There are not many shows that are as loved or have as much of a following as History Channel's Pawn Stars. This show follows the guys that work at World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn as they hunt down some rare finds in order to resell them or collect them. They go to antique shops, yard sales, and sometimes ordinary people's houses who they heard may have something unique that they may be interested in getting rid of. The staff often times have people come to them to try and sell their stuff, so the staff then appraises the item to see if it is worth anything or is indeed the item the seller says it is. Sometimes people try to sell them nothing, other times they come across some truly rare finds that the staff is surprised by.
The stars of the show rummage through a lot in order to find the few rare items, but when they do find them, they are some of the coolest and more historically impressive items around. We put together the most valuable items that the show's stars ever found, some of which should very well be in museums! Have a look at these impressive items, you are sure to never view a garage sale in the same eyes ever again.
A Bell From A 17th Century Ship
A woman who owned this rare bell initially had the thought of putting it up at her garage sale. However, she then reconsidered and decided to bring it into World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn, and a good thing that she did!
The heavy piece of metal was far more valuable than she ever thought as it was from a ship dating back to 1602. She was probably going to sell it for pennies at her garage sale. But now knowing how old and rare it really was, the guys at the pawn shop valued the item at $15,000!
A Spanish Fleet Gold Coin From 1715
Coins are usually the first thing to be overlooked since they are rarely more than perhaps silver dollars. However, this time it was far more valuable a situation. A women by the name of Jody brought into the shop a gold coin that she had inherited. Jody knew the coin had some form of value and was indeed quite old, but she had no idea just how much it would be worth in the end.
The guys at the shop appraised the coin for her and told her that it was more than "old" it was from 1715 and minted in Peru! The value of a coin like this is $18,000.
Vic Flick's 1961 Fender Strat
The name Vic Flick may not be known to most immediately, or at all. However, when you learn what he did with his guitar for the world of film soundtracks then you will surely understand the fascination and worth. Flick played the famous guitar riff on the very first soundtrack of the James Bond films.
Flick himself brought his 1961 Fender Stratocaster into the shop for the guys to appraise and make him an offer for. He never expected that he would get the amount that he did for it, which stood at a cool $55,000!
John F. Kennedy's Humidor
Most of the people that walk into the pawn shop are not sure how much their item is worth, if anything. However, one man walked into the shop knowing that he had a treasure on his hands. This man was holding the personal cigar humidor of none other than President John F. Kennedy.
The guy wanted $95,000 for it, but the guys got him down to sell for $60,000. Hopefully the guys selling is not reading this, but the guys at the shop knew that a similar humidor was sold in 1996 for $575,000 at an auction at Sotheby's.
Edward Curtis Photogravures
Edward Curtis is not what we call world renowned when it comes to his photographs, or so we thought. One day a woman came into the shop with a series of old photogravures, which are photographs that are made by etching the image taken into a copper plate using gelatin. The woman asked for $50 for them, not realizing how valuable they really are.
Rick did not know either, until he did his own research and learned that the fact that they were Curtis' photographs has their value skyrocket to $20,000!
A 2014 Hertz Penske GT Mustang
In 2013, there was a unique collaboration between Roger Penske (of Penske auto dealerships) and Hertz rental cars. Together, they made 150 limited edition Ford GT Mustangs that were to be sold to those who were lucky enough to time it right.
So, when one man who was smart enough back then brought his car to the pawn shop to sell it, the guys knew they had to have it. They offered the man $60,000 for his car, which did not cost him even half of that. Now that is some good return on investment.
Olympic Gold Medals
Back in the 1990s, former Olympian Joe Greene decided to sell his bronze and gold Olympic metals as he needed to money at the time. He sold them both to the pawn shop, where Rick swore that he would put them in a display case and never sell them.
Rick has stuck to his word and the metals are still in the display case and not for sale. The value of the metals has gone up though, and are now estimated at $30,000. If Rick continues to keep his word, those metals will only continue to go up in value.
Abraham Lincoln Signed Parlor Card
Rick and the guys only heard rumors that this kind of item existed, it was not until a real card came into their possession that they believed it. The owner of the card had it graded, giving it a near mint condition. Rick had his appraiser come to confirm the card's authenticity, to which he confirmed that this was signed by Lincoln himself.
The guy selling the card wanted $100,000 for it. However, when the appraiser came he said it would easily be worth $150,000, to which the guy then changed his asking price to $120,000. Rick then said he would pay the $100,000. The guy agreed and the sale was final.
Order of the White Eagle Medallion
This is the garage sale find of ones dreams. A guy bought this beautiful metal for $0.75 at a yard sale near his home. He then brought it to the pawn shop to see what it was worth. Rick, on sheer gut instinct, bought the metal from the guy for a whopping $6,000.
Rick has one serious gut instinct, because when he had the metal appraised, he learned that it was from the Tsarist occupation in Poland. He sold the medallion for $30,000, making a five time profit on this gem.
Extremely Rare Colt Revolver
This rare Colt revolver is from the early 1870s. As soon as Rick saw it, he knew it was a unique find. Even with knowing how special it is, he was surprised by just how valuable it was. The seller wanted $25,000 for it.
Originally, Rick laughed at the guy, but when Alex Cranmer, an appraiser from International Military Antiques, told Rick that at auction this item could easily fetch between $35,000 and $50,000, Rick made the sale. The owner wanted to sell it for $35,000 after he heard this but Rick got him down to $27,500.
Gutenberg Bible Leaf
This find is incredible. Johannes Gutenberg is known for revolutionizing printing and inventing the press in Europe, which changed the way humans document. The Gutenberg Bible is one of the most famous cases as it is the first printed version of the Bible. In the 1920s, a book dealer found an incomplete Gutenberg Bible and so he had every page (leaf) authenticated and bound in leather.
When one of these leaves managed to find its way into the pawn shop, their rare book specialist, Rebecca, authenticated the find and valued it at around $80,000. Rick ended up buying the historical item for $47,000 after much haggling.
An Original Houdini Straitjacket
This leather item looks ordinary at first, but upon inspection it ended up being one of the most important and famous items in magic history. The owner of the straitjacket came in, he told the guys that this belonged to the iconic magician Harry Houdini.
One of the shops historians came into the shop with a photo of Houdini wearing the jacket, which dated back to January 1, 1915, so they knew it was authentic and valuable. The seller wanted $34,000 for it, but Rick offered him $25,000. However, the man decided against the sale and took it back with him. The seller did not know that it was confirmed to be Houdini's.
A 1652 Copy of 'Theatrum Chemicum Brittanicum'
A man walked into the shop with a 1652 Copy of 'Theatrum Chemicum Brittanicum' and Rick immediately came over to see. The book was said to have the formula for 'The Philosopher's Stone,' the infamous alchemical substance that could turn any metal into gold. The book was banned at the time as governments did not want everyone making gold for themselves (as if it were real).
The seller asked for $23,000 for the book. However, the experts at the shop saw that there was a missing piece of the book and would require intense restoration. They valued the book at $15,000, to which Rick managed to get it for $10,300.
The Vatican's Michelangelo Madonna Bust Cast
A head bust is not usually a huge attraction, but when it is of the Virgin Mary, it becomes a whole other story. The seller came into the pawn shop with the item and it was Chumlee who was there to greet the man. The item was one of 500 Vatican-licensed bronze cast busts that were of Michelangelo's Pieta statue.
The guy selling it wanted $80,000, but Chumlee just could not offer that much. Instead, the guy asked for the silver that the shop had tat was worth around $24,000. Chumlee quickly agreed and traded with the man, making himself quite the profit.
(Maybe) The Second Colt Ever Made
Firearms are not usually big sellers unless they are extremely old and rare. The man who owned this one thought what he had was indeed old and rare and worth it. The Colt Paterson arrived at the shop along with other Buffalo Bill memorabilia. The appraiser saw that the barrel of the Colt had the serial number '2', meaning out of 1,000 and also meaning this was perhaps the second Colt ever made.
The grip on the Colt read 938 which made it confusing. The appraised then said that the Colt was probably assembled after Colt's bankruptcy. The Colt was still worth around $25,000. After some haggling, it was sold for $15,000.
An M. L. Snowden Statue
A woman came into the shop asking for $50,000 for Photon, a sculpture from the M. L. Snowden 'Empire of Light' series. She did not think she would get more than $5,000 for it despite her large ask.
Rick's appraiser was out of town so he needed to guess on this one. Rick offered her $20,000 to which she agreed immediately. Rick thought he may have messed up but when he eventually got the item appraised, it was worth $36,000 and growing, so Rick was right to trust his gut yet again!
A 1915 Panama Canal Commemorative Coin
This time it was the other way around. A man came into the shop asking of them to find a 1915 Panama Pacific Octagonal $50 gold piece. The man said he would pay $70,000 for it. Rick then did what he does best and flew to one of the biggest coin auctions in the States to find what the man was after.
Rick ended up finding two of those coins and sold one of them to the man for $67,500. He had another one for another time, knowing how valuable they are.
A 1932 Custom Ford Roadster
Finding an old car like this one in the condition it is in is not an easy feat, which is why as soon as Rick saw it he knew he had to have it. This 1932, 500-horsepower custom Ford Roadster was not only in mint condition, it had a mere 450 miles on it.
It was said that there was a seriously intense negotiation process for this vehicle, but that Rick settled on it for $68,250. Considering this car cost nowhere near that amount, the person who sold it made out well.
The Book of Mormon
The famous Broadway play is baed on this very book and those who were tasked with spreading its word. This book is a 5th Edition of The Book of Mormon and was printed back in 1842, which is also the very last printed during the lifetime of Joseph Smith, the founder.
The Pawn Stars appraised the book and learned that it was worth a whopping $40,000. They ended up buying it for $24,000, which shows the kind of skills they have when it comes to negotiating.
George Washington's Suit
This is without question the most historic and expensive purchase that the Pawn Stars guys made on the show. What you are looking at is George Washington's three-piece suit. The suit belonged to the United states' first president so it was not only old, but was also worn by a Founding Father.
Rick wanted this suit very badly. The owner was asking for $3 million, to which Rick responded with a counter offer of $1.5 million. The collected did not agree to that sum and so Rick upped it to $2 million. The owner wanted no less than $2.5 million but Rick could not pay that much. The two ended up leaving the sale open in case the owner changed his mind.
A Spanish Gold Bar From the 1500s
Anything that old is set to fetch a serious price tag. One man was cleaning out his attic when he came across this piece of gold. The gold bar looked and felt like solid gold and so he took it to the pawn shop to get the truth.
The expert at the pawn shop revealed that not only was it solid gold but that it was from a Spanish shipwreck dating back to 1554 that took place off the coast of Texas. The guys at the pawn shop bought the gold piece for $35,000. It is valued at $50,000.
The Pinball Wizard
Old pinball machines are hard to come by. This one is a funnier item than the other historic ones and Chumlee was the one to be the one to handle it. He showed his true colors and ability as a pawn broker during this episode where he shared his pinball knowledge.
The team was not sure if they wanted to buy a Bally "Odds and Ends" pinball machine from 1972. While the machine needed repair and many new pieces, it was an original and one of 2,570 ever made.
Chumlee's Net Worth
Chumlee is one of the biggest stars on the show and it is due to his personality and knowledge about so many unique things. While the pinball machine was one example, and it may not have yielded a huge return on investment, Chumlee is not wanting for anything considering he makes $25,000 per episode of the show.
Whether it was from the show itself or the products he was selling and the revenue from that, but Chumlee's net worth stands at a sweet $5 million. He ventured into another field when he opened a candy store across the street from the pawn shop.
A 1922 Proof Peace High Relief Dollar
A man came into the shop with a coin he had won at a poker game, and man was that a lucky game! The man came in thinking his coin, a 1922 Proof Peace High Relief Dollar, was worth $20,000.
After the expert appraiser at the shop took a look at it and realized that there might be only 10 left in the world, the value shot up to between $50,000 and $100,000! The man ended up getting $80,000 from the Pawn Stars.
A 2001 Super Bowl Champion Ring
The Pawn Stars guys came about this 2001 Patriots Super Bowl ring and just had to have it. They bought it for $2,600 and have not let it out of their sights since as the value of the ring keeps going up. The latest price for this ring in auction comes to $30,000.
We wonder who is missing their Super Bowl ring since they are not given to just anyone. Perhaps one of the players fell on hard times, or maybe lost it.
A 1941 Gibson SJ-200 Guitar
For a guitar to be worth a lot of money it needs to be old, but for it to be worth a whopping amount of money, it needs to also have been owned by someone famous. This 1941 Gibson SJ-200 guitar was owned by Crosby, Stills and Nash band member Stephen Stills.
The guitar was signed by the owner as well, making it worth even more. The Pawn Stars guys bought it for $85,000!
A 1932 Lincoln Roadster
This beauty is not even hiding how much she could be worth. The 1932 Roadster is in mint condition, and has a 150-horsepower, V-12 engine.
In addition to being incredibly beautiful to look at, this car is worth a pretty penny and the guys at the shop knew exactly what kind of damage she would be for them. They paid $95,000 for the vehicle, knowing it will be worth a whole lot more.
A 1961 Gibson SG Les Paul Custom
Another guitar another case of famous owner. This 1961 Gibson SG Les Paul was brought into the shop, much to the guys joy, and was originally owned by Les Paul's wife, Mary Ford. This specific guitar was the one he played on to create some of Paul and Ford's biggest hits.
The owner of the guitar originally wanted $250,000 for the instrument, but the guys managed to get it down to $90,000. That is one serious negotiation tactic.
Diamond Earrings
When coming into a pawn shop to sell diamonds, there are a lot of things that the seller needs to bring to prove the quality and authenticity of the stones. Luckily for the seller, he came into the shop with his receipt, and certification for the diamonds.
It was thanks to all of that that Rick agreed to give the guy $40,000 for the diamonds he brought in. Unfortunately, Rick found out 24 hours later that the earrings were actually stolen. The guy got caught but Rick's money was gone.
No. 3 Gold Piece
Today's world is all about the newest things - gadgets, clothes, accessories, etc. But when it comes to coins, it is the complete opposite - the older they are the better. The value of a coin goes up the older it is, with this Number 3 coin from 1859 being valued at $2,650 as it was in mint condition.
The guys bought the coin without hesitation once they confirmed its authenticity, as they knew that it would be worth much more in the future, and they were very patient guys.
Greek Didrachm
Coins from the United States are great, but for the guys they get even more excited when it is a coin from somewhere foreign. This was jus the case for this coin which was from ancient Greece. This is one of the oldest things in the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop - a Greek didrachm that was confirmed to be from 325 B.C.!
The guys happily took it off the former owners hand and are holding onto this little guy until a time comes when it will be worth even more.
A Liquid Pistol
This rare firearm was made in 1872 by Paul Giffard and is not your ordinary pistol. The pistol uses compressed carbonic acid to create a gas that then pushed the bullet down the shaft. There were only 500 pistols of this kind made, and 100 of them left in existence.
The fact that this is such a rare item, it was surprising to see that the guys put the worth of this firearm at just $3,000.
The Car From 'Wayne's World'
Rick went out of his way to find the man who had the original 1976 AMC Pacer from the film Wayne's World. The car was not in the exact shape it was when it was filming the movie but it was still in running condition and that was something!
The owner was willing to sell for $15,000, but Rick offered $9,500 and that ended up being enough for the guy to agree to sell.
A Grammy Award
This Grammy Award was brought into the pawn shop. While it was worth something, it would have been worth more if someone famous had their name on it rather than an unknown songwriter.
Ronald Dunbar was that songwriter who won the award back in 1970 for the song 'Patches'. The guy trying to sell the award was not going to leave it no matter what. His persistence paid off as he got $2,350 for it.
The First Issue of 'Playboy' Magazine
Most people do not know that Marilyn Monroe was on the very first issue of Playboy magazine. The magazine was first printed in 1953 and sold 54,000 copies of the issue. The guy was trying to sell the issue for $2,000 but ended up getting $1,400 for it.
That is a lot more than it was bought for so the investment was totally worth it for this guy. The pawn shop guys were also very happy with the sale.
Dinosaur Eggs
This is without a doubt the coolest purchase. A seller came into the shop with the eggs of a duck-billed dinosaur. Much to his surprise, dino eggs are not as uncommon a find as you might think. The man selling them wanted $20,000 for the eggs.
He might have gotten that amount for turn of the century excavating tools, but for the eggs the team told him they were worth between $300 and $600. Too bad.
'The Godfather' Original Studio Script
This is one cool find. This item was bought to the guys from the Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada who had the studio copy of The Godfather script in a leather-bound case. The script was also signed by Al Pacino, as was confirmed by an expert. The guys offered the charity $500 which was not enough for them.
However, it ended up being lucky for the guys as the signature did not end up being Al Pacino's but rather Al Ruddy's signature, the producer of the film. The charity ended up putting it up to auction and getting $12,000 for it as it was bought by Ruddy's wife.
A 'Dance of Death' Book From 1547
A man came into the shop with this copy of Dance of Death from 1547. The book had been re-bound but still had original woodcut artwork of 'Death'. The pages were all authentic, but the binding redone centuries prior.
The expert appraising the book still said it was worth a cool $16,000 at auction so the owner asked for $10,000, to which Rick replied that he would buy it off the guy for $9,500, which was agreeable to the seller.
A 1966 'Batman' Utility Belt Kit
A woman came into the shop on a mission, she knew she had a gem on her hands. The lady came into the shop with this 1966 Batman utility toy belt in mint condition and asked for $17,000.
Rick was not phased by her request but wanted a professional appraiser to take a look at the item. The appraiser told Rick that this was indeed the real monty and is the "Holy Grail" of Batman memorabilia. Rick settled with the woman for $11,000.