A 1919 Franklin Car On American Pickers Sold For Less Than You Might Think
The History series "American Pickers" has been around for over a decade after taking off with rapid success in 2010. A series made for the history buff who loves a good treasure hunt and a great story is precisely what viewers can get from "American Pickers." The show follows two hosts — Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz for most of its run before Frank was replaced by Mike's brother Robbie Wolfe — as they travel the United States looking for any clues that might lead them to some of America's forgotten or hidden past. Clues include overgrown grass, large packed barns, and vehicles strewn about a property, among other things.
Each episode is a scavenger hunt with a new prize at the end, including old toys, signs, memorabilia, and even sometimes vehicles that the Pickers purchase from property owners to sell back at home in their own antique store or sometimes keep for themselves. Viewers can watch the hunt happen from the comfort of their couch and learn the backstory of each item uncovered. One might think that a vehicle would always be a big-ticket item in the series, and usually, that's true. However, in Season 17, a 1919 Franklin car sold for less than expected — both for viewers and for the Pickers themselves.
The old car's value wasn't as high as the Pickers had originally expected
A YouTube clip of a Season 17 episode shows that while in Chattanooga, Tennessee, "American Pickers" hosts Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz stop by the Coker Tire Company to check up on a 1919 Franklin car they purchased for about $6,000 in Ohio on a prior episode. The car runs like a champ, and while Mike and Frank are happy, there are a few issues regarding certain parts, like the gas tank and the tires. The car's overall value is a lot lower than the guys expected at around $10,000 to $12,000, provided it's in great shape.
As it turns out, the person working on the car, Corky Coker, was amped to purchase it for his own collection, and after a bit of discussion around the value and the work needed, the group settled on a price of $8,500 for the car. The episode showcases the passion that "American Pickers" is so loved for, as the two hosts and Corky are all very much enthused by the old car.
In an interview with CBS News, when he was asked if picking is a true passion, Mike Wolfe gave his honest answer. "Yes! And it's fascinating to me, and people constantly ask me to try to get into the mind of a collector. And I'm a collector myself – and I don't even understand my mind as much, trying to explain it half the time, so I'm trying to explain everybody else's mindset" It's the excitement surrounding the work and the hunt for these timeless pieces of treasure that "American Pickers" shows in each episode that audiences keep watching the show for.