ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

Rick Harrison stunned as 'Pawn Stars' guest walked in with the 'deadliest item' ever on the show

Rick Harrison had several doubts from the start, but they were all cleared later on by his friend.
PUBLISHED JUL 4, 2025
Screenshot showing Chum Lee, Rick Harrison, and the guest on "Pawn Stars." (Cover image source: YouTube | Pawn Stars)
Screenshot showing Chum Lee, Rick Harrison, and the guest on "Pawn Stars." (Cover image source: YouTube | Pawn Stars)

Rick Harrison has seen everything from lethal weapons concealed in crutches to missile systems on “Pawn Stars." Despite having doubts about the legality of owning such items, he does end up buying them for a low price. But one guest took things to another level by offering keys to weapons of mass destruction. “I think I have the deadliest item that’s ever walked through your door,” he said. The guest opened up a small box and revealed a couple of keys that looked funny. As per the guest, they were used to launch ballistic missiles.

An ICBM is an intercontinental ballistic missile, which is basically one of the deadliest weapons mankind has ever made. The keys were Russian, and the guest said that he had obtained them from a famous Russian who worked at the cosmonaut school. To think that a turn of these tiny items could destroy the world was an unsettling thought for everyone. “There’s a real creepiness about it,” the guest said.

“I’d say if these are real, there’s no question of their importance. I’m getting chills just thinking about it. One turn of these keys could destroy the world, and now they’re sitting in my pawn shop. And Chum’s got one,” Harrison said with a chuckle in the end. The keys could be worth a lot of money, but the 60-year-old was unsure whether these were the real deal. He even said that they looked like something he could make in his garage.

Screenshot showing the launch keys. (Image credit: YouTube | Pawn Stars)
Screenshot showing the launch keys. (Image source: YouTube | Pawn Stars)

The guest said he wanted $10,000 for the pair. Harrison did not have any idea about the value of the items or if they were even real. So, he decided to call in an expert. In came Mark, the Clark County Museum Administrator. He immediately knew what the item was the moment he laid eyes on it. “These are nice,” he quipped. “They’re launch keys. They’re Russian.”

When Harrison said that he had an issue with the fact that it seemed like something he could make in a garage, the expert quickly corrected him. “If you made this out of titanium, you’ve got a bigger garage than the one I know, and you’ve got some really heavy machinery. Titanium is really hard to work with. They had to use titanium because of the amount of heat that was generated in their system,” Mark explained.

Screenshot showing the expert with the keys.  (Image credit: YouTube | Pawn Stars)
Screenshot showing the expert with the keys. (Image source: YouTube | Pawn Stars)

However, the expert also mentioned that they were not used for launching ICBMs. He mentioned that people often think that way, but it was not the case. “They were used for launching spacecraft,” he said. However, Mark also mentioned that spacecraft launch keys were rarer than missile launch keys, which could make them more valuable.



 

The problem was that Harrison had no clue how long his money would be tied up in this. He was not willing to pay anything more than $1,500. “It’s $1,500 and I’m taking a complete crapshoot here,” he added. The guest was not willing to agree to this low price and decided to keep the keys with him for the time being.

More on Market Realist:

'Pawn Stars' guest brings a missile and Rick Harrison asks 'should I call Homeland Security now?'

'Pawn Stars' guest brings a WWII code breaker machine but Rick Harrison just couldn't afford it

'Pawn Stars' boss Rick Harrison buys Secret Service memorabilia after asking expert if it was legal

RELATED TOPICS PAWN STARS
MORE ON MARKET REALIST
The U.S. economy is growing and failing to generate jobs at the same time.
1 day ago
A World Economic Forum survey revealed that about 41% companies are planning to reduce their workforce.
1 day ago
The TikTok user shared that the cost of 122 grocery items back then was just $155.
2 days ago
The cost of living adjustment (COLA) won't be as high as it is now in a year's time.
2 days ago
Mortgage rates have been falling in the last year, but the housing market hasn't done well.
2 days ago
The contestant was following the host's advice, but even he did not expect it to work so well.
2 days ago
A man's Walmart experience where an item that cost $12 online, surged to $29 at store, irks the internet
2 days ago
The Treasury Secretary also asked the Fed to go forward with an open mind in 2026.
2 days ago
The South provides a unique shot at affordable living, which is attractive to millions.
2 days ago
"Dan's big win was adding the vowel "I" to his letter combo. Congratulations on $40K!" a fan reacted.
2 days ago
President Trump said he would ask the Congress to 'codify' the ban and share more details soon.
3 days ago
The show also led to a surge of interest in several products that translated into rising sales.
3 days ago
The contestant had the best chance to win the car but her own choices cost her.
3 days ago
It turns out that a lot of Americans are not interested in or adept at doing hands-on work.
3 days ago
The player was able to match five of the six numbers, including the Powerball number.
3 days ago
The HHS Secretary urged Americans to consume healthy food, but their prices are the biggest problem.
3 days ago
The cookies were sold during December of last year and could lead to fatal instances.
3 days ago
"I'm not going to lie, that was a tough puzzle. Deceptively tough. Sorry about the loss! No shade to you for that one," a fan reacted.
3 days ago
Other users were also invested in the way the product turned out days later.
4 days ago
The President has a lot of work to do ahead of the Midterms for his party to do well.
4 days ago