Anyone else catch pawn stars tonight and see the Colt they paid $27,500.00 for? Very nice!

Yeah, just watched it here in Las Vegas. Wow!

My understanding is that pawn shops typically will pay no more than 1/3 what they think the value is of any particular item. Uh, I think they overpaid a bit on this one.

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A closed mouth gathers no foot

Yea I believe the appraiser said potentially 35 K on it so yea probably a bit high but they seem to pay top dollar for stuff occasionally.

I was doing an OGCA show in 1993 or so, a dealer at the table next to me paid $25,000 for a first year production SSA. It was 100% condition nickel, and factory engraved and best of all in 45 Colt! I watched him turn down $40,000 minutes after he bought it, and again turn down $45,000 before the end of the day. I ask him why not take the quick profit and buy something else. He said he was sure he had a buyer at the Las Vegas show for $55,000, plus "You need something on the table to draw them in!" He had well over $300,000 of inventory in 5 Brief case size cases, and in the one Saturday I was by him he sold $40,000-$50,000, so I assumed he knew what he was talking about. Not counting the Colt, he bought around $60,000. He only dealt in hand guns on the road. I was selling (junk at the time) SKS's, M-1 Carbines & SMLE's and oddball strip clips. A good show for me was $800, so I was amazed!

Ivan

I have only watched Pawn Stars a very few times. It seemed so
obviously scripted that I couldn't see how anyone could take the show
and the transactions seriously.

It's scripted--as bad as Storage Wars on A&E. A bunch of the cast members are real dirtbags, too.

Take ANYTHING you hear & see on Porn Stars with a very large grain of salt! While the show IS entertaining is leaves a lot to be desired in the "truth" department and is set up by the Producers for general audiences viewing pleasure.

The "alert" I heard regarding this SAA was the seller said he was a bails bondsman and had taken it in as collateral.

Then the appraiser says it's an iconic piece and made reference, maybe, to Wilson's "Colt, An American Legend" book.

The gun in question seems to be one shown on Page 177 at about 7 o'clock in a "wheel" of SAAs.

And Rick never questions the actual source of the gun, the guy who put it up for bail.

Did this gun have some connection to Wilson who had some legal troubles?

Several years back, a long time highly respected collector/ dealer, member of this forum stated that most of the firearms for sale on Pawn Stars, were from Rick’s personal collection. The sellers were paid shills. Who Knows.

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Always Stay Strong!

Pawn Stars is entertainment only. I watch it only to see the unusual things that get brought in.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Is Chumlee still in the pokey?

I see the possibility of this or something akin. The show is a way of advertising and getting the ball rolling on some items.

In the past, the "stars" travelled to see a guy with authentic 19th Century guns such as a Gatling or an 1890 breech loading cannon.

The guy's prices were "too high" for Rick but of course the purpose was to air this guy's wares to possibly peak a sale to someone somewhere in the world.

I feel sorry for anyone who takes these "reality" shows seriously.


I lived in Detroit for many years so I get a kick out of "Hardcore Pawn". I understand it is very popular in other countries as well. But it is entertainment only.

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You're shy a few manners.

I can't attest to the accuracy of this above statement but I know two of the appraisers on Pawn Stars. They told me that most of the items are privately owned and an arrangement is made in advance with the current owner if a sale is reached. The "appraisers" have as much time as necessary to research the item before appearing on the show.
And BTW: They still get things wrong! Anyone remember the appraiser who claimed a 1st generation Colt SAA wasn't right because the numbers on the loading gate didn't match the other numbers on the gun?

Jim

It USED to be a good learning tool--not its just full of tools.

The last time I was in Vegas, I drove by there.
It was about 10AM and there were probably a 100 folks standing in line to get into the Pawn Shop!
I would have gone in and looked around, but I'm not standing in line to go into a pawn shop.
The Harrison's get paid to advertise their business on national TV.
That will probably result in all of them becoming multi- millionaires .

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

I don't get it when folks walk in and want to sell
something for less than half it's value.
They need money that bad and that quickly that
you would practically give it away?
The guys working there bad mouth just about everything brought in
to the store.
Licensed con men is all they are.


Chuck

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They hold no Quarter

"Then the appraiser says it's an iconic piece and made reference, maybe, to Wilson's "Colt, An American Legend" book."

That appraiser is the guy who runs International Military Antiques in New Jersey, Alex Cranmer. Used to have the "Family Guns" series om NGS.

I think Chumley took one up the bumbly while he was in jail, he walks funny!

I was a fan of the show in the first few seasons then lost interest. It was purely by chance last night I decided to watch a few of the 2016 episodes and the gun piqued my interest. I agree the show appears much more 'staged' than in the early seasons when the deals were not as high dollar and seemed more 'natural'.

I have a old Colt SSA in the safe it 45 caliber black powder cartridge gun. I will have to dig it out and post more about the gun. If memory is right as I type I think patent date July 2 1872 or 1876.

I also hadn't watched the show in years, but just happened to catch just a bit of last night's episode.

The Colt in question had some fancy grips. It seemed to me they didn't really go with the SAA which was otherwise unadorned (though I just saw it briefly).

It's possible the grips were worth more than the gun itself.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

The pistol shown on Pawn Stars is 1873 model Colt SA. Maybe made in 1876. Mixed numbers then was common with the Army model & refinished guns.

"The Colt in question had some fancy grips. "
I thought they might have been Tiffany grips, but apparently they were not. At least nothing was mentioned about their being Tiffany grips, just that they came from Schuyler, Hartley, and Graham (who may have obtained them from Tiffany).

About half the shows on TV are some kind of reality show and it's hilarious how so many people think they are real. Kinda like how people would call the coast guard back in the 1960s and chew them out for not trying harder to rescue the people on Gilligan's Island.

To set a few SAA things straight here.


First, unless the nickel engraved "First Year" Colt was a special gun made for someone of note, I highly doubt it was a first year as about the first 3000 or so went to the Army. The Cavalry to be specific and they all shipped with 7 1/2" barrels. Colt often made up special guns for people in the position to help sell guns. It is a remote possibility it could have been a special order.


Second. At some point after the initial runs of Cavalry guns they started refurbing guns into what is known as the "Artillery" model. These guns had 5 1/2" barrels and were mostly mismatched serial numbers due guns being stripped down and good parts used and broken/worn parts replaced. This is so pervasive that if you have a US marked 5 1/2" that has matching serial numbers it is NOT an Artillery, but rather a cut down Cavalry or an outright fake.


The loading gate number is an assembly number and doesn't match the serial number, but I believe it should match another assembly number under the grip frame on the main frame.


One of our prominent members here and a Mod. took one of his guns to Vegas to see what the pawn shop would offer him. He told me about 80% of the store was Pawn Stars souvenirs and other BS. He didn't take the gun in.

The Cavalry Models were retired from regular service in 1893 when the Model 1892 38 Colt DA was adopted and deployed. With very limited exceptions, the Artillery alterations were made only by the Colt factory under the 1895 -96 Contract (1200 guns) and in 1898 by the Springfield Armory (round 14,900 guns).

There are 4 recognized types of Artillerys. Type I, mismatched sn's, Type II, matching sn's except the barrel, Type III, all matching sn's, and Type IV, mismatching sn's with a 7 1/2" barrel.

All of the Colt altered Artillerys were given all matching serial numbers. These all matching sn Artillerys can be distinguished from cut barrel Cavalry guns based on a various distinguishing features. There have also been some reported all matching serial numbered SA alterations. So all Artillerys with all matching sn's are not fakes.

Most of the Artillerys as originally altered by Colt and the SA were refurbished by the Colt Factory under the 1902-03 contract, thereby re-mixing sn's and occasionally adding replacement parts to the Artillerys as originally altered. Artillery collectors are further challenged by the habit of surplus sellers of Artillerys later refiguring these Guns with surplus US parts. Further, the subsequent civilian market has "created " Artillerys by assembling legitimate US parts, and sometimes with fake stamped US parts, into finished guns.

Because of these later developments, surviving "original" Artillerys created by Colt and the SA are seldom encountered and are valued by collectors.

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Rush

I think they also had ima or iwa? militaria--which even their biggest piece of carp was wayyyyyyyyyyyyy over-priced.

I stand in some part corrected. I haven't dealt with Colts in years, and have only had two Martially marked guns. One was a high 3 digit gun and the other was a low 4 digit gun. I paid $50 for the 4 digit gun (SN# 2697) but it had issues.

Flipping channels one night and this dumbass show was on.
Some guy had a "prototype" Sharps (I think) rifle.

Call in the "expert" to check it over.
Nope , can't possibly be legit BECAUSE THE BARELL WAS
ONLY XX 3/4" LONG and the standard at that time was XX".
Also didn't have the "standard sights typically seen of that era.

No inspection of muzzle crown , rifling or anything else.

Yeah very realistic show.

On a side note- Going to my son-in-laws this weekend and will have to suffer through the Alaska gold hunter show the Ice Road Trucker show and the Alaska survivor (or whatever the &%+@ it's supposed to be show and pretend I am not BORED OUT OF MY FRIGGING MIND!!

The things you do for love!

l cant speak for Rick's honesty, but l can attest the honesty of the

Gatling Gun owner. Joe Ashman of Filmore Utah also sells on GB.

l bought a S&W revolver from him a few years ago.. lt was not as

advertised in the auction description...l called Joe and pointed the

error.. He apologized, refunded my money, and paid for shipping

both ways... Also paid the transfer fee... Topped that with an

autographed photo of Rick, him, and the entire Pawn Stars cast

Who in their right mind would want to make a TV reality show about a REAL operating pawnshop? It would be so boring it wouldn't last beyond the first episode.

"I don't get it when folks walk in and want to sell
something for less than half it's value.
They need money that bad and that quickly that
you would practically give it away? "

I think most of them do need the money fast, but a few are probably like me. I'm strongly considering consigning most of my guns to an auction house, or selling outright to a dealer. I'll probably get half of what they're worth, but I hate doing the selling thing. I'm far from wealthy, but it's just money.

"It's scripted--as bad as Storage Wars on A&E. A bunch of the cast members are real dirtbags, too."

Please, not Brandi!

I think they may have come close to reality in that pawn shop series featuring a father and his son and daughter (now gone) that was filmed in Detroit!
Jim

Used to know a Pawn Shop owner, down town Vegas on Fremont.
I used to ask him for deals on guns and he would offer me deals on jewelry.
He said that folks would come in his 24 hour shop at 3AM and Pawn expensive jewelry for the standard about 1/3 retail.
You do realize you can get more selling to a pawnshop than pawning?
But these gambler folks just knew they would hit it big very soon - so they pawned it.
Obviously, Most of then never did hit it.
So he always had a lot of nice jewelry for sale.
Old Vegas joke-
Did you hear about the high roller that came to town?
He arrived in a $50,000 Caddy, a few days later he left on a $500,000 Greyhound Bus.

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