# Pawn Stars **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 29, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904 "2010-06-29T05:32:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/81 "2010-07-01T15:01:12Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > The people just want fast money. If they really wanted to research the item and sell for a good price they would not go to a pawn shop. > > I wonder how much cash they keep in the store because it seems like they always say they pay cash for an item - even if they pay $2000. A place with a lot of cash is a target for robberies. Or maybe when they say “cash money” that’s just for TV in some cases. No, they deal in a lot of cash. Look closely at the doors. There are lots of very large guards, all probably heavily armed, and the place is built like a bank. That plus insurance covers things nicely. eta: That and the fact that there is a Sheriff’s substation about a block away. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/82 "2010-07-01T16:50:44Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > With _Pawn Stars_, I wonder whether Las Vegas really has so many experts in obscure fields. “I’m just going to call a buddy of mine who’s an expert in Austro-Hungarian militaria.” “There’s a buddy of mine that’s an expert in mortars that I want to see this first.” Do these buddies fly in from other parts of the country? Like I said upthread, a friend of the family was on as an expert (he legitmately is an expert in that field). On the show it was presented that he was a local Las Vegas guy, but he’s actually based out of San Diego and was brought in for the episode. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/83 "2010-07-01T22:57:36Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > As a planner, whenever I watch _American Pickers_, I can’t help but think “don’t these communities have code enforcement departments?” Most parts of the country, if you have a ton of crap in your yard, you’re going to be in and out of court on a regular basis. Maybe they’re just in eastern Kentucky a lot, where visible hoarding is tolerated. Actually there was a recent episode showing how what’s her name gets some of the leads… she calls the small towns and asks about people with several code violations and other “problem” people. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/84 "2010-07-02T01:31:25Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > [He](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/FewelZ8V8Zw/0.jpg) reminds me of [Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle](http://photos.shebloggedbynight.com/images/A_3/5/2/2/12253/roscoe_arbuckle_brewsters_millions_1921_7c4ec.jpg). Heh, now that you mention it, he does. > [@](#): > > One that irked me was a dad who was selling a family heirloom spoon made by Paul Revere. It was judged to be authentic and he got a few thousand dollars for it- way under the appraisal value- and he wanted it to _help pay for his daughter’s lavish wedding_. > > Okay… > > You’re a young lady and you’re getting married. Your dad has a spoon that > > 1- Has been in the family for generations > 2- Has been judged as not only an original Paul Revere but a particularly good condition > 3- Is, to the extent that any inanimate object can be, pretty much guaranteed never to go down in value > 4- Has just this minute been appraised at more than twice what your dad is getting for it > > Now, would you rather > > 1- Have this money go to pay for an open bar and prosciutto & melon balls for a bunch of people you don’t know for two hours at a wedding in a time when more than half of all marriages end in divorce > OR > 2- Have a true piece of American history whose value is not only sentimental (family heirloom and all) but also, even if you hated great-granny or whoever it belonged to, going to be worth even more in 20 years? > > If your marriage doesn’t work out, then you blew a one-of-a-kind item for half it’s value. If your marriage does work out and you remain well to do, then you’ve got one hell of an heirloom- the kind you mention specifically in a will. If your marriage does or doesn’t work out either one and if you remain well to do or lose your money either one, that thing will either pay for a car for your kid or send them to college for a year, possibly more. > > It’s highly unlikely that they’ll build a new Target outside Boston and uncover a case of 300 mint condition Paul Revere spoons and it’s for absolute certain he’s not going to make any more. Change the open bar to “beer and wine plus a cash bar”, serve Little Smokies instead of prosciutto, and KEEP THE DAMNED SPOON, preferably in a safe deposit box. (Makes me almost hope this dumbass’s daughter runs off with her husband’s 16 year old groomsman cousin three months after the wedding just to teach Dad a life lesson about priorities.) Oh, I remember that one. All I could think of what a spoiled little brat she must be – and even then, I think Dad said, “This will go a pretty good way towards paying for the wedding.” So basically, the money he got wouldn’t even pay for the entire thing! Jesus, how expensive was it? (Bridezilla much?) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/85 "2010-07-02T01:41:48Z")
Five years ago when I was doing wedding videography, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. was something like $20,000. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/86 "2010-07-02T02:31:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Five years ago when I was doing wedding videography, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. was something like $20,000. I’ve read that too but it makes me think there must be a few $3 million weddings out there that really screw with the averages. I’ve been to some nice ones and doubt I’ve ever seen one that came to half that. Most people I know would much rather have a \<$5000 wedding and the rest in cash. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/87 "2010-07-02T03:04:20Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Makes me wonder what these people are planning to do with the money that they’re willing to take so little for their unique items that will never depreciate. I mean, the _shop_ brought in an expert who told you to your face that your whatever is worth $10,000, then Rick offers you $2,000 and you take it?! They can’t **all** be degenerate gamblers, can they? Usually they say something like, “I’ve seen pieces like this go for as much as $10,000 at auction.” Selling an item at a collector’s auction is pretty daunting for the average person. You might have to wait months for the next one to come along. For a real specialty piece, maybe longer. Then when you do, the market may have changed. Or the last auction saw the item bid way up because two people competed for it. So you run the risk of putting your item at auction and only getting a bid of $500 for it. To avoid that, you can put a floor on the price, but then you might have to pay a fee to the auction house whether you sell it or not. Then if you do sell it, the broker or auction house may take 20% right off the top for their fee. > [@](#): > > If I were in that position I’d go get my shit independently appraised then either auction it or use it as collateral on a loan. The bank is surely going to give me a better deal than a guy who’s only interest is his resale profits. How many banks will give you a secured loan against an item like that? I’m guessing not too many. And remember - the people bringing stuff into a pawn shop likely have below-average credit. ---
**Author:** ![MsChilePepper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MsChilePepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsChilePepper)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/88 "2010-07-02T06:13:37Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Then if you do sell it, the broker or auction house may take 20% right off the top for their fee. Auction houses are the ones rakin’ it in with that scenario, because they charge fees to the sellers, the brokers AND the buyers. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/89 "2010-07-02T13:16:08Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Five years ago when I was doing wedding videography, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. was something like $20,000. I’ve seen that number twice recently - the second time it said that $20G number was actually down from previous years! I’m a firm believer that anything is worth exactly what someone is willing and able to pay you at any particular time. Cash-in-hand can make up for a whole lot of hypothetical transaction fees and carrying costs. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/90 "2010-09-08T00:10:34Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > The thing that bugs me about the Pickers guys is the amount of whining and complaining they do about the people they go to. The junk seller/ hoarder won’t budge on an item because they know they are getting low-balled or they just don’t want to part with the item. Ichabod Crane and the one who looks like Michael Madsens’ rapey friend in Kill Bill vol. 2- try to make it sound like theres something WRONG with these people that they don’t want to sell an old rail-road sign for a quarter. They know the guys are just going to turn around and try to sell it. Just popped in to comment that the \*\*Ichabod Crane \*\*remark was my best laugh of the week. 😃 mmm ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/91 "2010-09-08T04:17:22Z")
Did anyone else totally expect Rick to take the 2 grand for the Fabergé spider? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/92 "2010-09-08T05:09:33Z")
> [@janis\_and\_c0](#): > > Did anyone else totally expect Rick to take the 2 grand for the Fabergé spider? I thought it was commendable that he didn’t since she named the price, but I couldn’t believe that she asked for **$17 grand** when he offered her the $15k. I could understand if she had decided not to pawn it until she had it appraised but c’mon woman, have an ounce or two of class. I’ve mentioned before- probably in this thread- how stupid I find it when something’s appraised for $10,000 and the person still pawns it for $5,000 instead of trying to find a buyer themselves. Unless you absolutely positively have to have the money right then that hour it behooves you to try and get top dollar, and if you do have to have it that day then pawn it, look into selling it, and if there’s a reasonable chance you can anywhere near top dollar reclaim it and sell it. I wonder what the interest is at the pawn shop. I remember very well from my college days that for small items (I never pawned anything more than $100 or so) it was 20% per month, but for car pawn it’s 10% if I’m not mistaken, so for a $5,000 sword I wonder if it’s 10% or 20%. I recently heard that in Alabama there’s a new law that after 2 years of 20% payments the item must be returned but no idea if that’s statewide (don’t even know for a fact it’s true to be honest as I haven’t checked it). This is so the person who hocks their granny’s pearl necklace for $200 doesn’t have to pay $8,000 over the next several years to get it out when it’s worth $1,000 (the other $7,000 being paid to keep it for sentimental reasons). ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/93 "2010-09-08T11:06:07Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I wonder what the interest is at the pawn shop. IIRC, Rick said he charges 5% and if the item isn’t claimed after 3 months (or 4 months? I don’t remember exactly) he owns it outright. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/94 "2010-09-08T12:39:59Z")
4 months. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/95 "2010-09-08T13:57:19Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I thought it was commendable that he didn’t since she named the price, but I couldn’t believe that she asked for **$17 grand** when he offered her the $15k. I could understand if she had decided not to pawn it until she had it appraised but c’mon woman, have an ounce or two of class. Exactly! When she said $17k I thought/hoped Rick would counter with “How about $10k?” That’s the Old Man’s favorite trick when someone asks for more than he has offered. Has anyone been watching _[Hardcore Pawn](http://www.trutv.com/shows/hardcore-pawn/index.html)_ on TruTV? It’s about another family-run pawn shop, this time in Detroit. Seems like a much bigger operation than Gold & Silver, but I don’t like the “characters” as much (especially the daughter) and no history is provided. It has the same “I wonder what will come into the shop next” thing, though, so for now I’ll keep watching it. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/96 "2010-09-08T15:16:33Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > > [@janis\_and\_c0](#): > > > > Did anyone else totally expect Rick to take the 2 grand for the Fabergé spider? > > I thought it was commendable that he didn’t since she named the price, but I couldn’t believe that she asked for **$17 grand** when he offered her the $15k. I almost dropped a lung. He just GAVE you 13 grand that he didn’t have to, and you want another two? The fucking GALL!!! Joe ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/97 "2010-09-08T18:01:33Z")
> [@clarkstar](#): > > this show shows the pawn shop guys as the scum they are, ripping people off all day long. its a travesty As I said in the other thread, their business model seems to be, “buy for one-third the value, sell for two-thirds”. Rick seems to run the business fairly honestly, at least when the cameras are on him. But I bet the Old Man pulled some really shady deals in his heyday. I just get that vibe from him. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/98 "2010-09-08T18:20:13Z")
> [@DataZak](#): > > > [@Sampiro](#): > > > > I wonder what the interest is at the pawn shop. > > IIRC, Rick said he charges 5% and if the item isn’t claimed after 3 months (or 4 months? I don’t remember exactly) he owns it outright. I wonder if that’s store policy or Nevada law. Most shops don’t have that short a limit I don’t think- in fact the more the merrier for them in the length of time you leave it there so long as you’re paying the interest. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/99 "2010-09-08T18:22:07Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > > [@Sampiro](#): > > > > I thought it was commendable that he didn’t since she named the price, but I couldn’t believe that she asked for **$17 grand** when he offered her the $15k. > > I almost dropped a lung. He just GAVE you 13 grand that he didn’t have to, and you want another two? The fucking GALL!!! > > Joe Absolutely. Hope she lost it in a slot on her way home. Almost as priceless as the time Hoss and the other kid hung that kite on the power poll, then had to asked the guy what he was looking to get out of the now worthless kite. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904/100 "2010-09-08T18:22:41Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > > [@clarkstar](#): > > > > this show shows the pawn shop guys as the scum they are, ripping people off all day long. its a travesty > > As I said in the other thread, their business model seems to be, “buy for one-third the value, sell for two-thirds”. Rick seems to run the business fairly honestly, at least when the cameras are on him. But I bet the Old Man pulled some really shady deals in his heyday. I just get that vibe from him. The entire cast is carny through and through. Better at kayfabe than most wrestlers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pawn-stars/544904.md?page=6)