The History Channel show Pawn Stars has become a cultural phenomenon since premiering in 2009, providing an inside look at the day-to-day operations of the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. While the shop deals in a wide variety of items ranging from vintage guitars to antique toy robots, one of the most common collectibles that come through their doors are vintage baseball cards.
Baseball cards have been collected and traded by fans since the late 19th century when companies like Goodwin & Company and Allen & Ginter began inserting cards into packages of cigarettes and candy to boost sales. As the sport grew in popularity throughout the 20th century, print runs of cards skyrocketed and iconic stars of the game like Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Mickey Mantle achieved household name status. Their portrait cards soon took on significant monetary and nostalgic value for collectors.
At the Gold & Silver, the old ball cards that crop up the most frequenty are from the early 1950s through the late 1980s, when production and interest in the hobby peaked. Some of the most desirable rookies and rare vintage cards fetch thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars depending on the player, year, and condition. Notable cards that have passed through include a mint 1972 Topps Nolan Ryan rookie ($1,000 estimate), a 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner ($80,000 offer), and a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 9 Gem Mint ($100,000 deal).
Not every card walking through the door is a seven-figure find. The average baseball card brought to the shop by customers likely hoping to cash in an old collection is worth somewhere between $5-$50 based on player, age, and condition. It’s up to the experienced eye of proprietor Richard “Old Man” Harrison and his son Rick to determine value, usually by checking recently sold eBay and auction prices of comparable graded cards. More often than not, these common vintage cards end up back in the glass display case to be resold for a small profit.
But that doesn’t mean they aren’t interesting talking points and potential teaching moments. When assessing cards from the 1970s and 80s, Rick and the Old Man like to discuss the sports and pop culture context of the era that influenced the thriving card market. They’ll point out stars of the day, fun oddball sets released by obscure companies, and the shift towards oddball nonsport promotions on cards in the late 80s glutted market before the crash. Seeing cards as historic pop artifacts is part of the fun.
Sometimes it’s not necessarily the card itself but the story that comes with it that makes for a compelling transaction or haggle. One regular customer offloaded a personalized collection of signed Robin Yount rookie cards that he’d amassed meeting the former Brewer at autograph shows over decades. The cards’ provenance and personalized touches significantly increased their worth. Another seller had a bizarre collection of Food Network star trading cards from the 1990s that intrigued Rick for their novelty quirk factor alone.
While huge collection purchases have become less frequent since the early Pawn Stars seasons as the local vintage card market has cooled, they still occasionally come across impressive lots. In one scene, Chumlee was evaluative of a massive array of 1956 Topps cards meticulously organized in binders, thousands of dollars worth if in good condition. And who could forget Corey Harrison’s struggle over whether to pull the trigger on a complete 1972 Topps set for $27,000, one of the rarest and most iconic complete sets in the hobby.
Whether assessing common vintage commons or rare complete collections, the baseball card dealings at the Gold & Silver provide a window into evolving pop culture collectibles and the nostalgic history of America’s pastime over decades. Part appraisal, part lesson in 20th century cultural ephemera, handling old ball cards is just another aspect of the show that makes it such must-see viewing for memorabilia and history buffs alike. Even if most cards end up back in the display case, they offer a chance for education and exploration of sports collectibles as important artifacts of the eras they portray.