Hello, I will be visiting Chicago next week & was wondering if there are any good coin shops you could recommend. Thanks, David
David, where in Chicago are you going to be? It's a big city! If you're downtown, definitely check out Harlan Burke. Marshall Field's and Carson Pirie Scott are two department stores with coin departments. Field's isn't that great except for their regular auction. Scott has some decent stuff if you ask for their binders, but it tends to be a tad overpriced. I don't have that much experience outside the city with the exception of Archie's coins in the Edgebrook neighborhood, Niles Coin in Niles, IL, and Fox Valley Coins out near Aurora. All of those are worth visiting.
We are going to be on Michigan Ave- I think. It is a birthday trip for one of my daughters. They are going to the American Girl Doll factory next Friday & I was hoping to find some coin (or military) shops to peruse. Thanks again for the input, David
Then you'll want to check out Harlan Berk (sp?), Marshall Field's, and Carson Pirie Scott. They're all within a couple of blocks of each other.
Chicago coins Yes Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. @ 31 N. Clark Street, 60602, Phone 312-609-0016 However, they are not cheap but really big. Then there is the 5th floor at Carson's on State Street I think State and Monroe, A few blocks South of Madison. Madison is the dividing line of the City where if you go North the street numbers go up and if you go South of there the street numbers go up. That store is big so it is also on Wabash. If you go there and a big fat guy tries to wait on you, leave. He will overcharge like you wouldn't believe. If one of his helpers is there, you can usually geta good deal although there supplies are limited. I've heard that Marshfield has a coin shop but have never found it and from what I know of their prices, I don't think I want to find it. If you were planning on staying for a while there is a flea market on Manheim Road, just North of North Ave by a block or so on the East side of the street. Not sure of the name of the suburb it's in and I've been going there for many years. Might be Melrose Park. Other side of North ave is Stone Park. North Ave is route 64 I think. Inside there are usually 4 or 5 coin dealers. The one on the far South wall, Roy, is a nice guy and prices are not that bad. Then there is Ron, about the third to the last aisle on the South of the place that had great prices. Tell him Carl sent you and you want big discounts or you'll tell Carl, that's me. Around the Chicago area there are coin shows every weekend. Usually the one in Itasca on the third Sunday of each month is small but decent prices. The one in Countryside on the second Sunday is coming up on this November 13th. I'm going to that one. There is one also in a suburb called Lamont but never was able to find it. I'm going to Harlan's next week to buy some new coin albums.
Harlan's Forgot to mention that if you want to see something strange besides jsut coins, you really have to go to that Harlan J. Berk place. Not only do they have coins but they have lots of stuff from the really old days like Egypt or Roman stuff. Just looking in thier windows is lots of fun. If your into expensive knives, look across the street from there. There is a knife store called Corados Cutlery. Not sure of the spelling although I've been there lots of times. They have really, really expensive but great stuff. Used to buy swords there when I was a kid. Actually if your visiting Chicago go to that stupid new Park on Michigan Ave that we paid all our taxes for. Just don't park in thier lot under it. Not to safe for your car unless you want it looking old fast.
