The Porcelain Goodyear Sign That Cost American Pickers $275
While antiquing may not sound like something one could build an entertainment career on the back of, that couldn't be further from the truth. Look no further than the folks from History's "American Pickers," which is a series all about uncovering the trinkets and treasures of yesteryear in the most unlikely of places. Should their owners choose to let them go — a decision made predominantly on the amount of money they'd get in exchange for their wares — these items will join the massive and incredibly diverse inventory of the Antique Archaeology store.
"American Pickers" has been on the air for well over a decade, and in that time, the program's hosts have added loads of interesting artifacts to their shop. Most of their buys make sense on the surface, such as old car and motorcycle parts, tin toys, and other things with large collector bases behind them. However, that's not to say that the "Pickers" team only deals in run-of-the-mill antiques. More often than not, they pull a few unexpectedly valuable items out into the light from episode to episode, reminding viewers that just about anything can be worth money.
For example, on one occasion, in particular, the folks on "American Pickers" paid a whopping $275 for a porcelain Goodyear sign, of all things.
Mike Wolfe had to have the giant blue Goodyear letters
In the "American Pickers" Season 2 episode titled "Mike's Breakdown," hosts Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz met with a collector named Ted. To say that he had a wide array of items in his collection would be an understatement, with Wolfe himself even saying that his varied interests made his place so enjoyable to pick. During their search of his massive stockpile, Wolfe spotted a giant Goodyear Tires sign made out of porcelain. Given the uniqueness of it and his and Fritz's love for all things car-related, they asked Ted if he'd part with it. He offered $300, they countered with $200, he countered with $275, and the deal was made.
This was a good buy for Fritz and Wolfe, and it made for interesting television, but at the end of the day, there's so much more to "American Pickers" than Goodyear signs and dollar bills. Wolfe himself explained in an interview with Reconnecting Roots that when it comes to his show, he wants to highlight so much more than the business side. "It was really more about the relationship that someone had with something and why it was important to them," he explained, noting that this personal attachment to certain items and their stories was the core element of "American Pickers" right from the very beginning.
All in all, "American Pickers" is a one-of-a-kind show that has a lot to teach viewers when it comes to history, the value of certain items, and the attachment individuals can create between themselves and their collections. Of course, it also lets audiences know that even oddball items like porcelain Goodyear signs can fetch a pretty penny.