The Rare 1800s Shotgun That Was Worth Thousands On Pawn Stars
Since its premiere in 2009, "Pawn Stars" has been entertaining audiences with an appetite for both antiques and antics. The popular History Channel series follows all the dealings at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. Located on the historic Las Vegas strip, the shop is owned and operated by Rick Harrison and his family. "Pawn Stars" is loved by viewers who are interested in fascinating items and their sometimes shocking value, and some good old-fashioned reality TV drama.
While many classic collectible items, like comic books, sports memorabilia, and jewelry make their way into the shop, the "Pawn Stars" team often finds themselves with a more unique item up for sale. But just because an item is interesting doesn't mean it's authentic or profitable. In the case of one Season 5 episode, a seller brings in a shotgun that ticks all the boxes — but the deal doesn't go exactly as hoped.
The seller wanted a high price for this rare shotgun
In this Season 5 episode, the seller brings in an 1880s Wells Fargo double-barreled shotgun. The modern-day bank has been around since the 1850s, and the shotgun in question likely belonged to an armed guard at one of their old bank locations.
Rick is intrigued by the gun but is concerned about its authenticity, claiming in the episode that "99% of them are fake." The seller provides a history book that authenticates the serial number on the gun, but Rick needs more evidence to decide if it's a worthwhile purchase. So they take it out to the gun range. Both barrels of the gun still work, meaning the shotgun is definitely worth some money.
However, exactly how much money it's worth proves to be a point of debate. The seller requests $15,000 for the gun, but Rick initially is only willing to offer $2,500. After some haggling back in forth, the two men realize they won't be coming to an agreement, and they part ways without a sale. While "Pawn Stars" didn't prove to be the best place to sell this rare Wells Fargo shotgun, we hope the seller was able to make the profit he sought somewhere else.