Rock icon Billy Gibbons once showed up on 'Pawn Stars' and bought back one of his rare suits
"Pawn Stars" is known for buying vintage items and memorabilia belonging to rock legends and superstars. Although celebrities have walked in to verify items that turn up, ZZ Top's guitarist, Billy Gibbons, arrived to buy back his own suit. This happened when a guest named Dani brought in one of the rockstar's long-lost and rare suits. When she asked $25,000 for the item, Harrison called in the legend himself to authenticate it. Not only did Gibbons appraise the item at $50,000, but he bought it as well after partnering with the pawn boss.
In the episode, the guest shared how she got the rare item and who it once belonged to. "I have got this awesome item. My dad's had it lying around the house forever. It's all original, and my dad told me it was ZZ Top's," she shared with Chumlee, who called Harrison over to come take a look. Harrison immediately recognized that the item was really cool. "ZZ Top were the rock and roll icons in the 70s. the 80s. and the 90s, selling out stadiums. They are the longest-running band with the original members. I mean they've been around for over 50 years with the same three guys," Harrison shared.
He then examined the suit and found the tag of "Nudie's Rodeo Tailors" from North Hollywood. Harrison explained that he was the go-to guy for the band members, and he was the one who created the mystique of the rhinestone cowboy. "So every rock star was buying them, and if you were in that industry back then, you weren't nothing unless you had a Nudie suit," Harrison added. When asked how much Dani was looking for the item, she told him that the asking price was $25,000. Hearing the number, Harrison decided to call in a special expert.
Harrison then returned with the legend himself, Billy Gibbons. The rockstar recognized the suit immediately as he exclaimed, "Holy mackerel have mercy!" After greeting the guest, Gibbons quickly took a look at the same label to check if it was the real deal. "Back in the day, this was that like the standard costume you," he said. "We've had a long history with these shiny rhinestone suits, and what you have laid before me brings back a lot of memories," he added.
Gibbons went on to share that back in 1974, he lost this suit after it was left in an airplane. "By the time I realized it was m.i.a, the airline cleaning crew had gone in so I thought it got vaporized," he said. Harrison then asked him what the suit would be worth after sharing that Dani was looking to get $25,000. "It might be your very lucky day," Gibbons said to Dani before revealing that the suit would easily command $50,000 in the market. "I've changed my offer!" Dani exclaimed in response.
Harrison then asked the legendary guitarist if he would like to buy the suit back, to which Gibbons said that he wouldn't want the suit to walk out the door. "If we could make a deal, Antone's Blues Museum down in Austin, Texas, would graciously accept this for one of their displays," he told Harrison. The pawn boss then offered to half and half in the deal and put up $40,000 for the item. Dani quickly accepted the offer, and they made a deal.
"We'll donate it then we'll give tax deductions so it won't cost me as much money," the cunning owner of the pawn shop said. Gibbons, who was happy to make a deal, refused to leave the suit alone in the end, as he didn't want to lose it again.
