Episode
American Pickers: Not So Cheap Thrills
Overview
Mike and Frank are freestyling in Minnesota where they stumble on salvage operator Terry who has a staggering scrap yard. Everything is for sale, including a mother lode of retro signage. Next, coin-op kings Gary and John "say" they're ready to sell some of their vast collection of vintage arcade games. Frank takes a major gamble on some old school peep show coin operated machines. And retired twin brothers Steve and Tom open up their massive collection of toy cars and trucks. Danielle gets an appraisal on the peep show item.
Details
- Series
- American Pickers
- Season
- Season 4
- Episode
- Episode 2
- Air date
- 2011-12-05
- Runtime
- 45 min
Episode context
Not So Cheap Thrills is Episode 2 in Season 4 of American Pickers. It aired on 2011-12-05. The runtime is 45 min.
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Episode 1: Jurassic Pick
In Mississippi, Mike and Frank find what turns out to be a priceless, 65-million year-old dinosaur bone. It's appraised by the curator of the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. Next, they find a 1960's Bella German scooter judged among the best on the market at the time, and an antique audio recording device made from piano wire.
Episode 3: Pickin' Perry-dise
Looking for roadside relics in West Virginia, the guys pick an Appalachian village museum where Mike ups the ante to score a rare retro motor. The museum's octogenarian owners--The Perrys--have never sold anything before, and after sealing the deal on an odd electric peacock, Mike makes his move. In Nashville, Danielle is unimpressed with the pool of quirky candidates she's met to manage the new store. Dave's Ohio storefront is filled with cool bikes and scooters but his business plan is more show than sell. With every room packed to the gills, a father-and-son duo open the doors to their staggering collection where the guys find a giant Goliath head that bears a strange resemblance to Frank.
More episodes from this season
Episode 4: The Mad Catter
Hoping to score big on the East Coast, Mike and Frank make stops in Virginia, DC, and Maryland, and are delirious when they find themselves waist-deep in a treasure-packed machine shop. Harry's property is wired for maximum security and once the guys gain access to his amazing vault, Mike makes a high-stakes gamble. Driving off the beaten path, the guys run across a quirky artist with a wacky sense of humor and a sprawling Virginia property packed with funky collectibles. After wading through building after building, Mike pounces on a one-of-a-kind feline with an impressive pedigree. Featuring the mother lode of "petroliana," Mike and Frank scour a defunct Maryland oil company where everything is for sale. Tim is hoping to make some money to revive a vintage local beer and the guys are determined to help him clear out some of his unique mint-condition inventory.
Episode 5: Fast Eddie
While Mike and Frank pick the back roads of Minnesota, they challenge Danielle to sell a ten-foot fiberglass cowboy boot that's been gathering dust for over a year. After a lifetime in the demolition business, Fast Eddie has tons of unusual oversize treasures. A great lead gives the guys first crack at a treasure-packed farmyard estate sale. Ted's garage is filled with awesome mantiques and Mike goes into overdrive when he climbs into the rafters and discovers a honey hole of rare bicycles.
Episode 6: What Happens in Sturgis...
Danielle turns up a good lead she's been working on for months. When Mike tells Frank let's pack up for a trip to South Dakota, Frank says he can't. He's secretly going to his 30th annual trip to the legendary Sturgis motorcycle rally, but says he'll cover the shop. So Mike takes Danielle, first to Dollar Dick's, a tough-minded auction aficionado whose yard is covered in rusty gold. Next, they happen upon what looks like a tourist trap, but the 1880s ghost town pays off with a speed pick in a pair of treasure-filled silos that turns up some unusual items. Finally, they get to Dave's amazing automotive collection where Mike spies a sexy belly tank cycle car with classic Hollywood history.
Episode 7: The Elephant in the Room
With a Noah's ark of exotic animals, the guys visit a Maine taxidermist where Mike gambles big money on a huge elephant head. Danielle's search for a pachyderm-loving buyer leads to a wheelin' and dealin' rock'n'roll legend. Building collector Bill loves a good joke but his prices are no laughing matter. George's Maine marine features great prices, even better stories, and everything from maritime collectibles to a bejeweled antique hotdog steamer. The rock'n'roll legend is a collector himself. He's a tough bargainer with a couple of items to trade up his sleeve.
Episode 8: Picker Man Blues
Tricky Dick's Tennessee yard is littered with treasures, and though he isn't motivated to part with any of it, Mike goes hog-wild for a vintage pig ride that could be worth some serious coin. Once a legendary Mississippi radio station, Mike and Frank visit a sprawling small-town museum steeped in music history. A tough negotiator who doesn't like to sell, Phil's ramshackle building is packed with salvaged gems. But with the roof caving in, the guys hatch a strategy to make sure everyone wins before the building collapses.
Episode 9: Frank's Dog Days
Since opening his second store, Mike's feeling serious pressure to fill up the van. He gets lucky while freestyling in Virginia with Danielle. A cold call with Gary pays off with a pink jukebox and the remains of a rare 1930s motorbike. While he proves to be a tough negotiator, Doug's well-manicured property is a honey hole of petroliana. Henry's trailer homes are packed to the gills with unusual collectibles and he's ready to make a deal. Danielle proves she's got a picker's eye. But back at the shop, Frank has a tough time tracking down an appraiser for the jukebox.
Episode 10: Odd Fellas
Frank goes wild in Joe's garage. It's packed with vintage motorcycles and while Frank scores deal after deal, Mike's efforts sputter and stall. With his family hit hard by the recession, a prolific collector is eager to sell. The guys scour building after building but sometimes one man's junk is just junk. While Frank gets ready to go to his high school reunion and show off his restored Plymouth, Mike and Danielle visit a Virginia property that turns out to be a mega-pick. With jam-packed buildings and trailers, Bill's sprawling collection features Odd Fellows relics and a vintage guitar that may be worth a fortune.
Episode 11: When Horses Fly
Burning up the back roads of South Dakota, Mike and Frank get off to a great start in Jim's spectacular man-cave. But when he slams on the brakes, they switch gears to score a heavenly sign. Freestyling in Iowa, the guys take a chance at an old airport turned auto body shop where a retro car takes them back to the future. Packed with roadside relics, Norm's property features a jaw-dropping collection of vintage pedal cars but the guys soon discover he drives a hard bargain.
Episode 12: Knuckleheads
With a sprawling warehouse and overstuffed semi trailers, Kevin's New England property is a gold mine where Mike makes off with the Michelin man and then gambles on a rare collection of vintage pilot gear. A former racecar driver with an amazing collection of automotive artifacts, Big Bad Jess is a serious collector who says he's ready to sell. In Maine, Jim's barn is a sprawling Harley Davidson honey hole where the guys are tested with a mystery part that could save them some coin.
Episode 13: The Belly Dance
Automotive aficionado Dale gets seriously cranked up over Mike's one-of-a-kind belly tank racer. But the negotiations could crash if the classic can't run leaving Mike out thousands of dollars. Freestyling in New Hampshire, Tommy's treasure-packed barn yields some incredible railroad relics. Mario loves his junk but says he's willing to negotiate, and after gambling on a very cool retro smoking toy, bundle-master Frank steps in to save the day for Mike. Bruce's jam-packed property is staggering and though he's reluctant to sell, Mike manages to pull the trigger on a rare folk art rifle.