Cornering the Market

Focusing on fairness and personal service

Posted

Specialty Rarities Inc.
2816 Merrick Road, Bellmore
(516) 826-4444
www.specialtyrarities.com, www.bellmorecoins.com

As a coin dealer who buys and sells all U.S. and foreign coins, as well as variety of metals and collectibles, Jeffrey Berkoff feels that honesty, knowledge, being available to answer all sorts of questions, and treating clients as he would want to be treated is what it’s all about. Founded in 1999, Specialty Rarities has built a significant customer base, which Berkoff believes is due to his personalized and fair treatment approach.

While the core of the business is old and modern coins, Specialty Rarities also purchases paper currency, jewelry, gold, silver and platinum in all forms, watches, pre-1970s baseball cards and comics, stamps, antiques, and other collectibles.

Whether it’s a single coin or a large collection, they will verbally give a value at no charge. Written appraisals and estimates (usually only for insurance purposes) are done for a fee. “If I can’t answer a question or give a value, I will check my resources and find out,” said Berkoff. If something is beyond his own expertise, he will call in other reputable professionals.

Most people who are contemplating selling something precious have questions and doubts. Is it the right time? Will I get the best value? Using his knowledge, both of the item and the timing, Berkoff can offer honest suggestions and advice. For example, he predicts that gold, silver and platinum will continue to go down in value.

“Gold was at its highest, around $1,900 an ounce, in 2011. People were out of investment options since the economy was bad, so they purchased gold. It’s a knee-jerk reaction. Now, housing is better, stocks are up, so there is less support for metals.”

When considering selling jewelry, Berkoff suggests making three piles. One should be items you want to keep or hand down to an heir. Another should be a “maybe pile,” and a third, broken pieces or ones you know you’ll never want to wear. Sometimes it’s best to sell some but not all. If values go up, you’ll still have more to sell. If it goes down, you’ll have benefited from at least half.

As for coins of any kind, Berkoff stresses that it’s crucial NOT to clean a coin. “No matter how dirty it might appear to be, cleaning a coin will lower its value,” he said. “It’s like an antique car. If you replace parts, it’s not worth as much to a collector as one with original parts.”

Berkoff attends and exhibits at most major national coin shows. He is a member of Certified Acceptance Corporation (CAC), Florida United Numismatists (FUN), and the Central States Numismatic Society (CSCN), as well as a member dealer of the two most prominent grading services, NGC and PCGS. In addition to having a Second Hand Dealer’s License, he is also licensed by Nassau County.