History YMMV / PawnStars

** The guy who was convinced he'd bought a hat that belonged to John Wayne because tha hat had a tag that said "Duke" on it.

* SeasonalRot: In the 2012 episodes, apparently, having people bring interesting items to the store and having Chumlee do stupid things isn't interesting enough for the audience, so the show gets a tagged-on plot line of Cory wanting to be a partner in the business or he's leaving the store. The scenes with Cory voicing his anger at not being made a partner are over-acted and are clearly played up for the cameras.

* TheScrappy: Big Hoss. Acts like an EntitledBastard when he doesn't get his way, he ComplainsAboutShowsHeDoesntWatch like ''StarWars'', and generally is much less unlikable than his father, grandfather, and ChumLee.

* auction sites like Quibids and Beezid that advertise low-priced items that are won for as little as a few dollars, but omit the part where each bid costs money to purchase.

* TheScrappy: DickHoss. Acts like an EntitledBastard when he doesn't get his way, he ComplainsAboutShowsHeDoesntWatch like ''StarWars'', and generally is much less unlikable than his father, grandfather, and ChumLee.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Chumlee was originally a background character who had ADayInTheLimelight episode in Season 1. Come Season 2, he'd been promoted to main cast.
** [[Series/CountingCars Danny]] is probably the most popular of the experts, to the point where he's replaced all the other car & bike experts the Shop's used, and getting his own spin-off.
* HoYay: Big Hoss and Chumlee. Just sayin'.

* JumpingTheShark: In the 2012 episodes, apparently, having people bring interesting items to the store and having Chumlee do stupid things isn't interesting enough for the audience, so the show gets a tagged-on plot line of Cory wanting to be a partner in the business or he's leaving the store. The scenes with Cory voicing his anger at not being made a partner are over-acted and are clearly played up for the cameras.
* RonTheDeathEater: To hear some people online talk about the show, you'd think Rick and his family break into peoples' homes, put guns to their heads and force them to sell their priceless, beloved never-part-with-it-otherwise family heirlooms for pennies.

* RonTheDeathEater: To hear some people online talk about the show, you'd think Rick and his family break into peoples' homes, put guns to their heads and force them to sell their priceless, beloved never-part-with-it-otherwise family heirlooms for pennies.
* TheWoobie: Chumlee. He's berated by everyone, he's a HollywoodHomely, and it seems like he can't do anything right for anyone. But you just can't help feeling bad for him, especially when he ends up accepting any and all insults.

* {{Squick}}: [[invoked]] Rick is usually more than willing to buy anything if he thinks he can make a profit. But there are some items that make Rick have a squick moment and he refuses to buy for some reason, whether it be on moral a/or other grounds.
** One person brought in [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazi]] war spoils, which a family legend said was ransacked from one of Hitler's own private camps and belonged to Hitler himself. Rick was able to authenticate it as actual Nazi memorabilia, but knew it didn't ever belong to Hitler. Even then, Rick said he won't offer anything for it as the items themselves and the market for them just creeps him out.
*** Which is odd given [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvu6APT3JLY Rick didn't seemed too wary]] of profiting off a "Broke Nazi" in the past (as Dave Attell of Insomniac fame would joke when shown some old daggers identified by rick as being "Nazi stuff"). Rick's explanation would likely be that the shop is much more profitable now and he can afford to apply his personal scruples without endangering his business and his employees' jobs.
** Another time, an "artist" brought in pieces of gold he himself cast. In addition to [[DoomItYourself painting them black]] and thereby defeating the purpose of the gold pieces, one of them incorporated the leg from a roadkilled owl.
--->'''Artist''': "I have ''pieces of Art'' for you."
--->'''[[DeadpanSnarker Rick]]''': "They're pieces of something."
--->'''Artist''': ''*DeathGlare*''
** Rick has also mentioned that he doesn't like taking in ivory items since he doesn't like how ivory is obtained nor does he like the politics behind it.
*** Not to mention the difficulty with authenticating ivory as "pre-ban." In order to legally buy and/or sell ivory you have to have proof that it was harvested before the ban on the ivory trade. So unless the customer brings in a certificate or some other kind of authenticating document it's going to cost money and time to authenticate the ivory and if it is post-ban Rick is in a boatload of legal trouble.
** The WW2 gas mask for babies also came close to just completely squicking Rick out. He said the longer it was in his shop the more it bothered him, despite the fact that it was of historical significance and he considered it important to remember such items.
** Rick was wary of a saint's relic a man tried to sell him since it looked like it had blood on it. This was even before he knew he would be threatened with [[ImGoingToHellForThis going to hell by purchasing it]].

*** Which is odd given [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvu6APT3JLY Rick didn't seemed too wary]] of profiting off a "Broke Nazi" in the past (as Dave Attell of Insomniac fame would joke when shown some old daggers identified by rick as being "Nazi stuff.").

* CrackIsCheaper: Although the Harrisons don't suffer from this trope, they do cater to it. Rick, Corey and the Old Man have all alluded to the collectors who are willing to pay huge prices for the stuff they sell, whether the items are classic cars, Coke memorabillia or antique firearms.
** Oh, the Harrisons suffer from it alright. Cars (Old Man and Rick) and motorcycles (Big Hoss) are not cheap hobbies.

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: When the words "I'm real proud of ya, Chumlee" actually came out of the Old Man's mouth, in all sincerity.

* HoYay: Big Hoss and Chumlee. Just sayin'. This troper's wife agrees.

* TheWoobie: Chumlee. He's berated by everyone, he's a HollywoodHomely, and it seems like he can't do anything right for anyone. But you just can't help feeling bad for him, especially when he ends up accepting any and all insults.


* HoYay: Big Hoss and Chumlee. Just sayin'. This troper's wife agrees.

* TheWoobie: Chumlee. He's berated by everyone, he's a HollywoodHomely, and it seems like he can't do anything right for anyone. But you just can't help feeling bad for him, especially when he ends up accepting any and all insults.

* YourMileageMayVary: Some people like this show as an interesting view into a pawn shop that specializes in antiques and curiosities. Others are turned off by Rick's mercenary outlook and sometimes underhanded tactics to make money off customers. Others still don't think the show should be on the History Channel in particular.
** When restoration (or even authenticity) is iffy pricewise, using guerrilla tactics in haggling is just good business sense. As for the history part, little bits and pieces of American (and sometimes world) history literally walk through the door everyday.
* MisBlamed: When the Old Man buys a pair of Western studio dummies for $500 (for the pair), Rick blows a gasket. He thinks that Chumlee was the one who purchased them, given his apparent record of dumb purchases, and is floored when the Old Man speaks up and reveals the truth. He bought them because he thought they were neat; he even [[ICallItVera named them Ed and George]].
* Squick: Rick is usually more than willing to buy anything if he thinks he can make a profit. One person brought in [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazi]] war spoils, which a family legend said was ransacked from one of Hitler's own private camps and belonged to Hitler himself. Rick was able to authenticate it as actual Nazi memorabilia, but knew it didn't ever belong to Hitler. Even then, Rick said he won't offer anything for it as the items themselves and the market for them just creeps him out.

* Squick: Rick is usually more than willing to buy anything if he thinks he can make a profit. One person brought in [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazi]] war spoils, which a family legend said was ransacked from one of Hitler's own private camps and belonged to Hitler himself. Rick was able to authenticate it as actual Nazi memorabilia, but knew it didn't ever belong to Hitler. Even then, Rick said he won't offer anything for it as the items themselves and the market for them just creeps him out.

** When restoration (or even authenticity) is iffy pricewise, using guerrilla tactics in haggling is just good business sense. As for the history part, little bits and pieces of American (and sometimes world) history literally walk through the door everyday.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: Chumlee appraising a pair of Air Jordan V shoes. Along with accurately determining that they were a reproduction from a few years ago, he buys them anyway for $75 because "they're still good shoes."
* CrowningMomentOfFunny: Old Man driving around in a very small, 2-seater, three-wheeled electric car, while belting out DullSurprise "wheeeee"'s the whole time.
-->'''Rick''': ''(coming out to the parking lot)'' Dad?! What in the hell are you doing?!\\
'''Old Man''': This is pretty fun. Wheeeee~
* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: An elderly boy scout came in with a huge collection of stamps hoping to raise money to send some needy kids to camp. Rick and an expert sifted through all of them but not a single one was worth anything. The man was clearly heartbroken so Rick said he'd pay to send a kid or two to camp.
** In another episode, a woman comes across a spider brooch made by Fabergé, and without knowing its background, attempts to sell it to Rick for far below what it's actually worth. Rick doesn't have the heart to gouge the woman and straight up tells her the brooch is more valuable than she thinks, and even gives her an offer that's higher than her original one.
*** For the record: She asked for 2000 while Rick offered her 15,000 because "he has a conscience." The reason being that the brooch was actually from the collection of the LAST CZARINA OF RUSSIA and thus it was royal jewelry. But then the woman had to go and throw the goodwill away by asking for a higher amount.
** In another instance, the Old Man of all people actually '''raised''' the initial offer. He could have easily gotten a perfect condition Jolly Music Monkey for $100, but instead offered $150 because he would have felt bad since the woman selling it really didn't know how much it was worth. Unlike the above example, she doesn't try to bump it higher and is genuinely grateful.