'Pawn Stars' boss Rick Harrison pays a fortune for two books signed by British royalty
The royal family of Britain is still one of the most talked-about clans on the planet, and they carry a rich legacy along with a fair share of controversy. Royal memorabilia also attracts several collectors, and one of them turned up on an earlier episode of “Pawn Stars.” The guest, Kane, brought two books to the show, one written by King Edward VIII and the other by his wife, Wallis Simpson. What made these books so special is that they had the signatures of the writers on the front page.
Edward’s book was called "A King’s Story," and the guest had the limited edition version of it. Simpson’s book was called "The Heart Has Its Reasons." Both books are memoirs, and they talk, in detail, about the crisis that unfolded in the Royal Family over their relationship. The guest said that he wanted $5,000 for the pair, but Rick Harrison had his doubts as the books did not seem to be in the best shape.
So, he decided to call in an expert named Rebecca, and she said that the condition of the books did not matter all that much. Rather, it was those signatures that held a lot of value. She valued Simpson’s book at $700, but made it clear that Edward’s book was the one that could bring in a lot of money. After all, it was written and signed by a former king. Rebecca gave a generous valuation of $2,500 for A King’s Story. Kane claimed that the books would have been valued higher in a better economy. However, there was nothing he could do about it now. The guest had said earlier that he would be willing to accept a minimum of $2,000 for the pair, and that is exactly what he got.
Edward VIII is arguably one of the most controversial kings Britain has ever had. He was the first and only king to abdicate his throne, meaning giving up power, to marry the woman she loved, Wallis Simpson. Simpson was an American and had been twice divorced in the past. British kings are not allowed to marry divorcees, so Edward had no choice but to give up the throne just to spend his life with her. Edward was succeeded by George VI, who passed away a lot sooner than anyone expected. The throne then passed to one of the longest-reigning monarchs in the history of Britain, Queen Elizabeth. During her coronation, she had asked for the stools on which some people sat to be made in the same shape and form as the ones during her father’s coronation. One of those stools showed up in a different episode of “Pawn Stars.”
The guest had initially asked for $5,000, but Harrison called in an expert to get it checked out first. Once it was confirmed that the stool was genuine, he offered the seller $800. This was quite less, and the seller managed to negotiate and get the price up to $1,100.
