Pawn Stars – Season 3, Episode 14: “Learning the Ropes.”
There are times when people bring in some cool stuff to sell at the pawnshop. Other times, they do not. This show was a “not good stuff” show.
Items sold:
- Bank safe time lock – $350
- Springfield rope gun – $600
- First edition of “Walden” – no sell
- 1930s traveling optometry kit – $175
- Buzz Aldrin G.I. Joe doll – $25
Bank robberies were not difficult to pull off back in the day. However, the invention of the bank safe time lock ended that era.
Bank safes were set to open at a certain time. That made it near impossible to rob a bank. No longer could a Bonnie & Clyde get away with thousands of dollars.
This little piece a collector’s item, but (there’s always a but) Rick stated that the mechanisms inside didn’t work well. Needed repair which devaluated the item.
You could see the seller’s face grimace. Thought he had a gold mine there. Rick bought it just the same.
Corey dealt with a young man who brought in a rope gun. I’ve never heard of such a thing. You place rope inside a canister. Attach the canister to the rifle. Then shoot.
In 1878, rope guns used to hook ship to ship out in the open seas. The gun had a range of 700 yards. Okay, now that’s incredible. But what would you do with it present day? Try to rope a deer.
Seller had a paper from the A.T.F. stated gun was antique. That made it legal for pawnshop to buy. Corey bought it. Maybe they needed the rope to tie Chumlee to his station.
First edition books can be very valuable. First editions of the most important books in American history such as “Walden” are bank. Chumlee excited when he saw the book. Said he had read “Walden.”
“You’ve never read a book in your life.” – Corey
“I read this one.” – Chumlee
Chumlee knew the storyline. Okay, I now have a newfound respect for Chum-Chum, I meant Chumlee. Corey called Rebecca to appraise the book.
She was excited because it was a first edition of “Walden.” Seller heard ca-ching. Bad news however this was a London first edition published in 1886. The American first edition published in 1854. Seller heard ca-dong. Book only worth $100. No sell.
Traveling optometrist kit had missing parts. Rick thought he could sell it so he bought it. I would have passed. Buzz Aldrin doll first made in 1999. Uh, that’s not going to be worth much and it wasn’t. Rick bought it anyway.
End of show a elderly man walked in for the night job interview. He wore a hat. Wore a thin jacket. Dressed in dark clothes. Honestly, he looked like a clone of grandpa.
Chumlee’s eyes wide as saucers. Looked like he saw a ghost!
Would you have bought the optometrist kit? Which item did you think was the dud of the show?
Watch Pawn Stars Mondays 10/9c on History Channel.
