Thoughts On Hjb?

Harlan Berk is an absolute top-tier dealer, of impeccable reputation and proven grading skills. You can do business with them with the absolute assurance that what you get will be precisely what they say it is. They are on the very short list of dealers with whom I'd do business sight-unseen.

Does that help?

Edit: The Javascript implementation on his website prefers IE to Firefox, for some reason.

I have bought quite a few coins from HJB since I started my Dansco7070 album and I have yet to be disappointed. Sometimes I think his prices are on the high side until I receive the coin (usually that I just couldn't find anywhere else) and see that he is very conservative with his grading, most that I have received from him that he grades AU58 I have coins in PCGS and NGC MS-63 slabs that look about the same. I would highly recommend purchasing anything from him, I had a few problems on my first 3 orders I placed from him but the only thing it was, was the first 3 invoices I made had already been sold the day before I tried to purchase them online, The lady who always emailed me was very apologatic and when I finally did get a order to go through she was so happy she waived the shipping charge and rushed the coin out that same day and paid for priority mail (it was at my house the second day after I purchased the coin). I just had some bad luck in wanting coins everyone else wanted who visited his Brick and Mortar store, and they sold the day before I ordered them online, one time they sold it at 3:45 P.M. and I tried to purchase it online at 4:15 P.M. but as I said it was just bad luck and I had seen the coins a few days before but wanted to be sure I had the funds to make the purchase and by time I was positive I did have the money I was too late. I am planning on making another purchase Friday from him (if the coin I want is still there) and just by the pictures he has graded it very tightly like the rest of the coins I have bought from him

Thanks for the input guys, those are some pretty rave reviews. I just ordered my first coin from him, and like some of you have said it does seem very accurately graded judging from the online photos.

One other question...he has the coin listed as "lightly cleaned". Now, I am just a beginner here, and have tried to stear clear of cleaned coins, but the coin appears to have nice luster, and from my eye, no sign of marks or buildup.

What would you guess "lightly cleaned" from HJB would depict? And is it that undesirable?

Thanks

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Originally posted by Tbar

Thanks for the input guys, those are some pretty rave reviews. I just ordered my first coin from him, and like some of you have said it does seem very accurately graded judging from the online photos.

One other question...he has the coin listed as "lightly cleaned". Now, I am just a beginner here, and have tried to stear clear of cleaned coins, but the coin appears to have nice luster, and from my eye, no sign of marks or buildup.

What would you guess "lightly cleaned" from HJB would depict? And is it that undesirable?

Thanks

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"Lightly cleaned" from HJB means even an expert probably needs a loupe to detect it, and the average Joe would never know. I would guess it to have been chemical rather than mechanical in nature, differing only slightly in terms of overall look from an uncleaned coin.

I have a rather liberal view towards cleaned coins, understanding that a large percentage of older coins have been cleaned whether we know about it or not. It is important to conserve and protect *any* older coin, regardless of finish. We must never forget that we are only temporary caretakers of these collectibles, and our best goal is to ensure that they survive us properly. There are only so many of these, and we cannot afford to lose any more for posterity.

Cleaning is generally perceived to lower a coin's intrinsic value. The quality of the cleaning and rarity of the coin have a bearing; there are some which lose almost no value for having been cleaned at some time in the past. Not knowing what coin it was you purchased, I couldn't estimate the loss of value. If the coin is older than 100 years, and HJB calls it "lightly" cleaned, I'd suspect it has lost no more than 25% of monetary value and more likely less.

I did business with HJB when I collected ancient coins. I visited his store with only $300 to spend but was still treated as if I had $30,000 to spend. He has an expert staff. I sold my ancient coins recently to begin re-assembling my collection of US type coins. I got the collection started by purchasing nearly all my coins from HJB --- sent to me by overnight mail as a courtesy (no extra charge). Absolutely top-notch dealer with superb coins. Check out his website.

Oh yeah we have negative posts's also, but most are for ebay seller, unless someone just starts another post like this one where they were really disasisfied with their purchase or service they received

I've never bought coins from HJB. But in the Small World dept., my mother went to school with Harlan and I went to school with his kids. My family has done extensive business with his ex-wife, a jeweler.

This proved to be a very valuable thread for me because based on what I read here, I placed an order with HJB. My coins arrived today and you can count me as another VERY SATISFIED CUSTOMER. Great forum guys! Hey, if anybody can recommend any other dealers, please start a thread.