American Pickers

[nick1985]

Must be nice to drive around and rip off old people who dont know any better for a living.

I should start doing this on the side. Plenty of old people with tons of old shit around where I am.

 

[moshquerade]

Must be nice to drive around and rip off old people who dont know any better for a living.

I should start doing this on the side. Plenty of old people with tons of old shit around where I am.

Typical way antique dealers make their living. I mean, they can't give them what it's actually worth and then sell it for a profit.

 

[AMDZen]

Show is awesome. Pawn stars is even better though

 

[nick1985]

Pawn Stars is sweet.

 

[nick1985]

Typical way antique dealers make their living. I mean, they can't give them what it's actually worth and then sell it for a profit.

I feel bad when they offer some 90 year old lady $200 for an old motorcycle, and then sell it for 10 grand. Something about it seems wrong.

 

[TallBill]

Lets start a business nick. I'll be your muscle.

 

[moshquerade]

I feel bad when they offer some 90 year old lady $200 for an old motorcycle, and then sell it for 10 grand. Something about it seems wrong.

Well, yeh, but... it's $200 more than she'd probably ever get for it if an antique dealer didn't show up.

 

[nick1985]

Lets start a business nick. I'll be your muscle.

Me -- "You want to sell this mint condition Model-T Ford for $20, right?"

Them -- "no"

<insert physical intimidation>

Me -- "RIGHT???"

Them -- "yes"



Sounds like a great business model.

 

[AMDZen]

I feel bad when they offer some 90 year old lady $200 for an old motorcycle, and then sell it for 10 grand. Something about it seems wrong.

If they didn't buy it, it would of just rusted to nothing. Most everything I see them buy they have to work hard for, and then they have to spend a lot to get it in selling order. The old lady doesn't know anyone who can fix it up to sell it, she doesn't even care. In her world it would of sat there till the day she died.

 

[ussfletcher]

If they didn't buy it, it would of just rusted to nothing. Most everything I see them buy they have to work hard for, and then they have to spend a lot to get it in selling order. The old lady doesn't know anyone who can fix it up to sell it, she doesn't even care. In her world it would of sat there till the day she died.

And then her kids would have tossed it all in a dumpster.

 

[thebestMAX]

I call maximum BS on that show.

"Lets crawl over 40 acres of goodies and pull out 2 items". Then they make about $12 on the call they drove 1000 miles to get to.

Its entertaining though. I know what they are doing.

 

[Newbian]

Pawn stars is so much better anyways.

 

[Tea Bag]

Like the episode where they found that guy who most likely is developing Alzheimer's and they convince him to sell a Japanese sword which he obtained in WWII for like 100 bucks or some lowball amount.

If I was his grandson I'd be pissed. I want a sword!

"Welcome to cash in your legacy!"

EDIT: Pawn stars is even better.

(pre-interview guy states he wants between 200-300 for some antique gun)

Expert: "At auction, this gun would fetch between 2500-3000"
Rick: "So, how much do you want?"
Guy: "Uh, I was thinking about .. 3000."
Rick: "Uh, I was thinking - NOOOO!"

 

[highland145]

The in-laws owned an "antique" store for 30 years, which means they sold old crap. Anyway, the women in the fam would yard sale/estate sale on Fri and Sat. They would call the men(me and dad-in-law) and say bring the truck. We get there and there would be this old p.o.s. furniture that they paid $30 for. We'd bitch the whole time, get to their store and some idiot would buy it for $200 before we could unload it because it was "distressed." WTF? Left me scratching my head more than once. But it was profitable.

 

[pyonir]

I like the show just to see some of the little tidbits they show about certain items. The history behind them. Like the coin operated metal fan that used to be in motel rooms. I don't put much thought or weight into the prices they pay...*shrug*.

 

[nick1985]

EDIT: Pawn stars is even better.

(pre-interview guy states he wants between 200-300 for some antique gun)

Expert: "At auction, this gun would fetch between 2500-3000"
Rick: "So, how much do you want?"
Guy: "Uh, I was thinking about .. 3000."
Rick: "Uh, I was thinking - NOOOO!"

I remember that one. Fucking hilarious. :awe:

 

[HardcoreRobot]

i love watching them hunt through the junk and finding gems, but i dont like the way they treat their customers or how they gloat after ripping someone off

pawn stars is better

 

[nick1985]

but i dont like the way they treat their customers or how they gloat after ripping someone off

Yep. After they just rip off some old lady with dimentia:

"Hey man, great pick!!!!"


I'd like to punch them in the face sometimes.

 

[Rastus]

The economics of those shows are skewed badly. Those shows probably make a couple hundred thousand profit each, so the prices of the items are irrelevant. If I was a junk collector and they approached me and wanted to film on my property, I would get an agent and let them low ball me all day.

 

[BTA]

the skinny guy is definitely gay

 

[Doomguy]

I don't think many of you understand what the term "ripping off" means. Do they deceive the people they buy from? No. Do they often pay the people MORE than the people ask? Yes.

Wow, you guys are incredible.

 

[GregGreen]

I have no problem with them paying what they do for items, but they really come off as jerks.

 

[amdskip]

Yeah I don't see these guys ripping people off. Someone will want $5 for something and they'll tell them no, we'll give you $20 because it's worth $100 and everyone walks away happy.

 

[destrekor]

I remember that one. Fucking hilarious. :awe:

Was that the one where it was some some ancient gun from some war of yesteryear where Rick wasn't sure if some of the parts were original?
Then the expert said it was basically all original.
And then went so far as to point out there was still a round inside?
(was it a musket? I want to think they said something about the powder behind the ball likely was useless).

The one I described was like one of maybe 2 or 3 episodes I've ever seen.

 

[caddlad]

That rusty piece of shit they paid $50 for, isn't worth 50 cents if they don't have a person interested in buying it.

The real business is putting the rusty piece of shit into the hands of someone with the coin to buy it at a profit.

I think they generally pitch fair offers, expecting, OMG, to profit from the transaction. BTW the samurai sword had definite condition issues.