‘Change’ with the times

DANIEL FINTON

Staff Writer

PORT CHARLOTTE — A lot has changed in the coin collecting game over 50 years.

Herb’s Coin Shop, in Port Charlotte, has been there to see it all.

Herb’s, which was started by Herb Gunderson in Port Charlotte a half-century ago, has had to change with the times, according to Craig Gunderson, Herb’s son.

It was recently decided that Craig Gunderson will take the reins of the shop at 2348 Harbor Blvd. But Herb Gunderson will stay involved in a more part-time capacity.

On Thursday, Herb said he still does things like clean coins, chat with customers and more.

But the bulk of the work will lie with Craig, Herb’s grandson Marcus, and the shop’s staff, who are each knowledgable about the world of coins.

Herb said he first got interested in coins when he was in U.S. Army and stationed in Europe, after World War II.

“Switzerland,” Herb said as his shop bustled behind him. “They had great coins. England’s were lousy.”

While in Europe, he also found a “dime” of sorts. His wife Heide. Herb said it was love at first sight.

He and Heide eventually moved to the United States and went into running local businesses — including the iconic coin shop. They also had four sons together: Miko, Tom, Randy and Craig. The Gunderson family ended up in Charlotte County in the 1970s.

Heide Gunderson died in 2025.

Herb said their marriage was “perfect” for more than 60 years.

CHANGE ... LITERALLY

Herb’s son Craig said Herb’s has been in a number of locations over the decades. They have been in their current

More COINS | C3

Herb Gunderson, the founder of Herb’s Coin Shop, poses with his son Craig and grandson Marcus. Herb has owned and operated the coin shop for 50 years and recently sold it to his son Craig.

SUN PHOTOS BY DANIEL FINTON

Herb’s offers various coins from around the world from gold to silver and more.

from C1

building on Harbor Boulevard for more than 20 years.

Their previous location was on Gertrude Avenue next to R & L Market. And there have been others too.

Herb Gunderson said he has always operated with the same mantra.

“The customer is always right,” he said. “And if they find out they’re wrong, usually we become best friends after that.”

While the mantra has remained, while other aspects of the business have changed over the years.

Craig Gunderson said he has been running around coin shops since he was just 2 years old.

Over those years he has seen a lot of evolution.

Herb’s has rolled with the punches.

“People are buying silver and gold instead of collecting,” Craig said.

There are not nearly as many coin collectors, or “numisma-tists,” today.

The evolution is not an issue for Herb’s, though. They still offer collectibles from coins, to old bills, to signed baseballs and more.

But silver and gold selling is what makes them the bulk of their money nowadays and pays the electric bill, Craig Gunderson said.

He said the price of silver is “bouncing around.” At the time of reporting it was $78.31 per ounce. Gold, on the other hand, is much pricier. At that same time it was about $5,009 per ounce.

The costs of silver and gold are on the screen of a TV in Herb’s. That way people know the costs.

Craig Gunderson said he believes the shrinking popularity of coin collecting is from the “digitalizing of currency.” In years past, he said, people kept an eye out for currency from around the globe, errors in printing and other “fun stuff.” Now there just is not as much physical currency flying around. There’s more tapping, chips and swipes with cards.

“It could come back,” Craig Gunderson said. “We’re one good Tom Cruise coin-collecting movie away.”

Craig Gunderson also joked that when artificial intelligence takes over the world, numismatists could make a comeback. Because humans will have nothing else to do with AI doing all of the jobs for us.

He is in the business world, himself. He’s no numismatist.

He’s the president and principal professional engineer at Florida Engineering LLC. He said he has more of a business brain.

But the staff at Herb’s live and breathe coins.

The partnership with their passion and Craig Gunderson’s business know-how have Herb’s set up for the future.

And Marcus, the grandson of Herb, might just own the joint decades down the line, Herb Gunderson joked.

But Herb’s is focused on the here and now.

Early next month, Herb’s is hosting an authentication and grading submission event at the shop from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, March 7.

They will be accepting submissions for JSA, NGC, and PMG authentication and grading, including autographed items, coins, and paper money.

For more information, visit herbscoinshop.com

Staff work with customers on Thursday.

SUN PHOTOS BY DANIEL FINTON

Herb’s also has bills as well. Like this silver certificate from the late 1800s.