Anybody watching American Pickers on the History Channel?

They were traipsing through a yard full of old crap looking for goldmines and they showed an old Gold Chevy last night sitting behind a barn. it wasn't highlighted, but my wife did say, "That old van looks like yours!"

She's learning.

It one of my new show I have to see each week

I'll have to look for it!!

Keep watchin', they're bound to show up here or at Gotavans place!

Later,
Rip

Maybe it's just me, but watching those kind of shows makes me upset... Seeing young "flippers" basically ripping off folks who sometimes don't know what there stuff is worth. Most of those folks are older and were around when their stuff was in use.... Those guys see nothing but $$$, not the items place in history.... Is It just me, or am I too old school...

malibusurfer wrote:Maybe it's just me, but watching those kind of shows makes me upset... Seeing young "flippers" basically ripping off folks who sometimes don't know what there stuff is worth. Most of those folks are older and were around when their stuff was in use.... Those guys see nothing but $$$, not the items place in history.... Is It just me, or am I too old school...

I think it's a bit of 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other.

Are the folks getting ripped off? Maybe. But they have the ability to turn down all of the offers made (and some owners are quite good at saying "No."). No one is forcing their hands to sell their items - most of which are just junk laying in a field or the back of a barn (to the current owner). Could they get more by cleaning it up and listing it on eBay? Maybe. But that takes work too.

I like to think that ignorance is bliss. If I buy an old item at a garage sale for 20 bucks and someone comes along and buys it from me two years later for $50, I'm pretty happy. Even if the item was worth $200. I'm content with the $50 (because I was blissfully unaware of the $200 value - I mean I just made 30 bucks for sitting something in my garage. ).

As far as not caring about the items, I think the show displays them getting excited about old pieces of history and Americana. In one of the episodes they bought an old carnival ride and put it in their yard to keep for a promotional item because they didn't want to resell it.

It is a business... and I'm not trying to belittle that idea at all. But having helped settle a couple of estates for my Grandparents, I would have rather seen them get some quick cash by selling some of their items instead of having me sit through another auction or consignment sale of their treasures.

malibusurfer wrote:Maybe it's just me, but watching those kind of shows makes me upset... Seeing young "flippers" basically ripping off folks who sometimes don't know what there stuff is worth. Most of those folks are older and were around when their stuff was in use.... Those guys see nothing but $$$, not the items place in history.... Is It just me, or am I too old school...

I know what you mean and I have thought the same thing before but then came to the conclusion that It will be going to someone that really wants the item and probably take better care of it.

Everything has a price and it`s only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. I have some friends that have dealt with these guys and they are fair. Remember, it`s t.v. and they have to muck it up. It`s also a business.
Now the real rip off show is Pawn Stars, they are always trying to steal everyone`s stuff. Saw an episode the other day where a guy had a 40 year collection of stuff worth over 40K, they had their expert come in and confirm the 40K and the owner only wanted 15K.... very fair. Pawn broker complained like a 13 yo with her 1st period and offered him 5 or 6, the guy was moving and needed the dough, so he sold, was disappointed afterward and the pawn broker was laughing about it.... a real punk.