannot be praised highly enough, especially considering my first purchase was not for some large sum by numismatic standards ($150). And it’s always nice to support a business based in my boyhood city

 

If Harlan Berk wants to sell me another book (I have his Byzantine and Greatest), he might consider one on how to raise a son that is willing and capable of taking over the family business. In my fondest dream a child or grandchild of mine would want my coin collection. Some people do what they love for a living and want to work forever. Others retire as early as possible and don't look back.

 

How many generations of the Stack family have been involved in running Stack's? I think family members are still in charge. On the other hand, I've heard stories that nobody in Jerome Eisenberg's family is particularly interested in continuing Royal Athena's business -- which he began as a mail-order coin business 75 years ago -- after he's gone, so it will probably be closed or sold.

 

One more Alexandrian coin arrived today:

Hadrian, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 19 (134/135 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate bust left, slight drapery; ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ Τ[ΡΑΙΑΝ] - ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ (clockwise from upper right) [bracketed portion off flan] / Rev. Slightly draped bust of Nilus right, crowned with taenia and lotus-buds, cornucopia behind right shoulder; L ЄN NЄAKΔ [= Year 19 spelled out] (clockwise from lower left). RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. III 5941 (2015); RPC III Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5941; Köln 1147 [Geissen, A., Katalog alexandrinischer Kaisermünzen, Köln, Band II (Hadrian-Antoninus Pius) (Cologne, 1978, corrected reprint 1987)]; Dattari (Savio) 7450-1 [Savio, A. ed., Catalogo completo della collezione Dattari Numi Augg. Alexandrini (Trieste, 2007)]; K&G 32.619 [Kampmann, Ursula & Granschow, Thomas, Die Münzen der römischen Münzstätte Alexandria (2008)]; Milne 1449 [Milne, J., A Catalogue of the Alexandrian Coins in the Ashmolean Museum (Oxford, 1933, reprints with supplement by Colin M. Kraay); Emmett 875.19 [Emmett, Keith, Alexandrian Coins (Lodi, WI, 2001)]. 24.5 mm., 13.10 g., 12 h.