Ep 16. Across The Pawn'd

Pawn Stars is a popular American TV show that revolves around the everyday lives of the staff of the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. With over 600 episodes spanning across 17 seasons, the show is a hit among the audience who loves to see the unique items that come through the doors of the pawnshop. In season 17 episode 16, titled Across The Pawn'd, the viewers get to see a variety of interesting items that customers want to sell or pawn.

The episode starts with Rick Harrison, Corey Harrison, and Chumlee Russell manning the shop. The first customer comes in with an Olympic bronze medal they believe was won by their grandfather. Rick knows that memorabilia from the early Olympic games can be valuable and asks one of his experts to verify the medal's authenticity. Meanwhile, another customer comes in with a collection of miniature saddles. While Corey is skeptical about their value, Rick sees the potential in the collection and gets a second opinion from one of the store's experts.

Next up is a customer who wants to sell a restored Pepsi vending machine. The team likes the aesthetics of the machine but doesn't know much about the inner workings of vintage vending machines. They call in an expert to examine the machine and give them a better understanding of its value. As the team waits for the expert to arrive, another customer comes in with an 18th-century musket. Rick is excited about the prospect of owning such an antique firearm and evaluates it himself before calling in his go-to expert to assess its authenticity.

While Rick and the shop's experts are busy examining the items, Chumlee is being tested on his knowledge of pawnshop items by his co-workers. However, he seems to be clueless about everything except for one item - a 1980s Pac-Man arcade game. Chumlee takes the lead on this one and manages to broker a pretty sweet deal with the customer.

As the episode progresses, the viewers get to see a variety of other items including an antique wooden till, a Grover Cleveland campaign poster, and a 1940s antique milk bottle holder. Each item brings its own set of challenges and the team has to rely on their knowledge of the product and the market to determine their value. One of the more unusual items that come through the doors is a set of Russian nesting dolls - except these aren't your ordinary nesting dolls. They depict all the different stages of evolution, from a tiny organism to modern humans. The customer tells Rick that they were brought over from the USSR during the Cold War. The team isn't entirely sure about the accuracy of the dolls' depiction but is excited to find out more.

Towards the end of the episode, the store's resident watch expert, Mark Hall-Patton, makes an appearance. He examines a Rolex watch and tells Rick that it's a fake. The customer is disappointed but appreciates the honesty. Mark then takes a look at a pocket watch from the early 1900s and gives the team some valuable information that helps them determine the watch's value.

The last item that comes in is a vintage Willie Nelson signed guitar. The customer has a letter of authenticity from Willie himself, and Rick is excited about the prospect of owning a piece of music history. He calls in an expert to verify the authenticity of the guitar and gives the customer an offer.

Across The Pawn'd is an entertaining episode that showcases the teamwork, expertise, and humor of the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop staff. The unique items that come through the shop's doors make for an interesting watch, and the viewers get to learn a thing or two about items they may never have known about before. The episode is a reminder that there's more to a pawnshop than just the buying and selling of goods - it's about the stories behind the items and the people who bring them in.