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October 22, 2015 – HJB Ltd. has announced that the firm will not be holding a Gemini auction at the upcoming 2016 New York International Numismatic Convention. Instead the firm plans to organize an important new numismatic convention in downtown Chicago, at which future Gemini auctions will be held.
HJB Ltd. has its roots in the Chicago area, where Harlan J. Berk established his numismatic firm in 1964. Today the firm is internationally known for its ongoing Buy or Bid sales and numismatic auctions. Yet the firm still feels an obligation to promote numismatics in the city of Chicago itself.
Since this photo has been made in 1903, the building hasn’t changed much. Photo: Wikipedia / Chicago Daily News negatives collection, DN-0001239. Chicago Historical Society, CC 2.0.
Hence the plan to re-establish an international coin show in downtown Chicago. As Shanna Berk-Schmidt says, “Every day during my lunch break I walk past the splendid building of the Chicago Cultural Center. For years I have thought that this would be the ideal place to hold a fantastic coin convention. Here we are in the heart of downtown Chicago, thousands of local people and tourists walk by the Chicago Cultural Center every day. Here we could really focus public attention on numismatics, our great passion. Now I want to turn my dream into reality! We will be organizing a coin show in this marvelous building with its impressive glass dome.”
This will be the new coin show’s location: the Chicago Cultural Center. Photo: Rob Saker / Wikipedia, CC 3.0.
Harlan Berk, Shanna’s father, added that he has been trying for decades to interest more people in numismatics, “and that for many other reasons than just to win them as customers! For that reason we have decided to make the new coin convention a not-for-profit business. It is our goal to recreate an important coin show in downtown Chicago, at which numismatics will receive the attention it deserves.”
The new Chicago show will be held for the first time in spring 2017, and preparations are already underway. Harlan Berk intends to organize a rich program of supplementary activities, including panel discussions and lectures and of course also auctions. With this in mind HJB Ltd. has decided to transfer its internationally known Gemini auctions to Chicago.
Aaron Berk stressed that HJB Ltd. will of course continue to be an active participant in the New York International show every January, occupying one of the largest tables on the bourse floor as in previous years.
For additional information and to express interest in reserving a table at the new Chicago coin show in spring 2017, please contact
Shanna Berk-Schmidt.
