That means Very Poor Coin Shopping Experience. Don't know how many out there are familiar with an organiaztion called Harlan J. Berk, Ltd but here is my story for whatever it's worth. Today I looked at the internet and called up Harlanjberk. This is a famous coin, stamp, antique, etc place in downtown Chicago. They listed lots and lots of coins I was interested in. Living in the area I used to work in that area of Chicago and went by there frequently and occasionally stopped in and bought something due to their extensive supply and decent prices. So today I made a special trip down there to that place and looked in their window where they used to have more coins of what I wanted than I could afford. Today there was little to nothing worth a darn in that window for me. So naturally I went in an asked if I could see some of the coins in the window and where are the ones noted on the internet. None of the ones listed on the internet were there. None of them were in the showcase, either. Where are those mysterious coins. The guy that normally takes care of me was to busy to even talk to me. Some lady tried to fill in for him. I mentioned to her how come so many of thier coins are cleaned? That's the way we buy them I was told. I said I normally get about 10% off of what they are marked. She said she would have to checkc and came back with the best we can do is 5%. Most of the coins I was looking at were well over priced to begin with. The usual guy that waited on me for well over 20 years still was to busy to even say hi. Maybe one very bad experience shouldn't be the method of standards of an organization but if they are in buisness to make money they sould always treat customers as if they were important. My last visit to that place for coins.
Especially when by your own comments you've had good experiences in the past, and the organization is one with an excellent reputation. I'll always give a restaurant with poor service one more chance, even though I'll never go back to one where the food was poorly prepared.
As noted as a comparason a restaurant. If the meal was for a small amount of money I would always give at least one more chance if the past reputation warranted. However, when an establishment advertises an item that is in the hundreds or even more and those items are not real I don't think a revisit is warranted. I remember many auto adds on TV that when you went there the car was sold, however, we just happen to have something similar for $$$$$$$$$$$$$$. No thanks I've been there to many times. If they don't have what they advertise, it is my last visit. If they have now overprised items and no discounts, my last visit. If a sales person or owner is to busy to even say HI, my last visit.
A business should be run with fast, friendly, and helpfull service...the workers should be helpful and friendly even when busy or feeling bad. Try them again.....but I don't think I would be going back much....I also think its funny that their coins are mostly cleaned. Speedy
What really got me about that place was their web site loaded with so many coins that they didn't have at the store itself. If you look at thier web site it is loaded with coins that when you actually go their they are not there. And like I said so many of what they did have were cleaned and they actually said cleaned on the little tab with the price. Another thing is when I go to a coin show, and I go to them about 2 times a Month, all prices on a coin are never actual. Nobody pays what is shown. The dealers know your going to ask for a cheaper price, you know your going to ask for a discount price and about10% or more is common. At that coin store when I asked about the real prices I was told thier coins are premiums and even for over a hundred dollar expenditure I would be lucky to get $5 off. I used to work in this area and visited that place numerous times so I guess I expected something better but I guess like many buisnesses, as they grow they loose interest in customers.
From a business prespective, I see no reason why they should display the majority of their coins if they are being adequately sold on the internet.
Actually you'ld have to see the store. They do most of their buisness at the store not on the internet or at coin shows. They do not even go to any of the local coin shows on weekends and they are not open on weekends so they really don't need the buisness. They occationally go to the very big coin shows but as I said they do most of their sales right in the middle of the downtown area of Chicago. Since they also handle foreign coins, coins from history, stamps, antiques, ancient relics, etc. they don't need the interenet or local coin shows. As to just one visit as I noted before I have been a customer of that place for somewhere in the 20 to 30 year area or maybe longer. I went there before it had that name and even before that. And as to displaying coins that is one of the things they are supposed to do in order to make a sale. What is in thier store window is only a minimal quantity of what they nomally have in the inside counters, back rooms and there are several. This is a really big store.
I work less than a block from Harlan Berk, and many of Just Carl's comments resonate with me. They're not very flexible on price, and apparently that works fine for them. I saw a nice common date VF Barber Dime with a greysheet price of $7.75 in the window for over $20. The older guys there know their stuff, but they're neither friendly nor very personable most of the time. I'll walk by every now and then to see what they've got, but I don't think I'll ever buy anything from them again.
I've looked at the gold coins on their website from time to time in the past. Two things struck me. First, they don't give much of a discount for cleaned coins, although to their credit a lot of coins are clearly marked that they have been cleaned. Second, a good number of their raw gold coins that are not marked as cleaned appear to be cleaned. I'm not an expert at identifying cleaned coins from photos, but the website makes me nervous enough to have never purchased anything even though I've heard they are reputable. I'm running out of dealers I trust enough to buy anything.
The thing that really bothers me is that Harlan Berk USED to be a great coin store. Way, way back they were much better at prices, friendlier, had a fantastic inventory. I used to work in the area and there used to be another name for that place before they bought it. Way back then it was reallly high priced enough that I even stopped looking in the window. HOwever, there was this great knife store accross the street that had all kinds of weird swords worth looking at so the trip to the area was not a waste. Now they are back to that high priced, lousy attitude. I think they are more interested in thier ancient items since at least half the store is full of old relics.
Received: from n054.sc0.cp.net (smtpout1122.sc0.cp.net [64.97.144.122]) by www2.mrbrklyn.com (8.13.1/8.13.1/SuSE Linux 0.7) with ESMTP id k1OF7cFW030674 for <ruben@mrbrklyn.com>; Fri, 24 Feb 2006 10:07:42 -0500 Received: from prodwslaura (216.159.224.66) by n054.sc0.cp.net (7.2.069.1) (authenticated as laura@harlanjberk.com) id 43EAC4A1001E096F for ruben@mrbrklyn.com; Fri, 24 Feb 2006 15:11:19 +0000 From: Laura Wakeland at Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. <laura@harlanjberk.com> To: ruben@mrbrklyn.com Subject: From Harlan J Berk Ltd Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2006 09:14:41 -0600 Message-ID: <KPEPJAPJOFHMHOJNIDGKMEHLCAAA.laura@harlanjberk.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0) X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180 Importance: Normal Status: X-Evolution-Source: pop://ruben@www2.mrbrklyn.com/ Dear Mr. Ruben Safir, I am sorry to tell you that the coin you recently ordered was sold before I received your coin order. I realize that this may be an inconvenience for you so please let me extend to you free shipping on your next order with us. Again, many apologies, -Laura Laura Wakeland Harlan J. Berk, Ltd 31 N. Clark Chicago, IL 60602 312/609-0016 Laura@harlanjberk.com
That is very sad to hear. I have occasionally driven passed Harlan Berk's store on my way into the city, but have never been inside, but have always wanted too. Most/ All the things I have heard of his store where that they have great coins at good prices. The items that you are sharing about the place has discouraged me to go inside or even visit their website anymore. I still want to check the store out for myself.
its all about the money. right now the price of silver and gold are rising too high, and the dealers know that people are willing to pay the higher prices, so unless you are going to purchase $20,000 or more they can care less about us small time buyer's.
