Pawn Stars silver dollar lucite clock

Weiss

On tonight's episode. Yeah, it was an ugly, silly looking lucite clock with a half-dozen morgan and peace dollars. Rick essentially offered a little back of current melt, but who knows when it was actually shot.

The nice thing is that he told the customer the coins had been polished, explained that it had ruined their numismatic value, and then did one of his brief breaking the 4th wall monologues where he reiterated cleaning coins destroys their value.

I've waited for years for Antiques Roadshow to take a moment to explain the basics of coin collecting, since they apparently have a policy to never show or evaluate coins.

Sure Pawn Stars is canned and stuffed with silly filler banter. But at least they did this much for us and the coins we are entrusted with. Well done!

kevinstang

What's ironic is that I think Rick would have been burned had he bought the clock, several years ago I bought a very similar clock from some one who approached me while I was set up at a flea market, it was just as gaudy (same colors etc.)- and the coins had very similar dates and the clock face looked the same. At that time silver dollars were worth about $11 a piece melt, so I offered them $10 a piece for the coins in the clock- and the coins looked just as polished. About a month later when I went to crack the coins out of the lucite block, I found they were nothing more than cast copies. I was surprised to see these on tonights episode, so now I think someone must have been marketing these things back in the day, and it wasn't just a local scam.

Weiss

<< <i>What's ironic is that I think Rick would have been burned had he bought the clock, several years ago I bought a very similar clock from some one who approached me while I was set up at a flea market, it was just as gaudy (same colors etc.)- and the coins had very similar dates and the clock face looked the same. At that time silver dollars were worth about $11 a piece melt, so I offered them $10 a piece for the coins in the clock- and the coins looked just as polished. About a month later when I went to crack the coins out of the lucite block, I found they were nothing more than cast copies. I was surprised to see these on tonights episode, so now I think someone must have been marketing these things back in the day, and it wasn't just a local scam. >>



Very interesting, kevinstang! I forgot to mention the seller declined Rick's offer. The coins were clearly polished--but they did seem to have a cast look to them, too.

A similar clock that has to be from the same maker sold on eBay 05-31 (220790333724). Sure easy to hide cast coins by polishing them to death and sealing them in lucite!

GrumpyEd

oops it posted twice.

GrumpyEd

<< <i>The nice thing is that he told the customer the coins had been polished, explained that it had ruined their numismatic value >>



I was thinking it didn't matter much, the coins barely had numismatic value and it's not easy to get them out of the resin without damaging them anyway.
I wouldn't doubt if they're fake too. I'd be trying a magnet through the plastic. LOL

Coinosaurus

Pawn Stars is funny, even if it is scripted.

keyman64

I saw tonight's second new episode with the John Hanc@ck(the message sensorship here would not allow the famous name to be typed here...WOW, tried to use a zero and that did not work...now trying @ symbol...seriously!) signature. I like the show but the woman was an idiot. Person says something is worth 10K-15K but walks out the door with 5K or whatever it was...OMG! Auction House fees can sometimes be negotiated for something special...but even if not they are only 15%! Woman just tossed thousands down the toilet....potentially.

I would love to have someone go in there with a 6 figure coin(and their own under cover camera) to see what would get offered.

Still love the show...

SaorAlba

<< <i>I saw tonight's second new episode with the John Hanc@ck(the message sensorship here would not allow the famous name to be typed here...WOW, tried to use a zero and that did not work...now trying @ symbol...seriously!) signature. I like the show but the woman was an idiot. Person says something is worth 10K-15K but walks out the door with 5K or whatever it was...OMG! Auction House fees can sometimes be negotiated for something special...but even if not they are only 15%! Woman just tossed thousands down the toilet....potentially.

I would love to have someone go in there with a 6 figure coin(and their own under cover camera) to see what would get offered.

Still love the show... >>



I was thinking, if I had been there, I would have asked her to leave the store - for my better deal, $7500 on the spot. I saw that last night and wanted it. I wonder how many of those early fiscal/paper items end up with Dana Linett? I believe he finishes up and goes for a coffee then gets the call from Rick to come back.

ebaytrader

<< <i>

<< <i>I saw tonight's second new episode with the John Hanc@ck(the message sensorship here would not allow the famous name to be typed here...WOW, tried to use a zero and that did not work...now trying @ symbol...seriously!) signature. I like the show but the woman was an idiot. Person says something is worth 10K-15K but walks out the door with 5K or whatever it was...OMG! Auction House fees can sometimes be negotiated for something special...but even if not they are only 15%! Woman just tossed thousands down the toilet....potentially.

I would love to have someone go in there with a 6 figure coin(and their own under cover camera) to see what would get offered.

Still love the show... >>



I was thinking, if I had been there, I would have asked her to leave the store - for my better deal, $7500 on the spot. I saw that last night and wanted it. I wonder how many of those early fiscal/paper items end up with Dana Linett? I believe he finishes up and goes for a coffee then gets the call from Rick to come back. >>



The show is scripted. Dana and other pros likely supplies those items to the show for appraisal. It's not like Dana is nearby to drop-in and do a quick appraisal.

RRich2004

<< <i>On tonight's episode. Yeah, it was an ugly, silly looking lucite clock with a half-dozen morgan and peace dollars. Rick essentially offered a little back of current melt, but who knows when it was actually shot.

The nice thing is that he told the customer the coins had been polished, explained that it had ruined their numismatic value, and then did one of his brief breaking the 4th wall monologues where he reiterated cleaning coins destroys their value.

I've waited for years for Antiques Roadshow to take a moment to explain the basics of coin collecting, since they apparently have a policy to never show or evaluate coins.

Sure Pawn Stars is canned and stuffed with silly filler banter. But at least they did this much for us and the coins we are entrusted with. Well done! >>



Pawn Stars is completely staged. It wouldn't make for good t.v. if all you saw was the same old, real, daily routine of people bringing in their jewelry and other items to pawn for small loans.

Not many pawn shops have people walking in with high valued items, such as depicted on the show, to pawn or sell.

I've worked in the pawn industry and it just doesn't happen like that. Most of what we get coming in is small valued gold jewelry, some electronics, musical instruments, etc for small loans. Very rarely do we actually buy items outright.

ricko

I just cannot watch shows like this... I know too much about their production. Just the way I see it.... I am sure some enjoy the show. Cheers, RickO

crazyhounddog

I get a kick outta that show. One of my favs....

GMan

I saw it and thought Rick offered too much for the clock even if the coins were real. I did like the bit about cleaning coins, but he said something funny. He was talking about the silver dollars and he said the Peace dollars were the ones worth real money compared to the Morgan's. I thought that was a bit weird. I like the show but it tries a bit too hard to be funny at times. Still some interesting things do get shown on the program no matter how they do it.

Baley

I did not see the John Hancock episode, but have always wanted a John Hancock signature. What a fascinating historical figure John Hancock was!

MacCrimmon

<< <i>I did not see the John Hancock episode, but have always wanted a John Hancock signature. What a fascinating historical figure John Hancock was! >>




Yeah, that John Hancock guy had a huge signature. I wonder if he knew that Atwater guy that bought those nice new coins from the Philly mint?

stevkc

<< <i>I saw tonight's second new episode with the John Hanc@ck(the message sensorship here would not allow the famous name to be typed here...WOW, tried to use a zero and that did not work...now trying @ symbol...seriously!) signature. I like the show but the woman was an idiot. Person says something is worth 10K-15K but walks out the door with 5K or whatever it was...OMG! Auction House fees can sometimes be negotiated for something special...but even if not they are only 15%! Woman just tossed thousands down the toilet....potentially.

I would love to have someone go in there with a 6 figure coin(and their own under cover camera) to see what would get offered.

Still love the show... >>



I'm always amazed at the people who say, "I really have no idea what its worth, but I wanted to see what I could get for it." In a world where the internet exists, how can you have NO IDEA what something is worth? And then when they find out they do have something worth 4 figures or more--how do you not leave the store and do a bit more research or try to shop around for another offer? Maybe they just assume that since it is on TV, the shop wouldn't rip them off too badly.

JustaRookie

These shows are produced for their true intent, entertainment value and that's it. In no way, shape or form, should any of the incidents that occur on the show be conceived, interpreted, or contrived to be true as they are presented. Ah, I digress that in real life some dopes actually believe these incidents really take place as truth. I should know as my cousin is a big shot producer of many so called reality shows and he would be the first to tell you that it is all a load of BS!

Edited to add: They are often whimsical and comical which adds to their intent and value as entertainment.

LanLord

<< <i>

<< <i>What's ironic is that I think Rick would have been burned had he bought the clock, several years ago I bought a very similar clock from some one who approached me while I was set up at a flea market, it was just as gaudy (same colors etc.)- and the coins had very similar dates and the clock face looked the same. At that time silver dollars were worth about $11 a piece melt, so I offered them $10 a piece for the coins in the clock- and the coins looked just as polished. About a month later when I went to crack the coins out of the lucite block, I found they were nothing more than cast copies. I was surprised to see these on tonights episode, so now I think someone must have been marketing these things back in the day, and it wasn't just a local scam. >>



Very interesting, kevinstang! I forgot to mention the seller declined Rick's offer. The coins were clearly polished--but they did seem to have a cast look to them, too.

A similar clock that has to be from the same maker sold on eBay 05-31 (220790333724). Sure easy to hide cast coins by polishing them to death and sealing them in lucite!



>>



I love it! That is the greatest numismatic gift idea I've ever seen! I want one, NO! Check that, I want 2 of those! I'm glad Father's day is right around the corner!

BBQnBLUES

Chumlee is probably a Rhodes Scholar in real life.. ha

Chump4Change

My first impression is that those coins were Chinese cast copied fakes. The surfaces seemed all wrong and they lacked detail in all the wrong places. I think if Rick would've gotten burned if he purchased the clock and cracked the coins out.

For the John H sig, I'm shocked that Rick didn't bring in his autograph expert as the John H sig could've been authored by his secretary...because all Dana did was validate that it appeared to look like JH's sig, that it wasn't printed/copied by a machine, and that the paper type and surrounding event was correct for that time period...Or perhaps they saw no need in validating the sig because it was there to serve as a notary and the whole treason thing...

SaorAlba

<< <i>Chumlee is probably a Rhodes Scholar in real life.. ha >>



He must do well to take all the abuse there. Plus he leads in merchandise(bobble heads, tee shirts etc) sales. Who said you cannot make a mint by appearing dumber than a door nail?

RRich2004

<< <i>I saw it and thought Rick offered too much for the clock even if the coins were real. I did like the bit about cleaning coins, but he said something funny. He was talking about the silver dollars and he said the Peace dollars were the ones worth real money compared to the Morgan's. I thought that was a bit weird. I like the show but it tries a bit too hard to be funny at times. Still some interesting things do get shown on the program no matter how they do it. >>



It's not weird when you think about how the show is staged and he's doing a quick reference on the items.

Frankcoins

I saw an ad from the production company asking for people to send it photos and stories of interesting items. Owners of selected items are
invited to be on the show, and they receive an appearance fee (I would guess $500) and probably mileage and lodging if they are outside of Vegas.

It's a clever history show overlaid on a real life store with the help of a large production staff including comedy writers.

Here is a demo reel which is more typical of the items really brought into the shop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR-xHCGrqPQ

GMan

<< <i>

<< <i>I saw it and thought Rick offered too much for the clock even if the coins were real. I did like the bit about cleaning coins, but he said something funny. He was talking about the silver dollars and he said the Peace dollars were the ones worth real money compared to the Morgan's. I thought that was a bit weird. I like the show but it tries a bit too hard to be funny at times. Still some interesting things do get shown on the program no matter how they do it. >>



It's not weird when you think about how the show is staged and he's doing a quick reference on the items. >>



I still don't get it because it's wrong. Oh well, just a show. Whomever wrote the script just screwed it up and probably meant to reverse the coin names or something.

pf70collector

That show is so staged. Even though they show their losses along with their winnings, I don't think you get a gold mine like every show seems to convey. They have got to have long streaks of losses is my guess too.

keyman64

I don't care that the show is staged, I just like seeing the cool items and learning a little something every now and then. The show is put together very well.

garrynot

<< <i>I don't care that the show is staged, I just like seeing the cool items and learning a little something every now and then. The show is put together very well. >>



I agree. Most people in their right mind would not bring in some of the stuff to a pawn shop, like the aforementioned colonial signature, but it is interesting to see it and see them haggle over it.

TF

<< <i>I don't care that the show is staged, I just like seeing the cool items and learning a little something every now and then. The show is put together very well. >>





agreed, take it for what it is, entertainment, plain & simple.....also marketing genius, have you seen the crap these guys are selling, eg: shot glasses, t-shirts, mugs, hats, .........

PutTogether

<< <i>I saw it and thought Rick offered too much for the clock even if the coins were real. I did like the bit about cleaning coins, but he said something funny. He was talking about the silver dollars and he said the Peace dollars were the ones worth real money compared to the Morgan's. I thought that was a bit weird. I like the show but it tries a bit too hard to be funny at times. Still some interesting things do get shown on the program no matter how they do it. >>



He said something along the lines of "in 1921 they started minting Peace dollars, and THOSE are the ones that are worth money." I took it to mean that 'those' meant 'those dated 1921' which makes a bit more sense.

BBN

I heard that Chumlee was really just the stock retreiver before the show. When something needed to go to stock he put it up and when it needed out of stock he got it out. Supposedly the show producers thought he was real funny so they wanted him to be a part of the show.

I agree with others. It does not bother me in any way that this show is not realistic to daily life in a pawn shop. Just like most other jobs, if it were to cover the real daily life of a pawn shop it would be over in one or two episodes as it would bore us all to death seeing people bring in fifteen year old 25" TVs and used Fender Starcasters.

lava

I never gave much thought to just how staged the show is. I suppose Pickers is very staged too. I like them both for entertainment value.

The clock was awful in every way, and I had doubts if clock even held real coins.

BBN

<< <i>I saw an ad from the production company asking for people to send it photos and stories of interesting items. Owners of selected items are
invited to be on the show, and they receive an appearance fee (I would guess $500) and probably mileage and lodging if they are outside of Vegas.

It's a clever history show overlaid on a real life store with the help of a large production staff including comedy writers.

Here is a demo reel which is more typical of the items really brought into the shop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR-xHCGrqPQ >>




Love that video. It shows typical crap that likely comes in, the pawn guys in their typical selves and the shop looked rough. I think I like it.

Bigrig52

I think both shows SUCK..They really try and rip the people off bad..

PipestonePete

On the episode that aired just before the clock episode.....a young lady brought in some stuffed animals (Teddy Ruxpin or something like that??) that she had hoped to sell. When the boys didn't offer her enough money she decided not to sell. As she left the shop with her goodies, the OPEN/CLOSED sign hanging in the door read OPEN on the INSIDE of the door....meaning the side that said CLOSED faced the street. Hmmmmm.......

BBN

<< <i>On the episode that aired just before the clock episode.....a young lady brought in some stuffed animals (Teddy Ruxpin or something like that??) that she had hoped to sell. When the boys didn't offer her enough money she decided not to sell. As she left the shop with her goodies, the OPEN/CLOSED sign hanging in the door read OPEN on the INSIDE of the door....meaning the side that said CLOSED faced the street. Hmmmmm....... >>



I would imagine they do close during filming.

BillyKingsley

I actually liked the clock, I thought it looked cool.

Frankcoins

<< <i>I never gave much thought to just how staged the show is. I suppose Pickers is very staged too. I like them both for entertainment value.

The clock was awful in every way, and I had doubts if clock even held real coins. >>



This post was on the History Channel website. (I was getting a beer and missed seeing the clock so I have no opinion)

Rick offered the guy too much at $100 . I have seen 3 of these clocks the silver dollars are fake made from foil and plaster, The guy missed out not taking the offer. Pawn stars missed an oppertunity to educate the public on these fakes.

Spooly

That is one tacky clock!

thisnamztaken

Am. Pickers, Auction Hunters, Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, etc. are obviously staged and rehearsed. How else could they present customers walking in the store (seemingly) totally oblivious to the 3-5 different cameras aimed at them, not to mention get all of the intermittent comments filmed in the middle of haggling over prices, etc.? They must close the store when filming episodes, because most of the You Tube videos of Pawn Stars show the store packed with customers all of the time.

Nevertheless, I find them entertaining and fun to watch, although I've lost interest in Storage Wars, because of Dave and one other guy's negative, mean-spirited, attitudes.
My main complaint is that all of those shows are mostly repeat episodes now, over and over and over, every week.

RobertS

Am I the only one that has noticed that Eight times out of then, their intermission shoots are of healthy looking females?

boucharda

<< <i>Am I the only one that has noticed that Eight times out of then, their intermission shoots are of healthy looking females? >>



Yup, it must be tough finding them in Vegas

RRich2004

Hardcore Pawn on Tuesdays on TruTV, is somewhat staged.

The drama between the staff is all staged for the ratings, but the customers attitudes are not staged. Those are real. I've been to that shop and purchased many things from them, and unless any of you live in that area and know the norm for the Greenfield and 7 Mile Rd. mentality, trust me, that part is real.

jbsteven

In the first season it shows 5 gold records hung on the wall near the ceiling. I bought the center one Wings: The Speed of Sound. The stuff you see them buy really is for sale at the shop. They have a few cool things.

They have 2000 people a day walk through the shop. I think I saw a article of ChumLee buying a Maserati for himself the other day.


Making money, it's the American Way.