Image by patrickdaxenbichler via freepik
Pawn shops are known for their eclectic mix of goods, offering everything from electronics to jewelry to musical instruments. But every so often, they become the resting place for items so unusual or valuable that they defy belief. From iconic memorabilia to rare historical artifacts, the items that have passed through pawn shops can be truly astonishing.
Unfortunately, none of the artifacts listed below were found at Green Moolaa Pawn Shop in Brampton, but they’ve had their fair share of rare, valuable items through their doors, so check in with them often to make sure you don’t miss out on a hidden gem. In the meantime, here are five real-world examples of the most astonishing things ever found in pawn shops.
1. An Oscar Award
Arguably one of the most prestigious accolades in the entertainment industry, back in 1991, William Saroyan’s 1943 best screenplay award for “The Human Comedy” was left in a pawn shop as collateral for a $250 loan by a “friend” of the Saroyan family. It might be hard to believe, but the friend never returned. Apparently, Oscars are occasionally sold, usually by the actual owner, and the going rate is around $15,000.
2. JFK’s Cigar Box
If you’re a fan of Pawn Stars, you might’ve already heard, well, seen, this one before. A man walks into a Las Vegas pawn shop and sells the actual humidor that sat on the famous American president’s desk while he served in the Oval Office.
A similar humidor owned by JKF, a gift from friend and actor Milton Berle, with an inscribed plaque, was bought by Cigar Aficionado magazine at auction for $575,000 in 1996. The one on the show wasn’t as valuable and the gentlemen selling it ended up agreeing to $60,000 for it.
3. A Piece of Sunken Treasure
Ok, well, not quite, but a bell that was once part of a shipwrecked 1602 Dutch East India Company vessel made it into the Las Vegas pawn shop in pretty good condition, considering. It was appraised by an expert to have a value of around $15,000. At last report, the Grammy is either back with the Tosh estate or in a Google bro’s Silicone Valley home; it’s up to you to decide.
4. A Music Legend’s Posthumous Grammy Award
International reggae superstar and former Bob Marley bandmate Peter Tosh was awarded the Grammy for Best Reggae Recording in 1998 for his album No Nuclear War – one year after his untimely death. The award found its way to Boston, where it was left by a Tosh family member in a pawn shop as collateral for a loan.
5. A Super Bowl Ring
Some of the biggest, strongest professional athletes ever to walk the planet practically kill themselves for a chance to win a Super Bowl ring. That said, Pawn Stars’ Rick owns a 2001 New England Patriots ring that was sold to him by an unnamed player. The ring has approximately 2 carats of diamonds and is over two ounces of 14-karat gold. Since that episode, he’s seen a couple more Super Bowl rings come and go.
Pawn shops are full of surprises, and as these incredible finds demonstrate, you never know what you might come across. Whether it’s a piece of history, an iconic piece of art, or a symbol of sporting excellence, the items found in pawn shops can be astonishing. So, the next time you visit a pawn shop, keep your eyes open—you might just stumble upon something amazing.
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