'Pawn Stars' host Chumlee once paid $600 to an elderly guest for a vintage Mickey Mouse toy
One can expect to see vintage furniture, cars, weapons and even prehistoric remains on "Pawn Stars." But a battery-operated vintage toy made out of tin is something one wouldn't imagine seeing on the show. That’s what one guest brought in an earlier episode of the show. The man behind the counter was Chumlee, and he absolutely loved the item. It was a fire truck with the two most popular Walt Disney characters on it, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.
The guest said that he wanted $800 for it, which sounded a little on the high side for a toy. However, it worked perfectly and was in great condition. The guest had even brought the box, which did not seem like it had a whole lot of damage. Chumlee still wanted to be sure, which is why he called in an expert. In came a man named Steve Johnstone, who was also impressed by what lay in front of him.
“This toy kind of comes out right at that period when everything was turning into plastic. So, what you have is this litho-printed toy that’s battery-operated. And that most of the battery-operated toys started to become plastic around this time and era,” he said. Chumlee then turned it on, and that was a pleasant surprise for the expert.
“The toy’s function is amazing, like, things that I notice immediately: you don’t see the scuffing on the front edges. You don’t see damage to the corners of the glass,” Steve added. He also liked the fact that the box of the toy was still intact and it good condition. While everything seemed to be in order, the item was not in the best condition it could be. If that were the case, it would be worth around $1,000 to $1,500.
This toy had been played with, but not a lot. It had signs of light use, which affected the value. The expert said that the particular one would be worth $800. That is exactly what the guest had wanted in the first place, and he seemed happy to hear this. However, Chumlee knew that he had to offer a lower amount as he needed to make some money on it.
He offered the guest $500 for it, which was a little low as far as he was concerned. The two negotiated and agreed that $600 was a good price for it. All in all, it was a good purchase as far as Chumlee was concerned. All parties seemed content with the agreement. Toys have been a part of the show in the past, and they can be worth a lot of money. In another episode, Rick Harrison had agreed to pay a whopping $11,000 for a Batman toy he considered to be the “Holy Grail.”
More on Market Realist:
'Pawn Stars' guest brings WWF action figure hoping to get $7,500 — but there was one big problem
'Pawn Stars' boss Rick Harrison offered $70,000 for a Hot Wheels toy and the deal still fell apart
