Pawn Stars Fake Pete Rose Cards

[Volod]

Seems to me that too many of the sellers of quality items walk away with little objection to the shop owners' lowball evaluation of their stuff. I wonder if the show's producers might be buying the stuff above what the shop offers just to get the "talent" into camera range.

[prewarsports]

I am from Maine have a little experience with Real life Antique "Pickers". They are generally looked at as the scum of the Earth who show up 2 hours early to Yard Sales and rummage through peoples stuff often without permission or tact. The two guys on the show are better than any I have met but they still come across as just incredibly annoying as they impose themselves on other people and then act all put out if they cant buy your stuff for 1/10 its value. The tall skinny guy is much nicer than the short fat one, but pickers in general are just a small step up from Carneys. What I dont get is why they dont buy more. They must spend a FORTUNE on gas in that huge van while driving around for days before they buy something. I bet their big scores barely pay for their gas bill.

As for Pawn Stars, I like the show. I get the impression that Rick is a pretty fair guy who often pays well for the stuff he wants. In many ways that show is a breath of fresh air because they allow the sellers to stand right there and hear the expert appraisals before the negotiations begin.

Best quote ever was when he said something like "A Pawn Shop owner who trusts his customers is out of business REAL quick".

Rhys Yeakley

[Rob D.]

Rhys,

I've had similar thoughts about Pickers: How do these guys make a living? Many times the synopsis of a trip will show an item that they bought for $40 was sold for $100, a $20 item for $50, etc. Given that they're not dealing in very big volume (at least on the show), I wonder how they can make a living. Even taking into account that in real life they're buying more stuff, it doesn't seem like they're turning over enough inventory at high enough margins.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Rob D.

Rhys,

I've had similar thoughts about Pickers: How do these guys make a living? Many times the synopsis of a trip will show an item that they bought for $40 was sold for $100, a $20 item for $50, etc. Given that they're not dealing in very big volume (at least on the show), I wonder how they can make a living. Even taking into account that in real life they're buying more stuff, it doesn't seem like they're turning over enough inventory at high enough margins.

Honestly, some of the stuff I've seen them buy. I'd have a hard time believing they were able to turn it over at all.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by Rob D.

Rhys,

I've had similar thoughts about Pickers: How do these guys make a living? Many times the synopsis of a trip will show an item that they bought for $40 was sold for $100, a $20 item for $50, etc. Given that they're not dealing in very big volume (at least on the show), I wonder how they can make a living. Even taking into account that in real life they're buying more stuff, it doesn't seem like they're turning over enough inventory at high enough margins.

I was anxiously awaiting this series and after I watched the first episode I was a bit put off at how these guys operated so I found the History Channel forums to see what others were saying and I've stuck around since then. They aren't showing everything because some of the people who have been "picked" have had relatives show up to tell you what they aren't showing...one guy sold them his tin toys, but you don't see that...all you see is them buying an old Mobil Oil can...possibly/probably an edit job after History found out the family was pissed... The last episode I watched there was an old opera/movie house with a bunch of old posters underneath the stage...this place is not really an old shuttered opera house it's actually an antique store and the guy was probably storing these movie posters under the stage. And why wouldn't they just buy the crap out of those when the guy told them he'd sell them for $25???? Oh yeah, and that gal in the small town that lived in an old warehouse like building? Friend of the family of one of the pickers...yet they made it seem like this was some hidden away place that their secretary found for them. It was all staged.

There is also a forum for Pawn Stars over there and while that show is more interesting than American Pickers much of it is staged also. The old Coke Machine they bought and had restored magically turned into a completely different model of machine...The guy who traded the gun for the guitar actually works in the guitar shop where the guitar he traded for came from..they had it on their website for over a year. That pinball machine they bought a few weeks ago for $1,000 that cost them $3,000 to restore and the guy told them they could get $5,000 for it...what world are they living in??? You can get a total restore of a vintage pinball for way less than 3 Grand, and that particular game isn't worth more than $700 completely restored.

I know they can't know everything, but those baseball cards looked real to me...I DVR'ed the show and watched it on a 52 inch HDTV and they looked authentic to me when I paused it and took a good look.

All that said the show is still interesting and I love watching it. I still watch American Pickers too, but it's more like watching a train wreck and I can't avert my eyes.

[Davino]

I like Pawn Stars, too, but wish they would show the sales end instead of always buying, as someone mentioned.

[KCRfan1]

My wife has been thru the Pickers store in Iowa. She said the store was small with an older woman behind the counter. My wife said she asked the woman a question, and got a very rude answer. The wife did not stay in the store long and certainly did not buy anything. I have not watched that show since. Pawn Stars I will always try to catch. I would like to go have a beer with Rick and the guys. They would have some great stories.....

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by KCRfan1

My wife has been thru the Pickers store in Iowa. She said the store was small with an older woman behind the counter. My wife said she asked the woman a question, and got a very rude answer. The wife did not stay in the store long and certainly did not buy anything. I have not watched that show since. Pawn Stars I will always try to catch. I would like to go have a beer with Rick and the guys. They would have some great stories.....

Sorry to hear about the bad experience in Iowa. Frank and my cousin are very good friends.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Volod

Seems to me that too many of the sellers of quality items walk away with little objection to the shop owners' lowball evaluation of their stuff. I wonder if the show's producers might be buying the stuff above what the shop offers just to get the "talent" into camera range.

I don't know. For a pawn shop, it seems to me they are overpaying for a lot of the stuff that comes in. You need to turn stuff over quickly in order to make any money and cover your overhead, and most of the time that means you're not going to realize anywhere near a retail price for it.


I do think some of the stuff that walks in there is strictly for exposure or as a publicity stunt. Did anybody think Rick was ever going to pony up over 3/4 of a million dollars for the Arthur C. Clarke sunken treasure find that failed to meet it's reserve in a previous auction?

[nebboy]

I had to watch the replaying with the Rose Cards episode to see if I see what Rick saw. Only thing that jumped out as BIG flag, was that everone of the cards had the same exact centering on all the cards.
I do watch this show but you do have to take into account that what you see on is a TV show. It has been stagged and edited. But its still a fun watch.