Why This Seller Was Asking Over $4k For A $1 Bill On Pawn Stars

When it comes to Pawn Stars, viewers never quite know what to expect — not in terms of what actually happens, since the routine (patrons bring in items, history is revealed, negotiations are made) is mainly scripted, but in the form of what the patrons have to offer. There's a certain thrill in putting on a random episode and learning about a piece of history you may not have known existed before. That thrill intensifies when it's unclear whether the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop crew is going to buy whatever's on the negotiating table (which just so happens to be a glass display counter). And to top it all off, there's juicy drama between the employees.

It's a beautiful formula — one that's kept Pawn Stars airing on History since 2009. So when potential seller Jared brings in a simple dollar bill (as opposed to, say, a 1967 Shelby G.T. 350 or an antique shotgun), Corey is quick to brush it off, saying that even though "it looks old... it's still just worth a dollar." Upon closer inspection, however, Corey realizes it's actually worth quite a bit.

Jared is happy to point out the main draw of this particular dollar bill: signatures from Walt Disney and Ronald Reagan, neither of whom needs any sort of introduction. As the information card that pops up states, "Disney and Reagan's most well-known appearance together was at Disneyland's opening day in 1955," and Jared believes that was when the cash was signed. That belief leads him to ask for $4,300 for it, which then prompts Corey to call in an expert to verify the signatures just in case.

The expert, Steve, has a number of signatures on file. He pulls up Reagan's first, comparing and contrasting it to what he sees on the dollar bill, and then does the same for Disney. There are a few discrepancies, yet he believes all three signatures (Reagan signed once on both sides) are the real deal. Next question, then: How much does it go for? Steve isn't too happy with the money's condition, but having both signatures on there is a rare find indeed — enough for him to appraise it at $3,000.

Knowing he can resell it at that value, Corey knocks the offer down to $1,800, and thus negotiations begin. The most the pawnbroker's willing to part with is $2,200, but that's too low for Jared. He walks out with the bill in hand, planning to frame it along with a picture of Disney and Reagan, which is honestly a great idea. It's too bad the deal doesn't go through, but it wasn't the first and won't be the last time a patron unironically tries selling money to the Gold & Silver.