Why I hate Pawn Stars

[Bob Hudson]

The pin is a pretty rare and desirable piece and it sold in the $2400 range. I then heard one of auction employees say to another person that he informed the owner that it was an old fire department ceremony badge and the old girl did not know what she had and they had paid next to nothing for the item. Just wondering if they had a legal obligation to be honest with the owner in that situation?

 

If they took it in on consignment, it would be fraud to lie about it (and why would they because she'd still get the money minus auction house fees). But it sounds like they bought it from her: their lying unethical and immoral, but probably not against the law as they were acting as buyers and not as her agent.

[Manchu Warrior]

If they took it in on consignment, it would be fraud to lie about it (and why would they because she'd still get the money minus auction house fees). But it sounds like they bought it from her: their lying unethical and immoral, but probably not against the law as they were acting as buyers and not as her agent.

They did sell the persons estate and I believe he purchased the item and sold it at the same auction. I appreciate the information. Thanks!

[History Man]

i think i am at a loss for words on that situation. :thumbdown:

 

philip

[Irish69]

Ron: Those guys weren't just 'salting' the show, they were actually stealing stuff from people. The 'salting' was just part of their whole thing. They were very, very, respected in the CW community until that whole episode. I do recall one being charged (maybe more) with theft/fraud etc.

 

I hate to tell you all this but, the person you refer to is STILL out there in the CW collecting community as a dealer. What is really disturbing is that other dealers are still giving this guy respect @ shows???

[Bob Hudson]

I hate to tell you all this but, the person you refer to is STILL out there in the CW collecting community as a dealer. What is really disturbing is that other dealers are still giving this guy respect @ shows???

 

There were two people and you can read about them in numerous Google articles: http://tinyurl.com/cwscammers

[dskjl]

Well, I'm sure I am going to loose some coolness points over this, but the consensus seems to be that these shows are worthless and for entertainment only. So.... why do we have a 15 page thread on this new show coming about militaria collecting and everyone seems to think it will be cool and educational for the masses? This new show, "Combat Cash" or whatever it is going to be called, after a few shows of what it originally was designed for, won't get the same, "you gotta spice it up or you will be cancelled" speech?

There are a lot of people with lots of high expectations, in the end, it will become the same as all the rest of the shows, just another on the heap.

 

 

Amen, I don't make much time for TV watching and rarely if ever have seen any of these shows and after this thread maybe I don't need to as it seems you boys have them covered. All kidding aside, clearly there is a place for these kinds of shows or they wouldn’t be aired. I can see the intrigue based on just the themes, then when you add the characters and the ever changing or exchanging items/collectables they sound like shows folks that don’t get out and actually participate in buying and selling might find interesting.

[Shenkursk]

I can tell you from first-hand experience that the folks at Roadshow work very hard to produce a straight-up, honest product. Entertaining? I certainly hope so. But staged and faked? Absolutely not. What you see is what you get. The 'watermelon sword' incident was something that the (ex)appraiser cooked up, and is discussed in this behind-the-scenes book. The Roadshow folks operate under a very strict code of professional ethics, not just because it is the right thing to do, but specifically to avoid the (fake, staged, put-on, etc.) stigma of Pickers & Pawn Stars.

 

This is not to say that the Pickers & Pawn Stars genre is 'wrong'. It simply is what it is. Nor is it boring - they produce interesting, entertaining television that a lot of folks enjoy.. but as this thread shows, a lot of folks have figured out that it is a rather transparently staged event.

 

I will credit them (the Pickers & Pawn Stars type shows) with one thing, though - the general public now has a better understanding of the wholesale / retail concept. "I know you have to make a profit" is a phrase that is increasingly more common to hear during a deal, and it is refreshing. Much easier to work on a transaction when all of the parties involved already have Economics 101 under their belt.

[Jason G]

I agree. And I've read the behind the scenes book where they explain that incident. Agree with the 2nd paragraph too.

[Shenkursk]

I would also add that it is encouraging to see that (even though it is staged), Pawn Stars is very heavy on the military stuff. Sometimes the segments are great, other times they look quite foolish.. but the fact that they keep beating the militaria drum means that the viewing public finds the military stuff intriguing. They would not keep featuring military items if their market research showed that people were bored by it.

 

I just can't wait to see the reaction when guys like Bob & Owen are introduced to the public. Haven't seen a second of footage yet, but knowing those guys I have complete confidence that they will be excellent ambassadors for militaria collectors and dealers. Pawn Stars has demonstrated that the interest is there.. when that interest is then focused on a better product, I think that the potential is tremendous.

[f16chief]

I went to the Gold and Silver Pawn shop in Las Vegas last June, and it is a dump!! The owners are only there for filming, and thats pretty much it. They make their money selling t-shirts, mouse pads, shot glasses and bobble heads.

While I was there i looked at a few of their military items and I'm sure forum memebers will like this. A standard WWII enlistedmans wool overcoat with stripes and a 5th Army patch for $375.00, what a deal!!! I would not have paid $20.00 for that POS...

That pretty much says it all about how they price stuff. From what I saw, there isn't anything there worth spending a dime on, but the wife wanted to see the place and was thoroughly dis-appointed. Big difference between reality and reality TV......

[TomcatPC]

I tend to stay away from the "reality shows" other than "The Smoking Gun Presents, The World's Dumbest...". I attempted to watch "American Guns" for the first few episodes, then I got irritated real quick with the owner of the shop and his helo rides, bag of cash, and piece of silver etc. Whilst I understand there is a segment of the population that likes this sort of entertainment. I think the genre is reaching "saturation" at this point. I understand that it is cheaper by doing reality shows, but I think that a lot of the networks have gotten way off the mark by going outer limits with the sort of telly. I'm still trying to figure out how "Swamp Loggers" or whatever belongs on the "History Channel"?

Mark

[blitzkrieg gsd]

All there good for is seeing what people are willing to sale. Now we know that most of the good stuff is a set up its seems just funny now.

[TrenchfootJoe66]

Sweet, never had a post that I started run this long!! Im so cool.

[gunbarrel]

Big difference between reality and reality TV......

 

In the end, that's all it is--TV. Cheap entertainment. Not for real. They don't give a crap what anybody says and they are making a ton of money while serious collectors cringe.

[Bob Hudson]

I got irritated real quick with the owner of the shop and his helo rides, bag of cash, and piece of silver etc.

 

Those in the know say he's a real tool.

[Bill47]

In the end, that's all it is--TV. Cheap entertainment. Not for real. They don't give a crap what anybody says and they are making a ton of money while serious collectors cringe.

 

 

Absolutely true.

[M1Marksman]

I've been a wheeler/dealer all my life. I'm the original American Picker. Where's MY tv show? I buy & sell stuff all the time through various venues & had a guy call the other day about a car I have for sale for $2,000. He offered me $500 for it, saying, "You have to realize, I gotta make some money on it". I told him,"I don't give a fudge what you think you have to make. You've been watching too much Pawn Stars & don't call back or I'll crawl up your azz & punch you in the brain", then I hung up.

[ge999]

In all of the Las Vegas area it just burns me that they can't get a better military "expert" for Pawn Stars. Of the few items of real value that has been through the store I've seen him fumble every one. If they're flying people out from Utah or Oregon, why can't they fly out some real respected experts from California, Arizona or Texas to take a look at the stuff. Any time I'm killing time waiting for someone I'll sometimes have that on, when I see the episode where the guy brings in his father's Iwo Jima invasion maps and only get a little over a thousand with the guys saying that its a unique item, and it's gonna take a long time to find that right person is sooo full of crap I still can't stomach it. Shame I couldn't have managed to have been there for some reason with him and the counter and then start offering the guy more than the pawn shop and telling him how many ppl would pay anything to have gotten those maps.

[willysmb44]

I've been a wheeler/dealer all my life. I'm the original American Picker. Where's MY tv show? I buy & sell stuff all the time through various venues & had a guy call the other day about a car I have for sale for $2,000. He offered me $500 for it, saying, "You have to realize, I gotta make some money on it". I told him,"I don't give a fudge what you think you have to make. You've been watching too much Pawn Stars & don't call back or I'll crawl up your azz & punch you in the brain", then I hung up.

THIS is the flipside of people who say that buying from others is now easier when you’re commercial.

Now everyone fancies himself a dealer. I had the same thing happen at a military collectible show this past spring. A guy plunked down a huge pile from my table and proceeded to tell me how he’s going to do me the honor of paying much less than I was asking because, “Hey, I gotta make a living by re-selling” the stuff. I resisted the urge to strangle him and said, “Sorry Skippy, this IS retail here. You came to me, not the other way around. I’m selling at what I consider retail for these items. I couldn’t care less that you think you’ll re-sell them. Once you’ve bought them, you can do whatever you want, but you’re not getting them wholesale, no (bleeping) way.” He just stood there aghast for a minute while I looked him dead in the eye. A while later, he culled out the pile a bit and then tried to talk me down like a normal buyer would. I wouldn’t budge for him, even on items I was originally prepared to take more of a hit on. One item I even went UP from my asking price while he tried to go down. In the end, he bought most of the stuff for the sticker prices.

[Lackland82]

Dont forget the new show: "Cajun Pawn Stars"

[subsystem4]

I hate all these shows. Its seems to be driving prices up, dealers with no clue what they have or the market for the items basing their prices on TV and the flea markets and shows are crowded with wannabe pickers paying stupid money for stuff.

[Leatherneck72]

I hate all these shows. Its seems to be driving prices up, dealers with no clue what they have or the market for the items basing their prices on TV and the flea markets and shows are crowded with wannabe pickers paying stupid money for stuff.

 

 

I have a strange feeling there will be even more shows that we can hate right around the corner. I am not sure any of this "truly" helps this hobby. It's just another angle for the people who make/star in these shows to make more money. Bottom line, it is pure entertainment, they are ALL STAGED. I feel it is a waste of time to watch any of them.

[RANDALL 1953]

I know this is a U.S. forum, but on Real Deal (I just caught the last of it, I 'll have to watch the rerun to see the maker)), a guy brought in an WW2 German SA dagger. The Real Deal guy offered him 100.00. The guy turned it down and went to auction. It did bring (I think) 535.00. Depending on the makers and condition, it could have been worth more. Ron

 

$100.00 is an insult for even a late war example. Glad he turned it down.

[hirsca]

As much as I depise these staged presentations, I still like to see what they find---and then I freak out with their "knowledge of value" or historical inaccuracy of the item. Oh well, red wine cures all ills. In vino veritas. Thanks, Al Hirschler in Dallas.

[Lackland82]

i am not a fan of the show Real Deal. I think the title isnt telling the truth about the show, i rarely see someone get a real deal, the seller that is. i just have not seen the dealers make a fair offer, they stick to this unrealistic amount saying thats what its worth. the dealer from san diego is a real smarta$$. Frankly, i think they give all dealers a bad rep.

 

Fred