Pawn Stars: Top 4 PRICELESS Family Heirlooms

Pawn Stars2 minutes read

The seller brings valuable swords to a pawn shop but settles for a lower price to fund a barbecue competition, later making a significant profit after experts evaluate them. Other valuable items, including Janis Joplin's original mug shot and a souvenir program from the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty, are brought to the shop but are valued lower than expected, highlighting the importance of expert evaluation in determining the true worth of historical artifacts.

Insights

  • Soldiers kept swords from Japan post-WWII as souvenirs, impacting their circulation in the market and potentially leading to undervaluation.
  • Historical artifacts like Janis Joplin's photos and Statue of Liberty program hold significant personal and cultural value, often exceeding initial price expectations due to rarity and historical significance.

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Recent questions

  • What is the origin of the swords mentioned in the summary?

    The swords were obtained by the seller's ex-father-in-law in Japan after World War II.

  • How much did the pawn shop offer for the swords?

    The pawn shop offered $3,850 for the swords, which the seller accepted.

  • What was the value of the swords after being examined by an expert?

    An expert valued the swords at potentially $13,000 for all three, with one being a forgery and the other two authentic from the early 1400s.

  • What was the outcome of the sale of Janis Joplin's mug shot and police photos?

    The seller eventually sold the set for $2,500 after initially seeking $6,000, pleased with the final outcome.

  • What was the significance of the souvenir program from the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty?

    Despite the owner hoping to get $2500 for it, an expert valued the program at $200 due to its rarity and historical significance, dating back 127 years to 1886 and printed with unique metallic inks typical of 19th-century printing.

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Summary

00:00

"Forged Katana Sold for $9,150"

  • The seller has three swords, including a katana, obtained from their ex-father-in-law who got them in Japan after World War II.
  • The swords may have been confiscated by the United States post-WWII and soldiers kept them as souvenirs instead of returning them.
  • The seller is at a pawn shop to sell the swords for $6,000 to fund a barbecue competition entry fee.
  • The pawn shop offers $3,850 for the swords, which the seller accepts to buy barbecue supplies.
  • An expert later examines the swords and discovers they are valuable, potentially worth $13,000 for all three.
  • The expert reveals one sword is a forgery, but the other two are authentic and from the early 1400s.
  • The seller makes a profit of $9,150 from the swords, impressing the expert with their find.
  • Another seller brings in Janis Joplin's original mug shot and police photos from her arrest, seeking $6,000.
  • An expert values the set at $55,000 due to its rarity and personal connection to the seller's father.
  • The seller negotiates and eventually sells the set for $2,500, pleased with the outcome.

15:42

"Pulitzer's Penny Donors Boost Newspaper Contributions"

  • Pulitzer, the owner of the New York Times, offered to publish the names of donors who contributed a penny, leading to people donating larger amounts to be listed in the newspaper.
  • A souvenir program from the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty, dating back 127 years, was brought to a pawn shop for sale, with the owner hoping to get $2500 for it, but an expert valued it at $200 due to its rarity and historical significance.
  • The program, confirmed to be original from 1886, was printed with unique metallic inks and a distinct layout typical of 19th-century printing, making it a rare and valuable piece of history despite being offered $200 at the pawn shop.
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