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Passing through Chicago...any coin shops or must sees in walking distance to the Amtrak station?

StorkStork Posts: 5,205 ✭✭✭✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum

I'll have a few hours between trains on Wednesday, and will want to stretch my legs. How better than hitting up a coin shop or food midmorning-early afternoon?

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    coinkatcoinkat Posts: 22,795 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Harlan Berk which is located on Clark Street. It is in downtown... Just not sure how far it is from the Amtrak station

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

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    StorkStork Posts: 5,205 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'll check the location. Thanks!

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    coinkatcoinkat Posts: 22,795 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That is 31 north Clark street... Still don't know how close it is to Amtrak. It is worth the trip

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

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    StorkStork Posts: 5,205 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Map shows about 15 minutes of a walk--perfect! I got the same suggestion over on Cointalk too...I think I have a plan now :smiley:

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    Timbuk3Timbuk3 Posts: 11,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Good luck and have fun !!! :)

    Timbuk3
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    StorkStork Posts: 5,205 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks! I hope this wasn't a dumb idea. I've always had the idea riding the train cross country would be cool--time to sleep (yay!), read (double yay!!), and see some beautiful parts of the country. OTH I could just fly, but I HATE flying. Pretty much have sworn off it.

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    BillDugan1959BillDugan1959 Posts: 3,821 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Berk's shop is not a difficult or a long walk from the Amtrak. The biggest problem might be time delays traveling across country, which can greatly shorten your expected layover in Chicago.

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    Bob13Bob13 Posts: 1,419 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've stopped by HJB on one occasion when I was visiting Chicago and had some time to kill. This was a few years ago and I was more into US at the time - but it was great to talk to Mike Printz. Would highly recommend it.

    As I recall, there was a thread about a visit with Mr. Berk himself and that was a great experience of show and tell about various ancient coins...

    let us know how it goes!

    My current "Box of 20"

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    StorkStork Posts: 5,205 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 27, 2018 8:46PM

    @BillDugan1959 Good point! Will need to remember the lesser known ‘semper’ saying... Semper Gumby. Always Flexible :). If nothing else, maybe I can get to it on the way back.

    @Bob13 sounds great!

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    Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 8,676 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great way to use the time. Enjoy and let us know what you find. Peace Roy

    BST: endeavor1967, synchr, kliao, Outhaul, Donttellthewife, U1Chicago, ajaan, mCarney1173, SurfinHi, MWallace, Sandman70gt, mustanggt, Pittstate03, Lazybones, Walkerguy21D, coinandcurrency242 , thebigeng, Collectorcoins, JimTyler, USMarine6, Elkevvo, Coll3ctor, Yorkshireman, CUKevin, ranshdow, CoinHunter4, bennybravo, Centsearcher, braddick, Windycity, ZoidMeister, mirabela, JJM, RichURich, Bullsitter, jmski52, LukeMarshall

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    ExbritExbrit Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭✭

    Union Station is neat on its own. That and Berk's would be memorable. Will you be on the Empire Builder? Great trip.

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    Insider2Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Take a taxi so you'll have more time!

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    StorkStork Posts: 5,205 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Insider2 said:
    Take a taxi so you'll have more time!

    I was looking forward to walking a bit :smile:

    On the other hand, my incoming train is now on about a 2 hour delay due to a human v. freight train incident up the track that apparently did not go well for the human :cry: so my visit to HJB may have to be on the return trip. Hopefully it's not really due to a fatality and that is just a bad rumor. Why do people try and beat trains????

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    StorkStork Posts: 5,205 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Exbrit said:
    Union Station is neat on its own. That and Berk's would be memorable. Will you be on the Empire Builder? Great trip.

    I'm coming in on the Capitol Limited, and leaving on the California Zephyr. I'm sure to have lousy connectivity (doing okay now with a hot spot off my phone, but there have already been plenty of places without a cell signal to speak of). All I have to do is read a book, sleep, and watch the scenery...add in limited screen time (not counting my book is on a Kindle) and this is shaping up to be pretty relaxing!

    Don't think my old self could do it in a coach seat, but the sleeperette car is fine. Very reminiscent of my rack on the last ship I was on, only a higher overhead. Some announcements but no one running up and down the p-ways (aka passageways aka the halls) to the tune of "This is a drill, this is a drill, man you battlestations". Okay, there was a 5 year old running at one point but there was a lot of giggling going on. But add ambient mechanical noise and a swaying berth...yup, just like old times! Wait, no.

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    ExbritExbrit Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭✭

    Have a great trip. Too bad you couldn't sleep through Indiana and have daylight in the Rockies - or can you???

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    StorkStork Posts: 5,205 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Looks like sleeping through Nebraska and Utah. Daylight for the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada.

    And, whoever mentioned train delays nailed it. We were precisely four hours late getting to Chicago. No time other than to grab a lunch at the station. Craziness. Hope to check out something on the way back

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    MacCrimmonMacCrimmon Posts: 7,054 ✭✭✭

    If you can catch him on the way back go ahead and grab a cab at the Adams St. exit from Union Station. Figure a 6-8 minute drive in traffic, and about $6 each way. Good luck.

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