DAMN YANKEES

The Old Man hopes to hit a home run when a baseball autographed by the 1951 World Series Champion New York Yankees comes into the shop but he'll need to verify its authenticity before he steps up to the plate. Then, Rick checks out a 25-piece Knights of the Round Table set but with all the kings' men accounted for, is it really worth its weight in gold? Finally, the Pawn Stars have a chance to buy a West Point Cadet jacket owned by a famous general in 1909--will they try it on for size, or send it to the Salvation Army?

GANGSTERS & GUITARS

Rick buys an old, Mafia favorite the 1962 Lincoln Continental with "suicide doors," but as the repair bills add up, so does the tension between him and the old man. Then, a guy brings in a billfold from 1857 that he found while cleaning out his garage. The best part? It's stuffed with Confederate money. Finally the Pawn Stars get a chance to buy a rare 1942 Gibson L7 guitar that was once played at a birthday party for Al Capone. But, is the seller in tune with what it's really worth?

Pawn Shop Facts

• The first pawn shops emerged in ancient China more than 3,000 years ago.

• Today, there are more than 12,000 pawn shops operating in the United States alone.

• It is estimated that approximately 25 million Americans do not have a bank checking account. Pawn shops serve this population by offering a source of short- term loans.

• Pawn shops are often referred to as the “Lombard” in Europe, in reference to the House of Lombard, a prominent lending family in medieval London.

• More 70 percent of all items pawned today are reclaimed.

• The average loan granted for a pawned item is $75.

• Most states have laws limiting the amount of interest charged on pawn loans.

• State laws mandate that customers pawning items provide detailed information including name, address, and date of birth, and show government issued ID.

• The symbol of the pawnbroker is three spheres suspended from a bar. Some connect this symbol to the Medici Family--legend has it that one of the Medicis working for Emperor Charles the Great killed a giant with three sacks of rocks. The three balls or globes later became part of their family crest, and ultimately, the sign of pawnbroking.

• Saint Nicolas is the patron saint of pawnbrokers; the symbolism of the three balls or spheres associated with pawnbrokers has also been connected with his gift of three bags of coins to the three daughters of a poor man so that they could marry.

COREY “Big Hoss”

Corey Harrison began working at the pawnshop at the age of 9. Expertly trained in the art of appraisal, Corey not only has the brains to spot a cheat but the brawn to back it up. He is not afraid to throw his muscle around, especially when it comes to protecting his family. He also handles everything when it comes to hiring and firing employees and managing eBay clients. Oftentimes treated like a slave, Rick believes that Corey needs to earn his keep. Without a real stake in the business, Corey is hoping that all of his hard work pays off.

RICK “The Spotter”

After 28 years in the business, Rick Harrison is an expert when it comes to spotting anything fake or stolen. As far as big-ticket items, Rick is the man for the job. Spotting a fake Cartier watch that most people would mistakenly purchase for $30,000 is just one of his many skills. Often acting as the middleman between his father and his son, Rick is the glue that holds this family and business together. Trained in the pawn business from the age of 13, Rick was born a hustler. He even dropped out of high school to pursue his $2,000-a-week business of selling fake Gucci bags. With enough money to partner with his father at the age of 23, he never looked back.

THE OLD MAN “The Appraiser”

After serving in the U.S. Navy and losing a million dollars in the real estate market, Richard Harrison uprooted his family and moved to Las Vegas in pursuit of a fresh start. Opening the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in 1988, he had to learn a little about a lot really fast. From Rolexes to antique cars, Richard is now armed with the rare skill of assessing the value of anything accurately. With uncanny precision, Richard is the king of purchasing underpriced merchandise, even from archrival pawn shops, which has helped turn his initial $10,000 investment into a multi-million dollar business. Disciplined, wise and cunning, Richard drives a hard bargain and is anything but easy to please.

About The Show

Long before banks, ATMS and check-cashing services, there were pawn shops. Pawning was the leading form of consumer credit in the United States until the 1950s, and pawn shops are still helping everyday people make ends meet. PAWN STARS takes you inside the colorful world of the pawn business. At the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop on the outskirts of Las Vegas, three generations of the Harrison family--grandfather Richard, son Rick and grandson Corey--jointly run the family business, and there's clashing and camaraderie every step of the way. The three men use their sharp eyes and skills to assess the value of items from the commonplace to the truly historic, including a 16th-century samurai sword, a Super Bowl ring, a Picasso painting and a 17th-century stay of execution. It's up to them to determine what's real and what's fake, as they reveal the often surprising answer to the questions on everyone's mind, "What's the story behind it"? and "What's it worth?"