American Pickers

[Mr Windy City]

Yea thats true, but still same difference, that shits gettin sold to the expert for much more than he sold it to the pawn shop for so why not just negotiate with the expert Just seems like you would say okay so its worth at least 12k how do I get this thing in an auction rather than sellin it for 2 grand and a craptastic guitar

Yea, but according to Rick he say's Auction House will charge 30-40% plus a fee for selling it. Business rule #1. Cash is King.

[Doug]

Yea thats true, but still same difference, that shits gettin sold to the expert for much more than he sold it to the pawn shop for so why not just negotiate with the expert

Just seems like you would say okay so its worth at least 12k how do I get this thing in an auction rather than sellin it for 2 grand and a craptastic guitar

It boils down to the seller wanting fast cash. An auction house is certainly going to take it's fee ( I think it is at least 10% to the seller for coins, which don't require a lot of storage area), It's probably much higher on stuff like a car ? It could take months to get the $$$, as well.

Now these expert guys must be getting some compensation for running over to the shop to check stuff out. If the owner doesn't take the offer ( I think that is like 75% of the time, actually), then the expert wasted his time ? I guess he wasted his time either way ? I think not !

The local expert must either be getting paid at least $50-100 cash by the pawnshop, to drive crosstown to check out the item, or he gets 1st chance at buying it, once cleared for sale. I think the latter, thus the expert opinion is biased.

You can even see who some of the experts are. If I still lived in LV, and picked an old coke machine, I'd go to that guy that fixes them up. Only problem is these guys might not want to possibly buy HOT stuff, so perhaps running through the pawnshop gives it a "clean" title ?

I'm good with numismatic items. I saw some come in with nearly uncirculated fractional currency, and the Old man offered like $20, should have been more like $200+.

The inventory of stuff they build up has to huge. I wouldn't be surprised if they have a warehouse somewhere.

[Mr Windy City]

It boils down to the seller wanting fast cash. An auction house is certainly going to take it's fee ( I think it is at least 10% to the seller for coins, which don't require a lot of storage area), It's probably much higher on stuff like a car ? It could take months to get the $$$, as well. Now these expert guys must be getting some compensation for running over to the shop to check stuff out. If the owner doesn't take the offer ( I think that is like 75% of the time, actually), then the expert wasted his time ? I guess he wasted his time either way ? I think not ! The local expert must either be getting paid at least $50-100 cash by the pawnshop, to drive crosstown to check out the item, or he gets 1st chance at buying it, once cleared for sale. I think the latter, thus the expert opinion is biased. You can even see who some of the experts are. If I still lived in LV, and picked an old coke machine, I'd go to that guy that fixes them up. Only problem is these guys might not want to possibly buy HOT stuff, so perhaps running through the pawnshop gives it a "clean" title ? I'm good with numismatic items. I saw some come in with nearly uncirculated fractional currency, and the Old man offered like $20, should have been more like $200+. The inventory of stuff they build up has to huge. I wouldn't be surprised if they have a warehouse somewhere.

The show's popularity has earned a renewal for a third season and led to a substantial pickup in the pawn shop's business, with its average customer visitation rate rising from 70 a day to 1,000, and a $400,000 expansion that will increase the store's space by more than 60%.

[Doug]

Yep, it's a Gold Mine, for sure.

Did you guys see the one where a guy pawned a 2007 Volvo rig for 20k, worth like 100k easy if the guy never comes back. They still took it to a mechanic for a quick look.

A bad deal to these guys is breaking even.

They've got shit like a figurine in the back room that got lost from years ago, paid $100 for it, and old man is pissed when it gets found, then it's for sale for like $2,000.

Incredible business, esp. in LV.

This is like better than growing and selling legal weed !

[Doug]

I can see those Picker Queers needing to mark stuff up 200%.

The stuff doesn't walk in their door, they take long road trips hunting for old codgers with antiques hundreds of miles away.....lots of gas, motel expenses, etc.

Way different in Vegas....You have sellers that will take any offer, these Picker guys seek out sellers, that usually don't want to sell their shit.

[Mr Windy City]

Yep, it's a Gold Mine, for sure. Did you guys see the one where a guy pawned a 2007 Volvo rig for 20k, worth like 100k easy if the guy never comes back. They still took it to a mechanic for a quick look. A bad deal to these guys is breaking even. They've got shit like a figurine in the back room that got lost from years ago, paid $100 for it, and old man is pissed when it gets found, then it's for sale for like $2,000. Incredible business, esp. in LV. This is like better than growing and selling legal weed !

lol yea I saw that one. Dude was for sure into debt wit the wrong people. Asked 'em why he needs the money he goes, "I got some family issues right now" Guy was a degenerate. Coulda sold that truck on ebay for 50,000 at least. Cash is king

[bettilimbroke999]

Bein a picker does not seem easy at all, first you have to find and travel to places in the middle of nowhere with no real clue if they even have anything of value, then ya have to be an antique expert on the spot to know what to buy and bid after searching through the woods/barns/basements etc, then ya gotta convince the old jackass to part with his valuables for pennies on the dollar or else youve basically gone out there for nothing and the guy may not really be in the mood to sell his lifelong collection for nothin to a complete stranger, IF you find something of value AND can purchase it for a good price then you gotta cart that thing back to your shop and find a buyer. Just kind of a difficult process which could easily lose you money with travel costs if you dont find and scam enough senile geezers while your on the road.

The pawn shop on the other hand is perfect, the ppl come in with their most valuable stuff, most of which has easy to determine value and very desperate for cash. Either u rob them with some sky high interest rate or give them 1/3 or less of the value of the items and rob them that away, either way every transaction increases your wallet, pretty nice situation.

[Doug]

lol yea I saw that one. Dude was for sure into debt wit the wrong people. Asked 'em why he needs the money he goes, "I got some family issues right now" Guy was a degenerate. Coulda sold that truck on ebay for 50,000 at least. Cash is king

Strange case. That guy had to have clear title on the tractor/ rig/ semi/ whatever you want to call it.

Now the rig probably cost 200k, and probably is worth 100k easily ( they go 1,000,000 + miles).

The brother-owner didn't want to sell it, just borrow 20k on it, like he will get it out in a few months for sure. I have no idea how, but that's the only way you pawn it. I'm sure Rick would have loaned him 30k+ on it. The dude could probably sell the truck instantly for 60k to the truckers equivelant of Carmax....had to have a plan to only need 20k, for GOD knows what !

I wonder how that worked out/ will work out ?

Now I recall them showing Rick driving the rig.....odd that a pawnbroker has the license and ability to drive a rig ?

[bettilimbroke999]

lol yea I saw that one. Dude was for sure into debt wit the wrong people. Asked 'em why he needs the money he goes, "I got some family issues right now" Guy was a degenerate. Coulda sold that truck on ebay for 50,000 at least. Cash is king

Yea that was definitely one of the strangest ones, the truck looked brand new, Im not sure what interest he charges but on 20k that dude is gonna get raped, gotta be at least 10-15% a month so at least 2-3k interest payment per month just to not lose the truck. Then you gotta come up with 20k cash at once above the interest to get out of debt

[Doug]

Bein a picker does not seem easy at all, first you have to find and travel to places in the middle of nowhere with no real clue if they even have anything of value, then ya have to be an antique expert on the spot to know what to buy and bid after searching through the woods/barns/basements etc, then ya gotta convince the old jackass to part with his valuables for pennies on the dollar or else youve basically gone out there for nothing and the guy may not really be in the mood to sell his lifelong collection for nothin to a complete stranger, IF you find something of value AND can purchase it for a good price then you gotta cart that thing back to your shop and find a buyer. Just kind of a difficult process which could easily lose you money with travel costs if you dont find and scam enough senile geezers while your on the road.

The pawn shop on the other hand is perfect, the ppl come in with their most valuable stuff, most of which has easy to determine value and very desperate for cash. Either u rob them with some sky high interest rate or give them 1/3 or less of the value of the items and rob them that away, either way every transaction increases your wallet, pretty nice situation.

absolutely agree with you, these pickers cold call, and have a lot of overhead.

So picking something 300 miles from home for $100, and ultimately selling it for $400, isn't the same as at the pawnshop....with a line of sellers at your door.

The picker guys are up North somewhere like Iowa or Wisconsin or similar, and go like as far as Alabama, Florida, to cold call to buy SHIT ! It doesn't even look profitable to me.

They have some female back home, not sure if she sells the shit they buy or what ?

I'm not sure what to make of these boyz !

[bettilimbroke999]

Exactly, they're traveling thousands of miles both ways, you're talkin bout gas expense, vehicle maintenance and depreciation expense, renting rooms every night, then they say they advertise in all these papers to get leads, then they got building overhead just like the pawnshop and an employee makin 500+/week in the office cold calling. I mean when they jerk off on camera about making 600 bucks pickin grandpa clean they kinda ignore their expenses

[Doug]

Now is Pickers staged ?

Who exactly is filming this journey ?

The profits these guys can possibly make buying antiques long distance, seems maybe plausible, but the van is small, seems you'd need to haul a one way uhaul rental trailer sometimes ? They always come home with the SHIT that fits in the van.....seems like BS to me, the more I think about it.

I can't find a listing for their "shop"

I'm really thinking that AP is all BS.

The pawnshop is real.

[bettilimbroke999]

Does seem kinda amazing that they like travel to buy rusted out cars and shit, I mean do they have em towed 1000 miles? Seems pretty expensive

[Doug]

Does seem kinda amazing that they like travel to buy rusted out cars and shit, I mean do they have em towed 1000 miles? Seems pretty expensive

something ain't legit on this show ! You can't fill up your van with big stuff like bicycles and huge signs from 500 miles away, and old cars needing a 600 mile tow.

They call themselves something like Antique Archeleogy. ( sp)

This operation would seem so iffy....to be successful, that I think it is made up for TV, as a cheap reality show.

[Doug]

Does seem kinda amazing that they like travel to buy rusted out cars and shit, I mean do they have em towed 1000 miles? Seems pretty expensive

There selling the "interesting" old fvcks with the stuff.

I'm now 98% sure this show is 100% fake.