Pawn Stars (2009–…): Season 3, Episode 24 - Striking a Chord - full transcript

Male announcer: ON THIS
EPISODE OF PAWN STARS...

- I HAVE A MANDOLIN.
I WANT TO SELL IT.

- IT IS A REALLY NICE GIBSON.

THIS MODEL IS
WORTH, LIKE, $100,000.

- HA-HA!

- GOT A BOOK HERE,
FIRST ACTS OF CONGRESS.

- IT WAS, LIKE, THE ORIGINAL
LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE BOOK IS PRETTY RARE.

- THAT SIGNATURE IS JAMES SMITH,

ONE OF THE ORIGINAL SIGNERS

OF THE DECLARATION
OF INDEPENDENCE.



- THIS IS THE FIRST HOME ROBOT.

HELLO.

- I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY
WAY I CAN PROGRAM THIS THING

TO GO TO THE FRIDGE
AND GET ME A BEER.

- EXCUSE ME.

- I'M RICK HARRISON, AND
THIS IS MY PAWN SHOP.

I WORK HERE WITH MY OLD
MAN AND MY SON, BIG HOSS.

EVERYTHING IN HERE
HAS A STORY AND A PRICE.

ONE THING I'VE
LEARNED AFTER 21 YEARS,

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS
GONNA COME THROUGH THAT DOOR.

HEY, HOW'S IT GOING?
- PRETTY GOOD.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?
- WHAT DO YOU GOT?

- GOT A BOOK HERE FROM 1791,

FIRST ACTS OF CONGRESS,



SIGNED BY A GENTLEMAN
BY THE NAME OF JAMES SMITH,

ONE OF THE ORIGINAL SIGNERS OF
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

- OKAY. SO HOW DID YOU GET THIS?

- PROPERTY CLEANUPS.

I FOUND IT IN THE BACK
OF A 1956 PLYMOUTH.

- IT WAS JUST A REPOSSESSED
HOUSE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

- YUP.

- I'M TELLING YOU,

THAT'S SOME OF THE BEST
PLACES YOU FIND STUFF.

- I DECIDED TO COME TO
THE PAWN SHOP TODAY

BECAUSE I HAVE A BOOK FROM 1791.

IT'S THE FIRST ACTS OF CONGRESS.

I WANT TO SELL IT BECAUSE
IT NEEDS TO BE RESCUED

AND GIVEN TO SOMEONE
THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF IT.

I'M NOT SURE HOW
MUCH IT'S WORTH.

I WOULD LIKE $2,500 FOR IT,

AND HOPEFULLY
WE CAN MAKE A DEAL.

- YOU KNOW WHAT THE ACTS
OF CONGRESS WAS, RIGHT?

- YEAH.

- IT WAS, LIKE, THE ORIGINAL
CLAUSE OF THE UNITED STATES.

- THE VERY FIRST.

- THEY HAD TO SET UP EVERYTHING.

I MEAN, LIKE, HERE WE GOT

WHAT THE PRIVATES IN
THE ARMY SHOULD WEAR.

RATES OF COINS FOR
RECEIVING DUTIES AND FEES.

IF WOUNDED OR DISABLED,
WHAT COMPENSATION.

PEOPLE ASSUME THAT WHEN THE
REVOLUTIONARY WAR ENDED IN 1783

THAT GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS
IMMEDIATELY ELECTED PRESIDENT.

IT ACTUALLY TOOK
ANOTHER SIX YEARS

TO RATIFY THE CONSTITUTION

AND FORM A GOVERNMENT.

THE FIRST U.S. CONGRESS
FINALLY MET IN 1789,

AND THIS BOOK IS A
RECORD OF THAT EVENT.

I'M IMAGINING THE
BOOK IS PRETTY RARE.

- YEAH.

- THIS WAS A LOT OF
WORK PRINTING THIS BOOK.

IT'S REALLY WELL DONE TOO.

THIS IS HAND-LAID PAPER.

IT'S JUST... GOD, IT
IS IN ROUGH SHAPE.

- IT IS.

- IT'S IN BAD SHAPE.

BUT FOR 200 YEARS
OLD, IT'S NOT THAT BAD.

IF WE CAN GET THAT
AUTHENTICATED,

MAKE THAT BOOK WORTH
A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY.

- OKAY, WELL, THE BIG
PROBLEM WE HAVE HERE,

THERE'S A MILLION JAMES SMITHS.

- EXACTLY.

- YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY THE
MOST COMMON NAME THERE IS.

JAMES SMITH WAS ONE OF
PENNSYLVANIA'S REPRESENTATIVES

TO THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS,

AND HE'S FOREVER ETCHED
IN AMERICAN HISTORY

AS ONE OF THE 56 SIGNERS OF THE
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

IF IT'S HIS SIGNATURE, THIS THING
COULD BE WORTH A FORTUNE.

THE BOOK ITSELF MIGHT
BE WORTH SOME MONEY.

I NEED SOME MORE PEOPLE
TO LOOK AT THIS THING.

HOW LONG ARE YOU IN TOWN?

- TILL TOMORROW.
- HMM.

IF I CAN GET SOMEONE
LATER TODAY, I WILL.

OTHERWISE, WE'RE GONNA
HAVE TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.

THAT'S ALL I CAN TELL YOU.
- ALL RIGHT.

- ALL RIGHT, THANKS.
- THANK YOU.

- THIS BOOK IS AN
UNBELIEVABLE RECORD

OF OUR EARLY GOVERNMENT.

IT'S CLEARLY AUTHENTIC,

BUT I HAVE NO IDEA HOW
RARE IT IS OR WHAT IT'S WORTH.

- HEY, GUYS.
- HEY, WHAT DO YOU GOT HERE?

- A BREITLING THAT I WANT
YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT.

- THAT'S A THICK WATCH.

- IT'S A BREITLING EMERGENCY.
IT'S GOT A HOMING BEACON IN IT.

YOU BASICALLY... YOU UNSCREW
THIS THING RIGHT THERE

WHEN YOU CRASH YOUR PLANE,

AND IT BROADCASTS ON
THE EMERGENCY FREQUENCY.

IF YOU'RE STILL ALIVE.

- I DECIDED TO COME TO
THE PAWN SHOP TODAY

TO SELL MY BREITLING WATCH.

I GOT IT AT A GOOD PRICE
FROM A BUDDY OF MINE.

BUT I'VE GOT A TON OF WATCHES,

AND I'M LOOKING TO THIN THE
COLLECTION OUT A LITTLE BIT.

- YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT?

- YEAH, I MEAN,
REAL QUALITY WATCH.

THIS ONE'S NEVER
BEEN OUT OF HERE,

SO IT'S GOT ALL THE PARTS.

- YEAH, BREITLING'S
A NEAT COMPANY.

WHAT THEY DID WAS... I THINK
IT WAS THE SWISS AIR FORCE

WANTED A REALLY, REALLY ACCURATE
WRISTWATCH FOR THEIR AIR FORCE.

SO THEY WENT TO BREITLING,

WHICH WAS AN INSTRUMENT MAKER,

AND HAD THEM DESIGN A WATCH

THAT WOULD BE REALLY
ACCURATE FOR A PILOT.

THE THING IS, THOUGH, IF
YOU BUY ONE OF THESE THINGS

AND YOU PULL THAT WIRE,

MY UNDERSTANDING IS, YOU
CAN GET IN A LOT OF TROUBLE

UNLESS IT'S A REAL EMERGENCY.

COSTS $50,000 IF YOU PULL IT.

AT LEAST IT CAN.

I BELIEVE IT CAN
COST UP TO THAT.

- KIND OF LIKE CALLING
911 FOR A PRANK.

- AN EMERGENCY
LOCATOR TRANSMITTER

IS BASICALLY A SIGNAL
THAT'S SENT OUT

TO FIND PILOTS WHEN
THEIR PLANES GO DOWN.

WHEN YOU SET ONE OFF,

A MASSIVE SEARCH
AND RESCUE BEGINS,

AND THAT'S WHY IF YOU TURN
IT ON AND YOU'RE NOT LOST,

YOU CAN GET FINED UP TO $50,000.

THIS RIGHT HERE JUST
BASICALLY TESTS IT

TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
EMERGENCY PART WORKS.

AND DOES IT WORK NOW?

SO WE KNOW THAT IT'LL BROADCAST

ON THE EMERGENCY FREQUENCY.

- I'M IMPRESSED.

- AND THEN YOU CAN
JUMP ON YOUR PLANE

AND THEN CRASH YOURSELF,
AND THEN WE'LL FIND YOU.

THERE YOU GO.

- SOUNDS GOOD.

- THIS WATCH IS REALLY COOL,

BUT SELLING IT IS
NOT GONNA BE EASY.

IT'S NOT OLD ENOUGH TO ATTRACT
YOUR CLASSIC WATCH COLLECTOR,

AND THERE'S JUST NOT A
LOT OF PILOTS OUT THERE.

DID YOU WANT TO
PAWN IT OR SELL IT?

- I'M LOOKING TO SELL IT.

- SO HOW MUCH ARE YOU
LOOKING TO GET OUT OF IT?

- I WAS HOPING TO GET
ABOUT $6,000 FOR IT.

- UM...

- IT'S A COOL WATCH.

- I KNOW IT'S A COOL WATCH.

IT'S A REALLY SPECIALTY MARKET
I HAVE TO SELL IT TO, THOUGH.

$4,000.

THING IS, I'M GONNA
PUT IT IN MY SHOWCASE,

I'M GONNA MARK IT 6,000 BUCKS,

AND THEN SOMEONE'S
GONNA BEAT ME DOWN

TO, LIKE, $5,200, 5 GRAND.

I GOT TO MAKE SOMETHING.

- I NEED $4,500.

- $4,100?

- $4,250.

- $4,200?

$4,200. $4,200.
- OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

- ALL RIGHT. WRITE HIM UP, SON.

- LET'S GO DO SOME
PAPERWORK, MY MAN.

- THANKS.

I WAS HOPING TO
GET A LITTLE MORE

BUT MADE A COUPLE GRAND ON IT.

I'M GONNA DO SOME
GAMBLING AND A FEW DRINKS

AND HAVE A GOOD MEAL.

- HEY, HOW YOU DOING?

- I'M PRETTY GOOD.
HOW CAN I HELP YOU?

- WELL, I HAVE A MANDOLIN.
I WANT TO SELL IT.

- SO WHERE DID YOU GET THIS?

- IT WAS MY GRANDMOTHER'S.

- IT'S A GIBSON.
IT'S AN OLD GIBSON.

I THINK THIS IS AN A2 FANCY
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

- HE DOESN'T KNOW
EVERYTHING ABOUT MANDOLINS.

HE LIKES TO BELIEVE HE DOES.

- OKAY, NO. IT'S
JUST... I HATE YOU.

- I'M COMING DOWN TO
THE PAWN SHOP TODAY

TO TRY TO SELL MY
GIBSON MANDOLIN.

I'M GONNA GET MARRIED THIS WEEK,

SO I'D LIKE TO HAVE
SOME EXTRA CASH.

I'M HOPING TO GET AT LEAST
$1,500 OUT OF IT, MAYBE.

- IT IS A REALLY NICE MANDOLIN.

IT'S, LIKE, TURN OF THE
CENTURY, AS A MATTER OF FACT.

WHEN THIS THING WAS MADE,
IT WAS REALLY EXPENSIVE.

GIBSONS WERE JUST...
THEY WERE THE BEST,

PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

THIS IS REALLY FANCY
FOR THIS MODEL.

THAT'S REAL
TORTOISESHELL RIGHT THERE.

THESE ARE IVORY KEYS.

WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF GIBSONS,
THEY THINK OF GREAT GUITARS.

BUT ORVILLE GIBSON, WHO
STARTED THE COMPANY,

WAS ACTUALLY A MANDOLIN MAKER.

MANDOLINS LOOK LIKE A GUITAR,

BUT THEY PLAY
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

THEY HAVE FOUR PAIRS OF STRINGS.

GUITARS HAVE SIX STRINGS.

AND THEY MAKE THAT
TWANGY BLUEGRASS SOUND

THAT DOESN'T SOUND
ANYTHING LIKE A GUITAR.

I KNOW THIS PARTICULAR MANDOLIN

NORMALLY GO FOR
AROUND $1,500, $2,000.

- OKAY.

- BUT THERE ARE
MANDOLINS IN THIS MODEL

THAT ARE WORTH, LIKE, $100,000.

- HA-HA!

- IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHO MADE
IT, AND THERE'S A WAY TO KNOW.

- OKAY.

- IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE
TO GET MY BUDDY IN HERE,

HAVE HIM TAKE A
LOOK AT THIS THING.

HE CAN TELL US ALL ABOUT IT,

AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE
WE GOT A JACKPOT HERE.

- I REALLY HOPE THIS
IS A $100,000 MANDOLIN.

UM, WE'LL SEE.

- THAT'D BE AWESOME.

- I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE THIS
MANDOLIN CHECKED OUT.

IF IT TURNS OUT TO BE ONE
OF THE SUPER-RARE ONES,

THIS LADY COULD
HAVE A SERIOUS PAYDAY.

- EARLIER, A WOMAN BROUGHT IN
A TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY MANDOLIN

THAT COULD BE WORTH A FORTUNE.

SO I CALLED IN MY BUDDY JESSE
TO COME AND CHECK IT OUT.

- WHAT'S UP, MAN?

- THIS IS IT.

- THIS IS AN OLD
ONE, REALLY OLD.

I'M JESSE FROM COUNTDOWN
GUITARS HERE IN VEGAS.

BEST PART ABOUT MY JOB IS,

I GET TO DEAL WITH
VINTAGE GUITARS EVERY DAY,

AND IT'S SOMETHING I LOVE.

DOESN'T EVEN FEEL LIKE I
GO TO WORK EVERY MORNING.

IT'S IN REALLY,
REALLY GOOD SHAPE.

WOW.

IN THE EARLY 1900s,

GIBSON WAS THE PLACE
TO GET A MANDOLIN FROM.

THESE INSTRUMENTS
WERE 100% HANDMADE.

THIS INLAID PICK GUARD,
THEY ONLY DID FOR TWO YEARS.

1908, THEY WENT TO A REGULAR
STYLE PICK GUARD WITH POSTS.

SO THAT PUTS THIS AT 1907.

SO THIS IS OVER 100 YEARS OLD.

IT'S IN INSANELY GOOD
CONDITION FOR ITS AGE.

THIS IS 100% ORIGINAL.

THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY
REFINISHING OR ANYTHING

DONE TO THIS INSTRUMENT.

- I KNOW THERE WAS SOME
GUY WHO MADE THESE THINGS

RIGHT AROUND WHEN THIS WAS MADE,

AND IF HE MADE IT, IT'S
WORTH, LIKE, 100 GRAND.

- OKAY, WELL, THAT
WAS LLOYD LOAR.

HAVING A LLOYD LOAR
VINTAGE GIBSON MANDOLIN

IS EXTREMELY RARE.

HIS STUFF WAS
METICULOUSLY WELL BUILT,

AND MOST LOAR MANDOLINS
BRING WELL OVER $100,000.

WELL, THIS IS AN "A" BODY STYLE.

IT'S TEARDROP-SHAPED.

LLOYD LOAR BUILT
THE "F" MANDOLINS.

THE "F" BODY HAD A
REAL BIG SCROLL UP HERE.

THEY WERE THE FANCIEST,
MOST HIGH-END GIBSON ONES

YOU COULD GET.

- OKAY.

- THIS IS NOT ONE
OF HIS MANDOLINS.

- SO WHAT IS IT WORTH?

- MOST OF THE ONES
YOU SEE, LIKE I SAID,

HAVE HAD REPAIR WORK.

THEY USUALLY FALL RIGHT
INTO THE $3,000 RANGE.

I THINK, IN THIS CONDITION,

YOU COULD EASILY
GET $4,200 TO $4,500.

- WOW.

- OKAY.

THANKS, JESSE. I APPRECIATE IT.

- NO PROBLEM. SEE YOU LATER.

- SEE YOU LATER, MAN.
- TAKE CARE.

- SO HOW MUCH WERE YOU
LOOKING TO GET OUT OF IT?

- I WAS THINKING AROUND $4,000.

- I'M THINKING MORE
LIKE 2,500 BUCKS.

- $2,500?

- I DON'T HAVE A MILLION
PEOPLE A DAY WALKING IN HERE,

"HEY, YOU GOT A 1907
GIBSON MANDOLIN?"

- TRUE.

$3,500.

- $2,500.

- $2,700.

IT'S IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE.

- IT'S IN BEAUTIFUL SHAPE.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. I'LL
GIVE YOU 2,600 BUCKS.

AND IT DOESN'T LEAVE
A LOT OF ROOM FOR ME.

- $2,700.

- $2,700.

ALL RIGHT, YOU WANT
TO GO WRITE HER UP?

- MEET YOU RIGHT OVER HERE.

- SO I JUST SOLD MY
GUITAR FOR $2,700,

AND I'M SO EXCITED.

WE'RE GONNA GO
GAMBLE IT ALL, I THINK.

- EARLIER TODAY, I
GUY BROUGHT IN A BOOK

OF THE ACTS OF CONGRESS.

IT'S PROBABLY VERY VALUABLE.

I JUST DON'T KNOW
ENOUGH ABOUT IT,

SO I CALLED IN MY FRIEND ANN
TO COME AND TAKE A CLOSER LOOK.

WELL, THIS IS THE
BOOK I CALLED YOU ON.

- OKAY.

I'M ANN DEVERE. I
OWN PLAZA BOOKS.

I'VE BEEN COLLECTING
BOOKS MOST OF MY LIFE,

AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY
PASSIONATE ABOUT BOOKS.

THIS WAS PRINTED IN 1793
IN PHILADELPHIA BY OSWALD.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED IN THREE VOLUMES.

THIS IS VOLUME ONE
OF THREE VOLUMES.

IT'S AN EXCITING BOOK,

BECAUSE THIS WAS THE
VERY FIRST CONGRESS.

IT'S WHEN GEORGE
WASHINGTON WAS PRESIDENT.

- DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY COPIES
OF THIS THING WAS PUBLISHED?

- NOT TOO MANY
COPIES WERE PUBLISHED.

PROBABLY ONE FOR EACH
MEMBER OF CONGRESS.

IT IS AN IMPORTANT BOOK.

IT'S A BOOK THAT PROBABLY
SHOULD BE IN A MUSEUM SOMEWHERE.

- HE'S GOT THIS
SIGNATURE ON THE FRONT

THAT I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.

- I CAN'T ADDRESS THIS
SIGNATURE ON THE FRONT.

IT WOULD TAKE A PERSON
WHO'S EXPERT IN SIGNATURES

TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THAT.

- OKAY. WHAT IS SOMETHING
LIKE THIS WORTH?

- WELL, THE CONDITION OF THIS
BOOK IS LESS THAN VERY GOOD.

THE FRONT COVER'S DETACHED,

THERE'S FOXING TO THE PAGES,

AND THERE'S SOME
STAINING OF THE PAGE EDGES.

IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT
HISTORICAL DOCUMENT.

I WOULD SAY PROBABLY
IN THE RANGE OF...

TO BE IN THE $2,500
TO $3,500 RANGE.

MORE IF THE SIGNATURE
WERE CONFIRMED

TO BE OF SOMEONE OF IMPORTANCE.

IT COULD RAISE THE VALUE
OF THE BOOK TREMENDOUSLY.

- ALL RIGHT, ANN.
YOU'RE THE BEST.

- THANK YOU.
- THANKS, ANN.

- THANK YOU.

THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

- UM, YEAH. I JUST...

I'M GONNA HAVE SOMEONE
COME IN LATER TODAY

THAT CAN TELL US
ABOUT THE SIGNATURE.

- OKAY.
- OKAY?

AND THEN WE'LL TALK PRICE.

- ALL RIGHT. PERFECT. THANK YOU.
- ALL RIGHT. THANKS.

- IF THE SIGNATURE
IS JAMES SMITH,

THEN I'M GONNA BE REALLY HAPPY,

BECAUSE THAT'LL MAKE IT
WORTH A LOT MORE MONEY,

AND, YOU KNOW, THEN
HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAKE A DEAL.

- EARLIER, I GOT A
CALL FROM A GUY

WANTING TO SELL AN OLD TRAILER,

SO CHUM AND I ARE
GONNA GO CHECK IT OUT.

- THIS IS IT, GUYS. THIS
IS WHY I CALLED YOU.

1973 AIRSTREAM.

- THIS AIN'T A JET.

- YOU'RE THINKING
ABOUT A GULFSTREAM.

- I CALLED THE GUYS
FROM THE PAWN SHOP

TO SEE IF THEY WANTED TO
COME LOOK AT MY 1973 AIRSTREAM.

MY UNCLE BOUGHT
IT A FEW YEARS AGO

THINKING HE WAS GONNA FIX IT UP

AND NEVER GOT AROUND TO IT.

I WANT TO SELL IT JUST
BECAUSE I DON'T NEED IT

AND MIGHT AS WELL GIVE IT TO
SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO RESTORE IT.

- AIRSTREAMS ARE
HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE

BECAUSE IT'S JUST THE... YOU
KNOW, THE WHOLE ALUMINUM THING,

THE RETRO '50s THING INSIDE.

THEY WERE CUSTOMIZABLE.

QUITE FRANKLY, THEY WERE
REALLY BIG-DOLLAR MACHINES

WHEN THEY CAME OUT,

BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL ALUMINUM.

YOU KNOW, ALUMINUM'S JUST

A HELL OF A LOT MORE
EXPENSIVE THAN STEEL.

- LOOKS LIKE
HIPPIES BELONG IN IT.

- UM, THIS ONE, MAYBE.

AIRSTREAM TRAILERS HAVE
BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 1930s.

THEIR AERODYNAMIC
ALUMINUM BODIES

MAKE THEM EASIER TO TOW,
AND THEY SAVE MONEY ON GAS.

BUT THE BIG APPEAL
IS HOW THEY LOOK...

LIKE A GIANT COCKTAIL SHAKER.

YEAH, I DIDN'T NOTICE IT
TILL I JUST GOT CLOSE TO IT

THAT THIS THING'S BEEN PAINTED.

I JUST THOUGHT THE
ALUMINUM WAS REAL DULL.

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO PAINT
ON THE ALUMINUM, YOU KNOW?

IT'S WHY PEOPLE BUY
THEM. THEY'RE ALL SHINY.

GOD. YOU DIDN'T
PAINT IT, DID YOU?

- NOPE. THAT'S THE WAY I GOT IT.

- YEAH, GOD, THIS THING
HAS SEEN ITS BETTER DAYS.

SO WHAT DOES THE
INTERIOR LOOK LIKE?

- BETTER THAN THE OUTSIDE.

- WEREN'T YOU LOOKING FOR
A NEW PLACE TO LIVE, CHUM?

- YEAH.

YEAH, THIS IS 1973, ALL RIGHT.

- YEAH, THAT'S WHAT
I LIKE ABOUT THIS.

IT'S KIND OF BEEN
UNTOUCHED SINCE THE '70s.

- YEAH, BUT THE PROBLEM IS,

NO ONE'S MAINTAINED
IT SINCE THE '80s.

I MEAN, IF IT WAS MODERN,
IT WOULD BE COOL.

I MEAN, IT'S SORT OF
ROOMY FOR A TRAILER,

BUT THIS THING
HAS SEEN ITS DAYS.

PEOPLE LIKE TO FIX
UP OLD AIRSTREAMS

AND TURN THEM INTO FOOD TRUCKS

OR OTHER KIND OF
MOBILE BUSINESSES.

BUT PEOPLE LIKE THEM

FOR THEIR METALLIC,
UNPAINTED ALUMINUM BODIES,

AND SOMEONE PAINTED THIS THING.

SO WHAT WERE YOU LOOKING
TO DO WITH THIS THING?

- SELL IT. GET RID OF IT.

QUITE HONESTLY, MAN,

I WOULDN'T OFFER
YOU ANYTHING FOR IT.

THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH DAMAGE.

THEY PAINTED IT.

AND BUY THE TIME I
TOOK ALL THAT PAINT OFF,

THERE'D BE NO MONEY
TO BE MADE, PERIOD.

- SO WHAT DO YOU
SUGGEST I DO WITH IT?

- DONATE IT.

GET A TAX WRITE-OFF.
GET SOMETHING, MAN.

INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH
THE HASSLE OF SELLING THIS THING,

HE CAN JUST TAKE
THE TAX DEDUCTION.

PROBLEM SOLVED.

ALL RIGHT.
- THANKS FOR COMING BY.

- NO PROBLEM, MAN.

- I WAS REALLY
HOPING TO MAKE A DEAL

SO I CAN GET THIS DAMN
THING OFF MY PROPERTY,

BUT I GUESS IT'S JUST GONNA
SIT HERE FOR A WHILE NOW.

- EARLIER, A GUY
BROUGHT IN A BOOK

THAT APPEARS TO BE AUTOGRAPHED
BY ONE OF THE ORIGINAL SIGNERS

OF THE DECLARATION
OF INDEPENDENCE.

I'VE ALREADY CONFIRMED THAT
THE BOOK IS RARE AND VALUABLE.

NOW I'M CALLING MY
BUDDY DREW DOWN

TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE SIGNATURE.

- HEY, SIR. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DREW WITH AUTHENTIC
AUTOGRAPHS UNLIMITED.

I'M A FORENSIC
DOCUMENT EXAMINER.

WHAT DO WE HAVE TODAY?

- WE HAVE A BOOK WITH THE
FIRST ACTS OF CONGRESS,

PRINTED IN 1793.

- OKAY.

- AND HE'S SAYING HE THINKS
THIS MIGHT BE JAMES SMITH.

- OH, T HE JAMES SMITH.

- YES.
- REALLY? OKAY.

WELL, JAMES SMITH MAY NOT BE
ONE OF THE MOST WELL-KNOWN

OF ALL THE ORIGINAL SIGNERS,
BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER.

IF YOU'RE ONE OF THE SIGNERS OF
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE,

YOU'RE DEFINITELY ALL THAT.

LET'S SEE WHAT WE HAVE.

- I MEAN, IT LOOKS OLD.

- IT'S VERY OLD.

SEE, THIS WOULD HAVE TO
BE DONE WITH A QUILL PEN.

I MEAN, THEY DIDN'T
HAVE STEEL PENS YET.

- INCREDIBLE.

- SO THIS WAS ACTUALLY
DONE BY A BIRD'S FEATHER.

THEY WOULD, OF COURSE,
DIP IT INTO THE WELL.

AS YOU CAN SEE, HOW IT'S
GOING FROM DARKER TO LIGHTER,

THAT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
THE INK GETS THICKER AT FIRST,

AND THEN, OF COURSE,
IT LOSES INK AS IT GOES.

SO IT'S DEFINITELY AN OLD
SIGNATURE, THAT'S FOR SURE.

IT'S WRITTEN AT HIGH SPEED.

YOU CAN SEE THE HIGHLY DETAILED.

CLEARLY, IT'S GOT A
CERTAIN SOPHISTICATION TO IT.

IT'S AN INTERESTING SIGNATURE.

WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS
NOT TH E JAMES SMITH'S SIGNATURE.

THIS IS A DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL.

- OH, MAN.

THAT'S NOT WHAT
I WANTED TO HEAR.

- SO WHOSE SIGNATURE IS IT?

- WELL, IT LOOKS
LIKE A JAMES STENETT.

AND I DON'T RECOGNIZE
THAT NAME, UNFORTUNATELY.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE
PERSON WHO OWNED THE BOOK.

IN THOSE DAYS, THEY WOULD
SIGN BOOKS ALL THE TIME,

AND THEN THEY WOULD LEAVE IT,
YOU KNOW, FOR THEIR CHILDREN,

AND THAT'S PROBABLY
WHAT THIS SITUATION IS.

NOT A FAMOUS PERSON.

- THANKS FOR COMING
IN, DREW. APPRECIATE IT.

I'M DISAPPOINTED IT WASN'T
SIGNED BY JAMES SMITH,

BUT I'M ABSOLUTELY STUNNED
THAT THE NAME ISN'T EVEN SMITH.

TALK ABOUT A HARD
SIGNATURE TO READ.

THAT'S WHY I BRING IN EXPERTS.

YOU DIDN'T STRIKE OUT.

I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE
AN EXPENSIVE BOOK HERE.

- YUP.
- OKAY?

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. I'LL
GIVE YOU $1,000 FOR IT.

- WELL...

- IF YOU WANT TO SELL IT, GUY,
WE PAY IN HUNDRED-DOLLAR BILLS.

- HUNDRED-DOLLAR BILLS?

THAT'S ENTICING.

NO.

I DON'T NEED THE MONEY THAT BAD.

- OKAY. YOU WOULDN'T
TAKE $1,500 FOR IT?

I MEAN, IT'S A FAIR OFFER.

- WELL...

I THINK I'M GONNA HANG ON TO IT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST COOL TO
OWN SOMETHING FROM THE 1700s,

AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE
SOMEDAY, IT'LL BE WORTH

A LOT MORE MONEY
THAN WHAT IT IS NOW.

- THIS IS SOMETHING
THE VALUE WILL GO UP ON.

- I'M NOT GONNA SELL
THE BOOK FOR $1,500.

IT IS SOMETHING FROM THE 1700s,

AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE
FOUNDATION OF THE COUNTRY.

THAT'S WORTH MORE
TO ME THAN $1,500.

- WHAT DO WE GOT, MAN?

- THIS IS THE FIRST HOME
ROBOT EVER MASS-PRODUCED.

- OKAY.

- COOL. WHAT DOES IT DO?

- THIS ONE SPECIFICALLY
ACTS LIKE A PET AT HOME.

- SO IT PEES ON THE CARPET?

- I DECIDED TO COME TO
THE PAWN SHOP TODAY

TO SELL MY RB5X HOME ROBOT.

I THINK I WANT TO
SELL THIS ROBOT TODAY

BECAUSE IT KIND OF
GETS UNDERFOOT AT HOME.

HE JUST KIND OF BUMPS
INTO A LOT OF STUFF,

AND I THINK IT'S TIME TO GO.

IT'S WORTH ABOUT $2,000,

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT
I WANT TO GET FOR IT,

$2,000.

- ALL RIGHT, SO WHERE
DID YOU GET THIS THING?

- OKAY, SO I FOUND
THIS IN A FLEA MARKET.

I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT
WAS WHEN I FIRST SAW IT.

ORIGINALLY RETAILED
FOR ABOUT $4,000.

CAME OUT IN 1983.

YOU'D HAVE TO
PROGRAM IT YOURSELF,

HOOK IT UP TO YOUR COMPUTER.

YOU COULD ALSO PUT
SOME MICROCHIPS IN IT

TO MAKE IT PLAY GAMES.

- AFTER THE COMPUTER
BOOM OF THE EARLY 1980s,

THE NEXT BIG CRAZE WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE ROBOTICS,

BUT THEY JUST NEVER CAUGHT ON.

SHOW ME WHAT IT CAN DO.

- OKAY.

HELLO.

I AM THE RB5X INTELLIGENT ROBOT.

EXCUSE ME.

- YEAH, I'VE SEEN ENOUGH.

- I STILL DON'T... WHAT
IS THE PURPOSE OF IT?

- IT WALKS AROUND. IT TALKS.

- YOU KNOW WHAT? I
DON'T GET IT EITHER, SON.

IT'S LIKE, PEOPLE,
LIKE, PROGRAM THEM

AND THEY DO SILLY
THINGS, YOU KNOW?

IS THERE A REMOTE
CONTROL FOR IT?

- IT'S ALL AUTONOMOUS.
IT MOVES BY ITSELF.

- I WANT TO KNOW
IF THERE'S ANY WAY

I CAN PROGRAM THIS
THING TO GO TO THE FRIDGE

AND GET ME A BEER.

- THEY ACTUALLY DO
HAVE AN ARM FOR IT.

I HAVEN'T BEEN
ABLE TO, YOU KNOW,

FIND WHERE I CAN
GET ONE OF THOSE.

BUT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE
AN ARM FOR THIS ROBOT.

- THIS ROBOT IS
DEFINITELY DATED,

BUT IT'S A COOL REMINDER
OF 1980s TECHNOLOGY.

IT JUST SHOWS HOW FAR
COMPUTERS HAVE COME

IN THE LAST 25 YEARS.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH IT?

- I THINK I WANT TO SELL IT.

- HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT FOR IT?

- WELL, I'M THINKING $2,000.

- NO.

THERE MIGHT BE A REALLY,
REALLY SMALL MARKET FOR IT,

BUT I JUST DON'T HAVE
THE CUSTOMER BASE FOR IT.

I DON'T THINK I CAN SELL IT.

- HERE'S WHAT I SAY.

IT MAY NOT SELL RIGHT AWAY,

BUT IT WOULD REALLY LOOK
COOL IN THE FRONT WINDOW.

- I MEAN, I HAVE STUFF IN HERE
THAT I KEEP AROUND TO LOOK COOL.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S
JUST NOT ONE OF THEM.

QUITE FRANKLY,
THE WAY I LOOK AT IT,

IN 1983, IT WAS A
WASTE OF MONEY,

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE NOW.

YOU MADE MY WEEK BY
BRINGING THIS THING IN, THOUGH.

- WELL, THANKS FOR
HAVING ME OVER.

- THANKS A LOT.
- THANKS.

I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED
THAT THEY DIDN'T SEE THE VALUE.

I GUESS I'LL JUST PACK
HIM UP AND BRING HIM HOME.

OKAY, RB. LET'S HIT THE ROAD.

LET'S GET OUT OF HERE.

- EXCUSE ME.