COINWEEK INTERVIEW WITH HARLAN J. BERK

Harlan J. Berk founded the company that bears his name in 1964, but like so many other numismatists, he actually got his start as a kid when someone (in Berk’s case, his mother) gave him those first fascinating coins. And now, after 52 years plus as a professional and a coin dealer–specializing in ancient and United States coins–Berk is one of the most respected names in the industry.

As such, CoinWeek sat down with the noted Chicago dealer and author to talk about his love for ancient coins and to find out what this area of numismatics offers today’s collector. We also asked him about some of the recent controversies in the field of antiquities and what impact they have on the business of coin collecting.

CoinWeek: Harlan, you wrote the book 100 Greatest Ancient Coins (Whitman, 2008). In your opinion, what makes for a great ancient coin?

Harlan J. Berk: There are several factors. First is art – How good is the art on the coin? Next is historical importance. That’s a factor that plays out for the rare coins. What makes a common coin important? Like an Alexander the Great tetradrachm or stater? These coins are great because, at their time, they were so important that they became a world currency.

CW: Even common coins can be great?

HJB: Of course.

CW: That reminds me of an account of the World’s Columbian Exposition, which, of course, took place in Chicago. The [United States] Mint brought a selection of coins from the Mint Cabinet. The two that impressed exhibition goers the most were the 1804 dollar – a great American rarity – and the widow’s mite, a common coin.

HJB: Well, the 1804 dollar was important from the time [it was] minted in 1840 and 1861. The widow’s mite… that’s important because of Christianity. It was an important coin in the bible. As a coin, though, it’s incredibly ugly and worthless.

CW: What other factors create new collectors?

HJB: A lot of people come into our shop because they want to buy an ancient coin for their son or daughter from a certain date or period in history. When I bring out double row boxes of coins, they are shocked. “Well, I can’t pay much,” they say, so I ask “What’s your price range? We have over 5,000 attributed ancient coins in stock”.

Other people that come in are more sophisticated than we are. We know a lot, but we don’t know everything.

CW: What other factors create new collectors?

HJB: A lot of people come into our shop because they want to buy an ancient coin for their son or daughter from a certain date or period in history. When I bring out double row boxes of coins, they are shocked. “Well, I can’t pay much,” they say, so I ask “What’s your price range? We have over 5,000 attributed ancient coins in stock”.

Other people that come in are more sophisticated than we are. We know a lot, but we don’t know everything.

To read the complete article, see:
The Modern Hobby of Ancient Coins – A CoinWeek Exclusive with Harlan J. Berk (www.coinweek.com/featured-news/coinweek-exclusive-interview-harlan-j-berk-on-the-modern-hobby-ancient-coins/)

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