Pawn Shows

My family and I like to watch Pawn Stars on The History Channel.  We like to see all the items that get brought in and learn about the history of them.  It's very interesting to learn about some of the items, where they've been, and what they are worth.  It's kind of like PBS' Antiques Roadshow in a pawn shop.

My husband and I also like to watch Hardcore Pawn on TruTV.  This is a pure trash show.  But, it's in Detroit and that is where we are from.  The idiots that come in to the store are something else.  That show is true Detroit.  There is nothing historical about it.  This show could be called The Real Housewives of Wayne County (LOL)!

Watching these two shows has made me realize a few things about people.  Most importantly I've learned that people are idiots.  Ok, I didn't learn that from pawn shows.  I've known people are idiots for a very long time.

I don't know if the History Channel made the Pawn Stars shop an antiques dealer or if they always dealt with antiques, but people come from far and wide now just to bring their antiques to this store.  It's funny because some people think that just because their item would fetch a certain price from a collector or at auction, they are going to receive the same offer from the pawn shop guys.

Hello!  If you're trying to sell your highly collectible, very rare item at a pawn shop you're not going to get what it's worth.   Pawn stores are kind of like the middle man.  You sell you're item to the pawn store and the pawn store resells it at a higher price.  The pawn stores need to make money too.

The other thing about the customers on Pawn Stars that cracks me up is that they think because they saw their same item in an Ebay listing for a certain price that is what their item is worth.  Just because an item is listed on Ebay doesn't mean people are actually buying it.  The price of the Ebay listing doesn't necessarily mean that is what you're item is worth either.

Lastly, just because you have something old doesn't mean it's worth money.  Some girl brought in an original rubix cube that was still in the box.   You can still buy Rubix Cubes in the store.  That is hardly a collectible item.  I mean, ya, it's cool cause it's an original, but it's not worth a ton of money.

Now that Pawn Stars has gained popularity I see more and more people on the show getting upset over the amount of money they are offered for their items.  I think some people bring antiques in for the sole purpose of having an expert look at it and appraise it.  I wonder how the producers decide which items to feature on the show.

I am also seeing people on Hardcore Pawn who think they are walking into the shop on Pawn Stars.  American Jewelry and Loan, the shop featured on Hardcore Pawn, is NOT the same as the shop featured on Pawn Stars.  They don't deal in antiques.  They don't have a slew of experts.  They all carry guns.  The deal mostly in jewelry and electronics.  They look up the value of items on Ebay.  Stop bringing your antiques there.  You're not going to get a free appraisal and you're not going to get anywhere remotely close to what you think your item is worth.