Additional Coverage:
- ‘Pawn Stars’ boss Rick Harrison regrets calling expert, pays $4,500 over asking price for rare book (marketrealist.com)
“Pawn Stars” Rick Harrison usually drives a hard bargain, but recently, the tables were turned. Harrison, known for lowballing sellers, found himself on the other end of the negotiation when a rare piece of American history walked through his doors.
Seller Adam presented a tattered 1779 edition of “Regulations for the order and discipline of the troops of the United States,” describing it as a pivotal piece of American history. He explained that the book, written by Baron von Steuben, standardized military training and played a crucial role in the Revolutionary War, teaching American troops how to use bayonets and other weaponry. Adam initially asked $6,500 for the book, a price Harrison considered exorbitant.
As usual, Harrison called in his rare book expert, Rebecca Romney. Romney immediately recognized the book’s significance, highlighting its original binding and remarkable condition for its age.
She estimated its retail value at a staggering $18,000. A stunned Harrison quipped, “I should never have called you.”
With the expert’s appraisal ringing in his ears, Adam upped his asking price to $12,000. After some haggling, the two settled on $11,000, nearly double the original asking price and $4,500 over what Adam originally wanted. Despite the hefty price tag, Harrison conceded, “This is beyond cool,” admitting his unplanned splurge on the historical treasure.