The Pawn Stars Expert Who's More Qualified Than We Realized

Longtime fans of History's "Pawn Stars" will know that series lead Rick Harrison seems to know an expert for just about every sort of antique imaginable. At least once per episode, something will come into the shop that Rick just can't accurately assess a price for, and he is forced to call upon his ever-growing list of expert consultants to tell him exactly what he's looking at.

Many of these experts become almost like recurring characters within the series. Whether it be antiques restorer Bob Yuhas, classic vehicle collector Bill Tsagrinos, or the arms and armor specialist (who also dabbles in shipwrecks and sunken treasure) Sean Rich, each one brings their own distinctive set of knowledge to the series whenever they're needed. There are dozens of recurring experts in the series for nearly every item or topic you could think of -– though there is one "Pawn Stars" expert that is so widely renowned for his appraisal skills that one has to wonder if he's not a bit over-qualified for his role in the reality series.

Mike Yamasaki is the series' "Japanese sword expert," and he has plenty of experience to back up that title. According to the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop Website, Yamasaki grew up in Los Angeles and began researching Japanese swords at an early age, first learning about them through his grandfather. He later studied at the Japanese Sword Museum (NBTHK), and in 2001, he became the only non-Japanese "All Japan Appraisal Champion" for his talents in appraising swords. He frequently gives lectures at the American branch of the NBTHK and is also a founding member of said branch (via Tetsugendo).

When he's not being called up by members of the "Pawn Stars" cast, Mike sells and collects swords through Tetsugendo.com, and curates Japanese sword exhibitions for different museums across the U.S. As far as the experts go on "Pawn Stars," not many can say they have won a national appraisal award for their talents, and Yamasaki's long history of studying and collecting Japanese swords make him one of the most impressive experts the series has to offer.