AMERICAN PICKERS

[bigscoop]

I was in this business for a long time, loved it & hated it. It's a lot of work, sometimes fun work, but it is also a lot of barting with people who think everything is worth way more then it really is. 95% of what you sort through is worthless junk that people are hoping you'll take off their hands. I still do a little of it but only when the opportunities come through good and trusted sources, otherwise you'll just end up running your wheels off and wasting to much time and money. Take a real good look at all the expenses surrounding the American Picker lifestyle, most often it's not the cheap, easy money business it appears to be. And quite often, the items you buy might sit around for a while before you're able to turn them over, which makes for a lot of dead money sitting on the shelves.

 

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[Rooter]

The stars of American Pickers get to make their living traveling, meeting interesting people, and treasure hunting. As a bonus they receive money for selling their shows. The shows popularity also allows them access to people and collections they may never come across otherwise. It appears Mike's motorcycle collection has grown as a result. (take a look at their website) You can also buy some of the picks you see in the show on their website. It will certainly have it's ups and downs but beats sitting on your a$$ behind a desk for 8+ hours a day. They are only mildly annoying. I love pawn stars but cringe everytime I hear Ricks wheezy, Mutley laugh. They use the same lines over and over and Rick also doesn't know a much as he thinks he does about certain things. They are both entertaining shows never the less. I like "If Walls Could Talk" as well but it makes me angry that the previous owner of my house didn't leave any Tiffany stained glass or light fixtures behind. Now if they had a paranornal pickers show that would be awesome!

 

[Shortstack]

I like both Pickers and Pawn Stars for their educational value. I've learned a lot about what's valuable and what's garbage; what to look for at flea markets and yard sales. That knowledge helps at the thrift stores, too.

 

[deepskyal]

It's like a personal, glorified yard sale with just the pickers being their customer. I think it's neat though. I remember from my youth up into my early 20's, scrounging old, abandoned houses and finding awesome antiques. I was in heaven in those places We'd take stuff and go to flea markets and sell it.
Seeing all that stuff in one place, collected by one person...

You have to think though....it was people like them that squirreled away the money back in the day that we look for now. And like you said, imagine the coinage that would be right under where they walk if these folks have been bartering and exchanging cash for a bunch of years.

I do wish they'd quit trying to be so imaginative with "reality" shows. I mean, I personally am not going to watch a bunch of overpaid yuppies wade thru mucky water trying to catch fish with their bare hands, being taught by a couple back-woods hillbillys. And Colony In real life, I'd have fashioned some weapons and defended myself. Not much reality to that show. I watch it just to see how stupid some people might actually be to try to survive weaponless against an aggressive mob.

Watching pickers just reinforces my excuses for being a packrat.

Al

 

[Monty]

The only reality show I ever watch is ?well it has to do with a guy who hunts people down on horseback.."Manhunter" or something like that. No, the people aren't on horseback, the man hunting them is! Oh well, you can tell I'm really up on those reality shows. Most of them are just stupid. My opinion at least. Monty

 

[Adventure Wolf]

I like the show, and I've hit a few of the places that they did in North Carolina. I know a guy that went to report on Buddy (the guy that sold the fake bobby trap) for the Scotland County Times. There is some good stuff there from what I am told.

 

[UncleVinnys]

The same channel on my TV that runs American Pickers
also runs a show about a psychological disorder
known as Hoarding. People pack their houses
full of junk.

Show is called "Hoarders: Buried Alive."

Idea:

Link up the Hoarders with the Pickers -
Everybody wins!!!

 

[Bev]

I like pickers but when you look at the cost of a road trip with the gas, food, lodging, time spent etc., it doesn't look like they would clear enough to break even. The only thing they have going for them is "selling" the show itself. Granted, "sometimes" they make a good score but, when you buy a sign for $40 and sell it for $100, it's just not worth it considering the time and effort spent. Fun to watch though.

In my humble opinion, they show themselves on the show buying a few key things. Off the air I bet they offer a lump sum for everything, chuck what is truly garbage and sell or auction the rest.

Love the show though- we DVR the series and watch them back to back!

 

[deepskyal]

I like pickers but when you look at the cost of a road trip with the gas, food, lodging, time spent etc., it doesn't look like they would clear enough to break even. The only thing they have going for them is "selling" the show itself. Granted, "sometimes" they make a good score but, when you buy a sign for $40 and sell it for $100, it's just not worth it considering the time and effort spent. Fun to watch though.

In my humble opinion, they show themselves on the show buying a few key things. Off the air I bet they offer a lump sum for everything, chuck what is truly garbage and sell or auction the rest.

Love the show though- we DVR the series and watch them back to back!

Yea. Now that you mention it, they probably are a couple auctioneers. I've gone to those country auctions many times in the past and that stuff you see in American Pickers is exactly what gets sold at auction houses. People buy the weirdest stuff for god only knows why...but you know the good stuff because there were always antique dealers in the crowd bidding higher on that select stuff.

Al