This $550,00 Deal That Shocked Everyone on Pawn Stars

The OJ Bronco. How much you want for this?
>> A million3.
How much did you want for it? $250,000.
And how much you want?
>> I’d like to get $900,000.
>> The first seller rolled in with a restored 1969 Triumph T100C competition motorcycle. [music] >> This Triumph is one of the very first dirt bikes, and most of them were beaten [music] to death. This bike looks like it’s been restored right. I’ve always loved old Triumph motorcycles, so I’m going to have to contain myself.
>> The seller was asking $25,000 for the bike. So Rick called his expert friend to get an idea of its value.
>> The history behind these kind [music] of things, Rick, is just unbelievable. I mean, Elvis Presley at one time bought every person in his crew one of these bikes.
>> The [music] expert explained that a serious collector might pay $30,000, but the bike’s realistic market value was in the $20,000 to $25,000 [music] range. Would you like to take it out and ride it? That might sell you on it.
[laughter] >> Here we go.
>> This bike rides like a 1969 motorcycle.
It handles all right. It doesn’t have a lot of power. The suspension sucks, but damn, I look good on it.
>> Once Rick finished the [music] test drive, negotiations began with the seller still asking $25,000.
>> I’ll give you 14 grand.
>> I’m not going to lose it for 14 grand.
>> What is your best price?
>> 20 grand.
>> I’ll tell you. I’ll give you 15.
>> 175.
>> 15 grand. If it wasn’t for my wife making me sell it, I’d stick to my guns.
15, I’ll do it. [music] >> The next seller brought in two pole axes that he claimed were about 500 years old.
>> What big shift think they’re that old?
Uh, the way they’re made, these are handforged on an anvil, so they’re really light, but they’re really strong.
My research, this one right here is Austrian, and this one’s actually Italian.
>> Cory explained that the axes are highly collectible and that if proven authentic, he could easily sell them to military collectors. I mean, pretty much what you would do is the guy would go rolling by on the horse and you stick that into him and yank him off of it. I mean, it was And then once he was on the ground, you had all this leverage to swing over your head and, you know, get right through his armor.
>> The seller was asking $15,000 for both pole axes, but Cory said he didn’t know whether they were real or fake. So, he called in an expert to examine them.
>> Very nice, Albert. How old do you think that is? About 500 years. After carefully examining both pieces, [music] the expert agreed that one appeared Austrian and the other Italian in style.
However, he was not convinced that both were from the 1500s.
>> The thing that really concerns me about this piece is that the steel is really flimsy. I’ll conclude that this is probably from the Victorian period and is what I call the decorator piece. So, what about this one? Taking a close look, the steel is very strong. I can tell you this is real. When it came to value, the expert estimated the decorative piece at around $600 to $700, [music] while the authentic Halbird would sell for roughly $1,500.
>> If you think you can find these on the internet for $1,500, knock yourself out, cuz it’s not going to happen. If you’re not exposed to the market and don’t know where to find a piece like this, $345,000, but the value about $1,500.
>> The seller completely disagreed with the expert’s appraisal, and when Cory offered $1,500 for both pieces, he flatly refused. The next seller brought in what he claimed was Nicola Tesla’s very first prototype induction motor from 1887.
>> What is Tesla? Tesla made more contributions to our way of life today than any other engineer or scientist in recorded history.
>> Rick said Nicola Tesla was probably the smartest man of the 19th century and noted that Tesla developed the alternating current motor, the foundation of the electrical systems we still use today. If this is actually Tesla’s first motor, it’s like finding the lost ark for technology [music] buffs. It would also mean it’s worth an incredible amount of cash. He’s without a doubt one of the greatest inventors of all time.
>> The seller [music] wanted $250,000 for the motor, which Rick said would be a reasonable price if it were actually Tesla’s. So, he brought in an expert to verify its authenticity.
>> Tesla is one of those characters out of the 19th century that everybody should be aware of. you know, the amount of change that he brought to our lives that we’re still dealing with today. In fact, they used Tesla’s designs to create the power plant at the bottom of Niagara Falls.
>> After reviewing historical records, the expert believed the piece in the shop was likely a 19th century teaching model based on Tesla’s design rather than the original prototype itself.
>> I know you’ve done your research, but I respectfully disagree.
>> We have a different opinion. That’s going to happen. Unless you found a picture of Tesla holding this, it’s going to be very, very hard to prove.
>> Even though the seller didn’t agree with the expert, Rick said he didn’t want to make an offer since it couldn’t be traced back to Tesla. The next seller walked in with a book that started a global phenomenon.
>> Looking to sell my copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone, first edition.
>> He explained that this was the book that started it all, released in 1997 before anyone knew just how big the Harry Potter series would become.
>> What are you looking to do with it? I’m looking to sell it if I if I can get you at the right price.
>> What do you think the right price is?
>> I would love to get $30,000 for it.
>> Chumley was sure it was valuable, but with books, condition and authenticity are everything. So, he called in a book expert.
>> Anytime you see a book in a box, it’s a good sign. Someone cared about it. You have to have it custom made for that particular copy. This has been taken care of.
>> After checking the book thoroughly, the expert confirmed that while it wasn’t perfect, it was a genuine nearfine first [music] edition.
>> This book is fairly new. So, how much do you think this particular copy is worth?
>> At the moment, I’m seeing copies of this quality in terms of condition. You could do perhaps as much as 20. I tend to go a little bit more conservative. For me, closer to 18.
>> After hearing the valuation, Chunley made an offer of $15,000, but the seller wasn’t willing to go that low, so in the end, no deal was made. The next seller brought in what appeared to be an old military bicycle from World War II.
>> Some sort of military bicycle. Do you know anything about it? I just know it’s from World War II.
>> The seller explained that the bike had [music] belonged to her great-grandfather and had been sitting in her garage since she was a kid.
>> During World War II, the soldiers over in Europe were shipping everything from bicycles to guns to silverware to artwork, all these things that were considered war prizes back to the United States. And for some reason, your great grandpa brought a bike back.
>> As Rick inspected the bicycle, he noticed the BSA markings, which indicated Birmingham Small Arms, a major British military manufacturer.
>> How much you going to get out of it? I’m hoping I can get a thousand for it.
>> Would you take 300 bucks for it?
>> How about 500?
>> You know, yeah, I’ll do the 500 bucks.
>> Good. Thank you.
>> After the purchase, Rick brought in a military expert to learn what he really bought.
>> This is a folding bike that the paratroopers could hold in on front of their chest, jump out of planes with.
When they landed, they’d unfold it, put it together, and ride around on them.
>> The expert explained that while most bikes like this sell for $1,500 to $2,000, this one’s condition and rarity could make it worth up to 5,000. I gave her 500 bucks for it. I mean, I just had no idea. It’s a happy accident, then.
[music] >> What do we got there?
>> It’s a Japanese ceremonial sword.
>> Do you know much about it?
>> I believe it’s somehow related to Admiral Yamamoto.
>> Rick explained that Admiral Yamamoto was one of Japan’s most important military leaders during World War II and the architect of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
If the blade were truly connected to him, it could be highly significant.
>> Admiral Yamamoto, he was the most important person in the Japanese military during World War II. He believed that if they attacked Pearl Harbor that the Americans could get really, really discouraged and just sue for peace. He really didn’t understand the Americans.
>> The seller wanted $2,000 for the sword.
So Rick called an expert because if it were connected to Admiral Yamamoto, it could be extremely valuable.
>> As you can see here, writing on the tang, it says Mikasa. The Mikasa was Admiral Togo’s flagship during the RussoJapanese War in the early 1900s. So when the Mikasa was decommissioned, he actually made a special order of tantos made out of the gun barrel of the Mikasa.
>> The expert [music] explained that Yamamoto admired Admiral Togo and was known to gift these tantos to his lieutenants. [music] There was even a possibility that Yamamoto owned one himself, but there was no way to verify that this particular piece had belonged to him.
>> So how much would something like this go for? It’s worth [music] $10,000. And if we can prove that it actually belong to Admiral Moto, $20,000 is not out of the question.
>> Wow. After hearing the experts appraisal, [music] Rick offered her $5,000, but she declined, saying it could be worth more if she could prove it belonged to Yamamoto.
>> So, I’d want to do more research and see if it really is. I >> mean, like, would you take six?
>> No. $20,000 is a lot of money.
>> Okay, do your research. Come back and see me. Maybe we’ll make a deal.
>> Awesome.
>> The next seller pulled up in one of the most recognizable vehicles in American history. The [music] white Ford Bronco from the OJ Simpson chase.
>> I’ve never seen anything quite like this. It’s the Bronco OJ was in the backseat of OJ and his friend, what was his name? AC. They both had identical Broncos, but this is the one everyone knows. This one everyone saw on television. Think of him as Carchase.
>> The seller explained that he had been OJ’s agent at the time and bought the vehicle to prevent [music] it from being used in a controversial tour. He had kept it for over 20 years and had already turned down a half million offer.
>> Three or four things in the past like 30 years. Everyone remembers. Everyone remembers where they were at when the Challenger crashed. Everyone remembers where they were at on 911 and everyone remembers what they were doing when they saw the OJS. [music] >> Rick took it for a short drive to confirm it was mechanically sound. He noted that while the vehicle was undeniably iconic, valuing it was difficult because there were no real comparables, nothing quite like it had ever sold publicly. [music] >> How much you want for this? A million three. Worldwide, more people have seen this vehicle than any other vehicle on Earth. But it also has that bad stuff associated with it, the murders. Now, you know, this isn’t the one that had the blood in it. I know. I know. But >> the seller lowered his asking price to [music] $1.25 million, but Rick emphasized that the vehicle’s connection to the murders made it an extremely risky investment with no comparable sales to establish its value and a 7 figure price tag attached. [music] He ultimately decided the gamble was too great.
>> I’ve got a World War II 1945 US Japanese landmine training set. Four Japanese landmines.
>> All right, that’s definitely different.
The seller explained that the set had belonged to his father, who served 42 years in the US Army, and that as a child, he had been told the landmines were real and warned never to touch them. Over 300 million landmines were used during World War II. That’s why the US military created training kits like these. They would help assulter learn how to identify, diffuse, or destroy Japanese mines. The seller said the set included a yard stick mine, [music] an anti-personnel mine, a ceramic mine designed to evade standard metal detectors, and a magnetic mine intended to attach to vehicles.
>> I want to know if it’s complete. That’s the whole problem here. I had a friend.
He’s the curator of the Clark County Museum. Let me get him down here. Let me have him take a look at the stuff.
>> The expert confirmed that [music] the kit was legitimate and fairly rare.
However, the set was missing one component, a grenade that had originally been included.
>> What do you want for it? Like to have 2500 for it. What do you really want for it? I take 2,000 today. I’ll give you 800 bucks. 800. It is 800 bucks.
>> All right.
>> I got something I think is very valuable. Um, once you take a look at it, that’s a whale’s tooth.
>> It’s part of a whale’s tooth.
>> Well, it’s like it’s worth a lot of money. You know, [laughter] >> Rick immediately recognized it as scrimshaw, [music] a traditional art form created by sailors during long whailing voyages.
>> This right here says the ship Midas, which is probably the whailing ship they were on. Whailing voyages could last for years at a time. Just imagine being out in the middle of nowhere for that long.
So, engraving whales teeth is something they would do to pass the [music] time.
>> Rick explained that while the tooth itself was genuine, there are many fakes on the market, in some cases, [music] people take an old whale tooth and add modern engravings to make it appear to be a valuable 19th century artifact.
>> So, the only thing I can tell you for sure is this whale’s tooth. I just don’t know how to authenticate the art. I really just want someone to look at it.
I have a friend who knows about this kind of stuff. So, uh, let me call him up and I’ll give you a call when he gets here. After examining the piece, the expert identified it as a whale log book stamp, a tool used on whailing ships to record catches. [music] The carved end was designed to stamp the image of a whale into the ship’s log. And ink staining on the wood suggested it had been used. And what’s even greater is it’s dated 1824. If this is the real McCoy, I think you’re looking at at least $5,000. There are some concerns here. I’m not so sure that this engraving is period. The expert explained that even without the later engraving, the piece remained a genuine [music] 19th century whailing log book stamp and was worth around $1,000 to $1,500.
>> So, what do you want for the thing?
>> Well, I think I’ll sell it for $1,000 if you mine.
>> I’d like to pay like 500 bucks. If >> I get 700 bucks, I’d be happy.
>> All right. 700 bucks.
>> All right.
>> The next seller walked in with something straight out of history. A full suit of ceremonial armor.
>> Uh, do you know anything about it?
>> I think it’s from England, but I’m not too sure. It looks real similar to like when they changed the guards at Buckingham Palace.
>> After examining the armor, Rick suspected it might be English, but the leather and construction indicated it wasn’t very old.
>> By the time the 17th century rolled around, guns were getting more and more powerful and the armor had to be so thick that it was really heavy and it just became impractical. So, it became really ceremonial, especially when it came to like the royal stuff.
>> The seller wanted $12,000 for the armor, but Rick admitted he didn’t know what it was worth. So he called in an expert to take a closer look.
>> Antique armor from the British Empire is always highly collectible. These guys, they’re called the Queen’s lifeguard.
Their only job is to guard the royal residences and the Queen [music] of England.
>> Based on the crown design, the expert dated the armor to after 1952, and it even showed markings indicating it belonged to an officer.
>> So this helmet absolutely looks legitimate. And that looks like a a serial number for the trooper. Very faintly it says lieutenant. So, yeah, I think this is absolutely authentic.
>> After confirming its legitimacy, the expert valued the armor at around $7,500.
>> So, what’s your best price on it?
>> Could you do 65?
>> I’ll give you 4 grand.
>> 62?
>> I’ll give you 4,500 bucks.
>> Did you do 55?
>> 45,500 bucks.
>> You got a deal.
>> Lamont pistol from the Civil War.
>> It’s one of the rarest guns in American history. [music] It’s a ninehot revolver and a shotgun. [laughter] >> The seller explained that what made it unique was its [music] design. It featured a NSHOT.42 caliber revolver cylinder with a secondary 20 gauge shotgun barrel mounted underneath. A selector on the hammer allowed the shooter to switch between standard rounds and a shotgun blast.
>> This is one of the holy grail. A real Lamat revolver is a rare find. I’m going to have collectors lining up to buy this thing. How much were you looking to get out of it?
>> In the $18 to $20,000 range.
>> Let me have someone take a look at it.
The expert checked the serial number and markings, [music] explaining that the Lamat had three models. Since this revolver fell within the proper range for a second model and showed correct construction details, he verified it as authentic.
>> However, that doesn’t mean that it’s in wonderful shape. These nipples have been replaced. I think at some point in the past, somebody tried to clean it up, which is always a bad idea. After hearing the expert’s evaluation, the seller lowered his asking price to $13,500, [music] to which Rick responded with a $7,000 counter offer, pointing out that the piece was missing crucial markings.
>> If you were to go out right now and try to find one anywhere in the country to buy, I don’t think you could.
>> I’ll go nine.
>> I can do 12,000.
>> I’ll tell you what, I’ll go 10 grand.
>> I just can’t do that.
>> The seller said he wouldn’t go below $12,000, so the deal fell through. He walked away convinced the gun was worth more. Hey, you’re back.
>> I went outside and a voice said, “Take the dough.” >> So, you brought it to the gun show and no one offered more than 10 grand.
>> That’s what really happened. [laughter] >> All right. 10 grand.
>> All right.
>> The next seller brought in a Soviet Cold War [music] era general’s uniform, which he said dated back to the height of the Cold War.
>> I barely remember the whole Cold War thing. I mean, I was born right at the end of it. Yeah. It is such a different world. Young people don’t even realize what it was like back then cuz I remember having nuclear bomb drills.
>> Absolutely. Rick explained that if the uniform truly belonged to a high-ranking Soviet official, it could carry significant historical value and potentially be worth a good amount of money.
>> And how much you want?
>> I’d like to get $900,000.
>> I could do $800,000, not 900,000.
>> No, no. Or no, I I meant or do you mind if I call someone up, look at them, cuz I have no idea what they’re worth.
>> The expert identified the uniforms [music] as belonging to a colonel general in the KGB, the Soviet Union’s state security agency. He said they were dated 1976, [music] placing them near the height of Soviet power.
>> Most of these medals are post World War II. You do have an Order of Lenin here.
The Order of Lenin is the highest civil war given both to civilians and to the military for contribution to the motherland.
>> The [music] expert explained that while Cold War era uniforms are historically interesting, they do not attract the same level of demand as World War II pieces. So, based on current market interest, he valued the pair at $650 to $750. I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you 400 bucks for them.
>> Look at it’s got the order of running.
You can’t go any better than that. I mean, can’t go 5 and a2.
>> I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you four and a quarter.
>> How about 450?
>> We’ll do 450. Appreciate it.
>> The next seller brought in two Middle Eastern flint lock blender buses he had found while cleaning out his grandmother’s garage.
>> The flint would fly forward, hit this right here, which would cause sparks and also make this fly up at the same time, hit your powder in the pan, that would go through the hole, ignite the gunpowder, and everything would come out the end. Rick [music] said the guns appeared to be Ottoman era pieces and that firearms from that region were often heavily decorated, sometimes prioritizing appearance over durability.
>> Do you have any idea what you want for him? A fair price that I thought would be right around 6,000. Do you mind if I have someone come in and help me out a little bit with them?
>> I don’t.
>> The expert verified that both were authentic Ottoman era firearms, but there was a major problem with one. Its barrel seam hadn’t been properly welded when it was made. firing [music] it could cause it to split and explode.
Meaning that particular gun was strictly for display.
>> Okay. What are they worth?
>> The value, you know, 2 to 3,000. This one,000 to,500. I mean, just because if you hung it on the wall, it’s going to look bitching.
>> The [music] expert recommended Rick take both guns. Explaining that although one couldn’t be fired safely, together they would still be desirable [music] as decorative pieces.
>> I give you like 1,200 bucks for them.
>> Absolutely not.
>> What is your best price?
>> 3,500.
>> There’s no money for me.
>> Will you do three?
>> I’ll tell you what. I’ll go 1,800 bucks.
do two. I’m going to regret this.