Pawn Stars Sellers Who Walked Out MILLIONAIRES – Incredible Pawn Star Deals

Hello America. I’m Mark Levvin. This is Life, Liberty, and Levvin. And I have a great guest, Rick Harrison. How are you, sir?
>> I’m doing great. It’s one of the funnest jobs in the world because it’s definitely not assembly light work. I get to meet different people every day, different items. [music] It’s it’s it’s been an amazing life working down there.
>> What if a dusty old item from your attic could make you a millionaire overnight?
It sounds impossible or like something staged for TV, but inside the Golden Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas, it has actually happened. Over the years on Pawn Stars, Rick Harrison has faced rumors that the biggest deals were fake or just too good to be true. Yet, some transactions were shockingly real and the payouts left jaws on the floor.
Which items turned ordinary people into instant millionaires? and how did the most unbelievable deals actually happen behind the counter. Join us as we take a closer look at the incredible deals that shocked viewers and changed lives. Um I little bit of job here. I [music] started buying and selling stuff. Uh basically educated myself. Um and then um I’d always been buying and selling stuff. My dad had a little coin shop. Um and I wanted a pot shop. the $111,000 [music] silver horde.
Back in season 6, a guy wheeled into the shop with a trolley loaded with what he casually described as a whole lot of silver. However, that was putting it mildly. When Rick and the old man started weighing everything out, they realized they were looking at 3,300 o of pure silver. That’s over 200 lb of silver bars and coins. But how did he come across such a large quantity of silver?
12 years before this episode, the seller’s father had given him some advice. Invest in silver. Back then, silver prices were pretty low, around $5 to $7 per ounce. Most people were putting money in stocks or real estate, but this guy listened to his dad, took a chunk of money, and just bought physical silver. Then he put it in storage and basically forgot about it for over a decade.
Fast forward to 2012 when the episode aired and silver prices had skyrocketed to around $ 35 to $40 per ounce. That initial investment had multiplied by 5 or six. The seller wheeled his cart of silver into the pawn shop, basically sitting on a fortune, and he knew it.
Rick being Rick had to verify everything was legit before handing over six figures in cash. They ran several tests with nitric acid to confirm the purity, drilled into some of the bars to make sure they weren’t filled with lead or other metals and verified the authenticity of the coins. Everything checked out. Pure silver, exactly what it was supposed to be. The negotiation was actually pretty straightforward because Rick could do the math instantly. With silver at its current market price and the sheer volume of metal in front of him, he knew he could sell this immediately to refiners or dealers with a set profit margin built in. This was basically converting metal into cash with a guaranteed markup.
They settled on $111,000.
The seller walked out with enough money to probably buy a nice car in cash or make a serious dent in a mortgage. But the story gets even better because Rick and the team got creative with how they monetized the silver. Obviously, they sold most of it to precious metal dealers and made their profit margin, but they also took some of it and had custom coins minted featuring the old man’s face with the inscription, “In the old man we trust.” These became collector’s items for Pawn Stars fans and probably sold for well above the silver’s melt value. It was a win-win.
The seller got a life-changing payday, and Rick turned a profit while also creating promotional material for the shop. But that’s just the beginning because Rick Harrison has spent way more than that on single items when the [music] history and provenence justified it. So, what classic car made Rick drop nearly $100,000?
The $95,000 Lincoln Roadster. If you know anything about pawn stars, you know Rick has a serious weakness for classic cars. Put a vintage automobile in front of him, especially something with historical significance or rare craftsmanship, and he turns into a completely different person, the tough negotiator who lowballs everybody, suddenly becomes a guy willing to drop serious cash just to own a piece of automotive history. That’s exactly what happened in season 4’s Buy the Book episode when a seller contacted Rick about a 1932 Lincoln Roadster.
Not just any Lincoln Roadster, but one of only 112 convertible models ever produced. That piece was a Great Depression era [music] luxury, a 150 horsepower V12 engine under the hood at a time when most cars could barely hit 60 horsepower. Lincoln’s parent company, Ford, built this car specifically to compete with Cadillac for the luxury market. They wanted to prove American manufacturers [music] could build something as elegant and powerful as European luxury brands, and the 1932 Roadster was their statement piece. It had opulence that was almost absurd, considering it was manufactured during one of the worst economic disasters in American history. While people were standing in bread lines, Lincoln was building cars with V12 engines and convertible tops. Rick and the old man went to check out the car and got hooked the moment they set eyes on it. The vehicle was in incredible condition, maintained, restored, the kind of car that makes you understand why people become collectors. In perfect condition at auction, Rick estimated it could fetch $170,000 or more. The seller originally wanted $100,000, which honestly wasn’t an unreasonable ask for a car this rare in this condition. But Rick being Rick, he negotiated. They went back and forth, talked about minor imperfections that would affect the auction value, discussed the cost of insurance and storage while he looked for a buyer, and eventually settled on $95,000.
The seller took the deal and walked out with $95,000 for a car that had been sitting in his garage. Not a bad day’s work. But here’s where it gets interesting and shows you how pawn shops actually make their money on these huge deals. The moment the seller received his $95,000 check, he turned right around and used it to buy gold from the pawn shop. So Rick essentially got the car and made a profit on the gold transaction on the same day. Classic cars are one thing, but Rick’s biggest payouts have often come from pieces of American history that you literally can’t put a price on. So what presidential artifact made Rick write a $60,000 check? The $60,000 JFK cigar box. In season 7, a guy walks in carrying what appears to be an old wooden box. Nothing intriguing about the plane box. Then he opens it and reveals that the box sat on President John F.
Kennedy’s desk in the Oval Office. Not a replica or a commemorative piece, the actual box from JFK’s actual desk. And it still has cigars in it. Unsmoked cigars from the early 1960s that were within arms reach of one of the most iconic presidents in American history during some of the most crucial moments of the Cold War. The moment Rick realizes what he’s looking at, his whole demeanor changes. This was a piece of presidential history, the kind of artifact that museums fight over and collectors will pay absolutely insane amounts to own. The seller knew what he had, too. He walked in asking $95,000 for the box, which shows he’d done his research. Back in the 1990s, another JFK cigar box had sold at auction for over $500,000.
So, while $95,000 sounded expensive in the world of Kennedy memorabilia, it could actually be considered reasonable depending on the provenence and condition.
Rick called in his authentication experts, and they examined the box, verified the manufacturing details, cross-referenced it with photographs of JFK’s Oval Office desk, and confirmed it was legitimate. This was the real deal.
Now Rick had a decision to make.
Presidential memorabilia is always a solid investment because there’s a limited supply and demand only increases over time. Every year fewer Kennedy artifacts are available on the market and more collectors with money want to own a piece of history. But $95,000 is still a huge risk, even for something this special. If Rick couldn’t find a buyer willing to pay significantly more, he’d have a very expensive piece of wood sitting in his shop, not earning him anything. And presidential artifacts can sometimes sit on the market for years before the right buyer with the right amount of money shows up. They negotiated hard. Rick pointed out the risks, the cost of insurance for an item this valuable, and the difficulty of finding a buyer willing to pay high six figures. The seller pushed back, explaining the historical significance and pointing to comparable sales.
Eventually, they settled on $60,000 for a wooden box of cigars. Let that sink in. The seller walked out with life-changing money for an item he’d likely been carefully storing for years, and Rick got what he described as a once-ina-lifetime piece of presidential history. Presidential history is priceless. But you know what else commands mind-blowing prices? Musical instruments played by legends. What guitar made Rick drop $90,000?
The $90,000 Les Paul guitar. In season 12, Rick Harrison made one of the most expensive musical instrument purchases in Pawn Star’s history. And it involved a name that any guitar enthusiast immediately recognizes, Les Paul.
Not just any Gibson Les Paul guitar.
Those are valuable but not necessarily six figure valuable. But a guitar actually owned and played by Les Paul himself. One of the founding fathers of modern electric guitar design. The guitar that entered the shop was a [music] magnificent 1941 Gibson SJ200 that had belonged to Les Paul’s wife Mary Ford. The seller, who introduced himself as Mary Ford’s nephew, brought comprehensive documentation proving its provenence, including a bill of sale personally signed by Steven Stills of Crosby, Stills, and Nash fame. The guitar’s journey through music history was remarkable. After being owned by Les Paul and Mary Ford and potentially used in recordings, it was later purchased by Steven Stills, adding another layer of rock royalty to its already impressive pedigree.
Rick summoned his guitar expert, who carefully examined the instrument and authenticated everything. As a vintage 1941 Gibson SJ2 200 in excellent condition, the guitar was valued between $75,000 and $90,000.
However, with the documented celebrity provenence connecting it to multiple music legends, its value increased substantially, potentially adding another $20,000 or more to its worth.
The seller initially requested $250,000, which Rick immediately recognized as significantly overpriced, even considering the famous previous owners.
Negotiations ensued with Rick explaining that celebrity ownership adds considerable value, but doesn’t multiply it by three or four times. The seller countered that guitars with this level of documented history rarely appear on the market. They eventually reached a compromise at $90,000 and the seller departed satisfied. Having received $90,000 for an inherited instrument that held more sentimental value than practical use for him.
Rick acquired a genuine piece of rock and roll history that he could sell to collectors for well over $100,000.
The remarkable aspect of musical instruments connected to legends is their continually appreciating value.
Each year, fewer of these guitars remain in circulation, while more wealthy collectors who grew up listening to this music seek to own a piece of it. Rick’s $90,000 investment could easily double or triple in value over the next decade.
Presidential artifacts, legendary guitars, and classic cars all command premium prices. But sometimes the biggest payouts come from unexpected sources. What children’s book illustrations became the most expensive purchase in Pawn Star’s history? The $250,000 Morris Sak Sketches. In season 15’s Can’t Pawn Me Love episode, a collector entered the shop carrying 12 original sketches by Maurice Sak for the beloved children’s book Where the Wild Things Are. For anyone who grew up in America after 1963, this book holds a special place in childhood memories. The story of Max in his wolf suit sailing away to where the wild things are, encountering those furry monsters with their terrible teeth and terrible claws. The collector had conducted thorough research and valued the entire collection at $375,000.
This figure wasn’t unreasonable when considering the rarity of these pieces.
Original Sendac illustrations seldom appear on the market with most residing in museums or private collections that never sell. These 12 sketches represented a genuinely once-ina-lifetime opportunity. Rick summoned an art expert specializing in illustration and children’s book art.
She meticulously examined each piece, verified the authenticity using Sendak’s distinctive style and signature, and confirmed they were genuine original drawings from the creation of Where the Wild Things Are. Her professional valuation came in at $310,000, slightly lower than the seller’s asking price, but still an absolutely extraordinary amount.
Rick found himself torn. This represented more money than he’d ever committed to a single purchase in the show’s entire history. A quarter of a million dollars for drawings on paper.
If he couldn’t locate a buyer, if market conditions changed, if complications arose, he would be holding a massive financial loss. However, he also recognized this as something truly exceptional.
Children’s book art from this era, particularly that of Senak, continued to receive widespread appreciation. Museums would compete for these [music] pieces.
Private collectors would engage in bidding wars. This transcended pop culture memorabilia. This was legitimate art with lasting cultural significance.
Negotiations commenced. The seller started at $375,000.
Rick countered significantly lower and they engaged in extended back and forth deliberations.
Eventually, they reached an agreement at $250,000.
$250,000 for 12 sketches.
Rick appeared visibly pained as he agreed to the deal, actually stating on camera, “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” But he committed. He paid $250,000 for those illustrations, establishing it as the largest cash payout in the show’s history. The seller departed with a check sufficient to purchase a substantial home in most American markets. Rick now owned a piece of children’s literature history, proudly declaring, “Now you know where the wild things are. I own them.” While these sellers knew exactly the worth of what they had, what about those who had no clue? The accidental millionaires.
Some of the best Pawn Stars moments happen when someone walks in with something they think might be worth a few hundred bucks. And Rick’s expert tells them it’s worth tens of thousands.
The shock on their faces is genuine. And maybe their life completely changes.
Take the guy who found a gold bar in his grandfather’s attic. He was cleaning out belongings after his grandfather passed away. Found this bar hidden in a box and brought it to the shop. Basically asking, “Is this worth anything?” Rick weighed it and determined its melt value alone. Just the value of the gold itself if you melted it down was $24,000.
That price for a bar the guy had stumbled upon in a box. But it gets better. Rick called in his expert who specialized in historical precious metals. And the expert identified it as coming from a 1554 Spanish shipwreck off Padre Island in Texas. It wasn’t just gold. It was historical gold from a centuries old shipwreck. That provenence immediately doubled the value to around $50,000.
Rick negotiated the seller down to $35,000, explaining the costs of authentication, insurance, and finding a buyer willing to pay top dollar for historical artifacts rather than just melt value.
The seller walked out with $35,000 for something he’d found in his grandfather’s attic. He’d come in hoping for maybe a few thousand. He left with enough to buy a car in cash or to make a serious down payment on a house. Then there was the guy who walked in with a medallion he’d bought at a thrift store for4.4.
He thought it might be old and figured he’d get it checked out at the pawn shop to see if it was worth anything more than the pocket change he’d paid. Rick’s expert examined it and discovered it dated back to the Tsarist occupation of Poland era. We’re talking late 1700 and early 1800.
It was a genuine historical artifact from when Russia controlled large parts of Poland. The seller had no idea. He’d bought it at a thrift store for less than the cost of a candy bar. They sold the medallion to Rick for $6,000.
The seller walked in with something he’d paid $45 for and walked out with $6,000.
Rick later flipped it for $30,000, proving that sometimes thrift store shopping can literally make you rich if you know what to look for. And we can’t forget the guy who walked in with a copy of the Book of Mormon from 1842.
He knew it was old, knew it was a religious text, but had no idea just how valuable fifth [music] editions printed while Joseph Smith, the religion’s founder, was still alive could be.
Rick’s book expert, Rebecca Romney, examined it and appraised it at $40,000.
The seller was absolutely stunned. He’d come in thinking maybe a few thousand if he was lucky. Rebecca explained that books from this era, especially religious texts directly tied to the founding of major religions, were incredibly rare and highly valued by collectors. Rick and the seller negotiated and settled on $24,000.
The seller walked out with a check for $24,000 for a book he’d found in his family’s possessions. Both parties were happy. Rick got a rare religious text he could sell to collectors for significantly more, and the seller got enough money to potentially change his financial situation.
Now, let’s talk about the rarest coins in American history and the poker player who accidentally won one. How in 1922, coin changed a gambler’s life. Vegas is obviously a gambling town, so it makes sense that someone would eventually walk into the pawn shop with a story about winning something valuable in a poker game. What nobody expected was that the thing won in a poker game would turn out to be one of the rarest coins in American history. In season 10, a man walked in claiming he’d won a 1922 high relief peace dollar in a poker game. The 1922 high relief peace dollar is one of the rarest coins in existence.
Experts believe only 10 to 12 of these coins still exist in the world. They were minted as test pieces before the design was changed and most were melted down. The ones that survived are worth absolutely insane amounts of money. Rick immediately called in his coin expert because, and this is important, coins this rare are frequently counterfeited.
Scammers know that collectors will pay fortunes for rare coins, so they create fakes and try to pass them off as genuine. Rick has seen thousands of fake coins over the years, so he’s learned to be extremely skeptical. The expert examined the coin carefully, checking the weight, the strike marks, the edge details, all the tiny characteristics that separate a genuine 1922 high relief from a clever fake. After extensive examination, he confirmed it was real. A genuine 1922 high relief peace dollar, one of maybe a dozen left in the world.
The seller wanted $70,000 for it, which considering its rarity wasn’t an unreasonable ask. Rick countered with $65,000, pointing out the insurance costs while he looked for a buyer, the risk that the coin market could change, and the difficulty of finding [music] someone willing to pay six figures for a single coin. They went back and forth. Rick came up to $66,000.
The seller held at $70,000.
Finally, the seller came down to $67,500 as a courtesy, and Rick found himself in a tight spot. He knew the coin was worth way more than that, potentially over $100,000 to the right collector, but $67,500 was still a huge amount of cash to commit to a single coin. After what Rick later described as a brief moment of agony, he accepted the deal. $67,500 for a coin,” he said, shaking his head.
“But making a little money is a lot better than making no money.” The seller walked out with a check for $67,500 after winning something in a poker game.
Let that sink in. This guy literally played cards one night, won a coin as part of the pot, had no idea what he had, and years later decided to see if it was worth anything. Turns out it was worth the price of a luxury car. In this case, both sides won. The seller got a life-changing payday, and Rick got one of the rarest coins in American history that he could sell to collectors for well above what he paid. We’ve covered presidential history, [music] rock and roll memorabilia, rare coins, and children’s book art. But some of the biggest payouts in Pawn Stars history have come from something way simpler.
Cars. Lots and lots of expensive cars when $68,250 seems like a bargain.
Cars are a consistent theme in pawn stars and for good reason. Vintage automobiles in good condition can be worth anywhere from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. And unlike coins or historical documents that require careful storage and handling, cars are something you can actually use and enjoy while they appreciate in value. In season 7, Rick and Cory Big Hos Harrison got a call about a 1932 Model B Ford Roadster that had been customuilt. Not just a vintage car, but one that had been completely customized with modern updates. The owner had spent 3 years and $140,000 building this thing. Jet black matte paint, custom interior, upgraded engine with 500 horsepower. The works. When Rick and Cory showed up to look at it, it was love at first sight. The car was gorgeous. It had that vintage 1930s aesthetic, but with all the power [music] and performance of a modern vehicle. The design was credited to Edel Ford, Henry Ford’s son, and it featured unique touches like a combo folding convertible top and rollup windows that were revolutionary for their time. But the owner needed to sell it for personal reasons. He had put $140,000 into building it over 3 years, but life happens and sometimes you need cash more than you need a show car sitting in your garage. He initially asked for $15,000, which considering what he’d invested wasn’t unreasonable. But Rick, being Rick, explained that investment cost and resale value are two different things.
They negotiated hard. Rick pointed out some details that would make the car harder to sell to certain collectors.
Modifications from the original factory specs, the need for specialized maintenance, and the limited pool of buyers who wanted this specific style.
Eventually, they agreed on $68,250.
The owner took the deal. He walked away with over $68,000 for a car he’d built as a passion project. Although he had lost money on his investment, he received a substantial cash payout and was freed from the cost of maintaining and storing [music] an expensive vehicle. Rick added another stunning vintage automobile to his collection, one he could either keep as a shop attraction, display at car shows to promote the business, or sell to a collector for significantly more than he paid. What was the most shocking deal to you? Do you think Rick overpaid for those Maurice Sak illustrations or was that actually a genius investment?
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