Why Pawn Stars Offered Way Under Asking Price For A Piece Of JFK History

When you're in the business of pawning or reselling, the name of the game is to buy items at their lowest possible price. That's why there's so much haggling on Pawn Stars: at the end of the day, the owners still need to make money. So when a man brings in an old piece of JFK history and owner Rick Harrison is intrigued, it comes as a shock when viewers find out how much Rick offers for this item.

It's almost expected for Rick to lowball a customer for an item he wants, but sometimes it's too low, and the owner of the item has to walk away. That's exactly what happens in season 18, episode 11, "Rick's Big Shot," when Rick offers way under the asking price of an item, all for one reason. 

Check out the strange but understandable reason why Rick wouldn't pay too much for this piece of JFK history.

In this episode, a man named Lucas goes to the Pawn Stars' shop with an overcoat worn by the infamous Lee Harvey Oswald, who allegedly killed John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963. Rick is very excited about this piece of clothing because of his interest in conspiracy theories. While everyone suspects Lee Harvey Oswald of assassinating JFK that day, he was never actually convicted of the crime, and he died before authorities could make any conclusions. 

After Rick inspects the item and provides some historical background on Oswald and the item, he asks for more proof, which Lucas provides in the form of a letter of authenticity. Once Rick is convinced it's authentic, he finds out Lucas is asking for $20,000. 

The only problem is that although the overcoat belonged to a historical figure, it is associated with bad things, so it's difficult to sell, according to Rick. As a result, Rick counters with $5,000. The two briefly negotiate but ultimately can't agree on a price. The highest Rick offers is $7,000, but Lucas won't go below $12,000. In the end, Lucas walks away with the coat, and Rick is left without this piece of history.