Vegas Pawn Stars’ Top Finds Spanning the Past Decade
Pawn Stars is now as much a part of Vegas as the iconic Las Vegas Strip. Tours and visits to the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, the family-owned business that the world-famous History Channel show is based on, is one of the city’s biggest attractions. This highly-rated series is now on its 10th year and its 16th season premiered in January.
Everyone loves the shop’s staff: larger-than-life “Old Man” Harrison, who sadly passed away in 2018, Rick Harrison, “Big Hoss” and Chumlee. But what people love more are their rare and valuable finds. Here is a list of Pawn Stars’ top finds over the last 10 years:
1. 1922 High Relief Dollar
Rick purchased this rare 1922 High Relief coin for a princely sum of $80,000. This valuable coin is one of the rarest in American history, and the man who brought it to the shop had won it in a poker game. Believing that it was only worth $20,000, you could imagine his shock and amazement when it was appraised by an expert to be around $50,000 to $100,000.
2. Fender Stratocaster Guitar from 1961 owned by Vic Flick
Who is Vic Flick, you may ask, and why is his Fender Strat so valuable? Studio musician Flick played the infamous guitar riff on the original soundtrack for the James Bond theme. It was Flick himself who brought the guitar to the pawn shop, and he says that he also played this particular 1961 Fender Strat on recordings for other big-name artists such as the Beatles. Rick made a deal with Flick for $55,000.
3. 200 pounds of silver
This is one of Rick’s biggest purchases. When a man walked in with about 200 pounds of silver, the price of the precious metal has skyrocketed. Rick knew several buyers who would lap this up immediately, so he paid the gentleman a huge sum of $111,000. This was considered the largest purchase by far in Pawn Stars’ history. The shop now uses the silver for its very own custom-minted coin featuring Old Man Harrison’s face. It is sold in the shop for $70.
4. Bell from a 17th-Century Ship
The old woman who owned the bell thought that it was worthless; however, she also thought that its surface engravings meant something. The woman was considering putting the old bell on a yard sale but decided to take it to the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop instead. She must have thanked her lucky stars that she did. This bell is not just from any old ship, it is from a Dutch East India Trading Company ship. History buffs know the significance of that ship, as it plied the Indian Ocean from The Cape of Good Hope to the Straits of Magellan in between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The old bell dated back to 1602 and is worth a whopping $15,000.
5. 1932 Custom Ford Roadster
The pawn shop staff all love their cars, and they have spent about $1 million worth since the show started 10 years ago. Riding into Season 7 back in 2013, this beautifully-made 1932 custom Ford Roadster is one for the books, with Rick buying it for almost $70,000. Rick and his son Corey engaged in intense negotiations with the owner. They just had to have this pristine 500-horsepower convertible that was still in excellent shape. The Ford Model B was considered an updated version of the original Model A. The best thing about this jet-black beauty is that it has only clocked in 450 miles.
6. Authentic Casino Items: Stardust Blackjack Table and 1920s Prohibition-era Slots Game
Since the Gold and Silver pawn shop is located in Vegas, Rick and his staff are interested in authentic casino items, especially if they come from the iconic casinos in the area. Rick is always looking for a truly unique and one-of-a-kind item.
He purchased an original 1960s Stardust Blackjack Table for $650. Stardust was the first casino on the strip and it‘s always been shrouded in mystery, especially since it was supposedly funded by the Mob.
Considering that Pawn Stars itself is now a game with real money slots, Rick ironically purchased this 1920s prohibition-era slots game that was originally used in Colorado. He paid $600 for this slots game that told your fortune, which according to Rick really represented the spirit of the 1920s where anti-gambling laws were strictly enforced.
7. Panama Pacific Octagonal Gold Coin from 1915
Rick occasionally travels and attends auctions across America in the hopes of finding something valuable. In this particular trip to Atlanta, he attended one of the nation’s biggest coin auctions in order to look for a Panama Pacific Octagonal gold piece worth $50. Made with 90% gold and 10% copper, this was minted in 1915 to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal. Rick had to find this specific item for a customer who is willing to pay $70,000 for it. Rick finally struck a deal for $67, 500.
8. JFK Cigar Box
JFK’s humidor or cigar box is a personal item of the late president and sat in the White House’s Oval office while he was ruling our great nation. A man walked in one day carrying this piece of presidential history asking for $95,000, and Rick just had to have it. This once-in-a-lifetime box even has a few unsmoked cigars inside. Rick got a hold of the humidor for $60,000, a small amount considering that another one of JFK’s humidors sold for over $500,000 at Sotheby’s in the 1990s.
9. Edward Curtis Photos
Edward Curtis is a famed American photographer who is well-known for his photo engravings, particularly of Native American peoples. Born in 1868 in Whitewater, Wisconsin, this legendary photographer and ethnologist vividly captured the plight and the culture of the Native Americans through his “photogravures.” A photogravure is an old method of producing an image using a copper plate. When a woman walked in with a collection of old Edward Curtis photos, she just meant to sell them for $50. After discovering how valuable they are, Rick got the photo collection for an amazing amount of $20,000!
10. The Book of Mormon – 5th edition
Books can be very collectible
Rick has certainly purchased a lot of valuable books in the past, but this is one of the most important ones. This Book of the Mormon is a fifth-edition copy printed in 1842. It is especially valuable because it was printed during Joseph Smith’s lifetime. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church, published the first edition in 1830. Rick purchased the book for $24,000. After having an appraiser look at it, he discovered that it was worth about $40,000.
Throughout its successful 16-season run on The History Channel, Pawn Stars have left an indelible mark in viewers’ minds. These 10 unforgettable finds are part of the reason why the show is so well-loved. The show’s fans continue to watch the show with interest, always looking forward to more interesting and valuable finds.