Ep 32. Penny for Your Pawn

In this episode of Pawn Stars, a customer named Jack brings in a set of World War I era medals and a rare penny. The medals are in good condition and include a Purple Heart, so Rick is immediately interested. He examines them closely and asks Jack where he got them. Jack inherited the medals from his grandfather, who fought in France during the war. After some negotiation, Rick offers Jack $4,000 for the medals, which Jack accepts.

Next, the focus shifts to the rare penny. It turns out to be a 1943 copper penny, which is extremely rare because most pennies made that year were actually steel due to shortages during the war. Rick is excited about the penny and calls in an expert to help authenticate it. The expert confirms that the penny is indeed genuine, and could be worth up to $200,000. However, there is also a chance that it could be a fake, so the expert recommends getting it certified.

With the penny potentially worth such a large sum of money, Rick decides to send it off for certification. While they wait for the results, the shop gets a visit from a customer named Frank, who has a collection of vintage metal lunchboxes. Frank has always been a big fan of the show and is excited to meet the guys. He shows them his collection, which includes classic lunchboxes featuring TV shows like The Lone Ranger and Gilligan's Island. After some negotiation, Rick offers Frank $500 for the collection, which he accepts.

Back to the penny – a few weeks later, the certification results come back and it turns out that the penny is the real deal. Rick is thrilled to have such a valuable item in the shop and decides to put it up for auction. He contacts some collectors and dealers and sets a starting bid of $150,000.

The day of the auction arrives and there is a lot of excitement in the air. Rick is nervous but hopeful that the penny will sell for a high price. The bidding starts off slow but picks up quickly once it reaches the $150,000 mark. There are several bidders in the room and even a few on the phone. After some intense back-and-forth bidding, the penny finally sells for $180,000 – a tidy profit for the shop.

Overall, this episode of Pawn Stars is full of interesting items and exciting moments. From the World War I medals to the rare penny to the vintage lunchboxes, there is something for everyone to enjoy. The negotiation and authentication processes are fascinating to watch, and the tension during the auction is palpable. Fans of the show won't want to miss this episode.