The Medieval Anglo-Saxon Helmet That Sold For Thousands On Pawn Stars
Historical items aren't exactly a rare site on the reality TV show "Pawn Stars." Over the years, the guys at World Famous Gold & Pawn have managed to collect enough artifacts to fill up a museum. These items cover various eras of history, from the modern day to the ancient world and everything in between. Of course, most items with such historical significance usually procure a hefty sum. Many sellers who are lucky enough to come across these kinds of items walk away from "Pawn Stars" with thousands of dollars.
Such was the case for one gentleman, whose amazing historical find earned him more money than he expected. The item in question was a Medieval Anglo-Saxon helmet known as a Spangenhelm, dating as far back as the 6th Century C.E. The seller brought the protective piece of headgear into the famous Vegas pawn shop, hoping to get $750 for the rusty old bucket. Much to his surprise, Chumlee ended up doling out a fair bit more than that.
How this ancient helmet scored $10,000
As with many items in "Pawn Stars" history, the employees at World Famous Gold & Pawn needed a little bit of help figuring out how much such a helmet cost. For that reason, Chumlee called in an expert on the item to come and appraise it in this Season 17 episode. Using a special device that fires X-rays at the helmet, the expert was able to determine that the helmet is made primarily out of carbon steel. Considering its appearance and age, the expert determined that the helmet was indeed authentic. However, there is more to it than that.
Believe it or not, there aren't many Spangenhelm floating around from this era. Since the helmets were primarily iron, most of them have not survived the flow of time. Any environment with open air causes the piece to disintegrate over time. In this case, the seller's Spangenhelm is almost completely intact, meaning that it could be valued as high as $15,000. The expert called it "a one-in-a-million" find. As such, the seller ended up bringing home much more than just $750. After some quick-but-casual negotiations with Chumlee, the two made a deal for $10,000 flat.