The Real Reason
The Pawn Stars
Got In Trouble
For Melting
Down Gold Coins
By HEATHER E. SCHWARTZ
TV - Movies
A few years ago, a woman named Jennifer Beckman brought gold coins into The Gold & Silver Pawn Shop (of “Pawn Stars” fame), looking for cash. The deal didn’t seem out of the ordinary, and over the course of three visits, the shop gave Beckman $12,375 in exchange for them — only to find out later, they weren’t hers to sell.
On November 27, 2013, David Walters, reported a crime with the Clark County Justice Court, claiming the gold coins Beckman sold were stolen from a stash he kept hidden under a dresser. He also believed the collection was worth far more than just over $12,000, and valued it at $50,000, and he understandably wanted it back.
Unfortunately, coins are not covered under the law requiring pawn shops to hang onto items for 30 to 90 days — and by the time police reached out to the pawn shop on December 5th, the coins were already gone. As it turns out, the pawnshop had quickly melted them down, which is apparently common practice in the pawn industry, and nothing could be done.