The Rare Football Signature Rick Let Slip Away On Pawn Stars

"Pawn Stars" has been amusing and delighting audiences for an impressive 12 years and 18 seasons. The popular History Channel series follows the wheelings and dealings at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, located on the infamous Las Vegas strip and owned and operated by Rick Harrison and his family. "Pawn Stars" is beloved by audiences who are not only eager to see the shocking cost of some incredible antiques but also want to enjoy some old-fashioned reality TV hijinks.

Many guests visit the shop hoping to earn top dollar for their items.  However, they may often find themselves disappointed when Rick and his team offer a lower-than-expected amount for their prized items. Even if an item is valuable, shops may offer a lower amount to make a profit when they resell it.  Such was the case in one Season 5 trade, which featured a guest looking to sell an impressive piece of college football history. 

In this episode, owner Scott brought in a piece of memorabilia that any college football fan would swoon over — a letter signed by Knute Rockne, the legendary coach for the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The letter had been written to Scott's grandfather in 1931, who reached out to the football star as part of an elementary school project. Interestingly, too, the letter features Rockne stating the harsh effects of tobacco smoking on athletes, something that wasn't openly discussed at the time.

A forensic document inspector came in and authenticated the document, valuing it at anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000. Scott then went in to haggle for that highest price. However, Rick wasn't on board, stating $2,000 as his final offer, citing that the letter would need to be reframed and that he needed to make a profit on it. Ultimately, after some back-and-forth, the seller passed on the offer, and the men parted ways empty-handed. 

We understand how sellers want top dollar for items they believe are valuable, but you'd be hard-pressed to find better expert appraisers than the team at Gold & Silver. However, for this seller, there's always the online marketplace, and for Rick, there is always another eager seller ready to try their luck on "Pawn Stars."