Hardcore Pawn Season 7, Episode 23: Gold Crash

1

Frisky Business

Following Joe's arrest the employees were shaken up by the events. But when Seth announced that all employees' bags will be searched upon leaving the store, Les and Ashley thought that he went too far. But that wasn't far enough when Seth also wanted body searches. Also: a man tries to sell a 19th-Century nautical compass for $150, but learns the hard way not to fool with Les when he discovered that that man was selling the same compass online for $33. A woman agreed with Les to sell her Blues Brothers statues for $300, but changed her mind after the deal was made, after her friends told her to hold out for more. A man wanted to buy an electric generator after losing power due to an unpaid bill, but refused to deal with Seth -- or even leave the store -- when he was unable to take it home to try it out first. And another man, unable to sell his ring because Ashley found it to be fake, found himself thrown onto the floor by Byron, the new head of security, when he tried touching Ashley.

21 min

2

Short Staffed

The day after Seth imposed his body search policy on his employees, the ladies that worked the redeem windows all took sick leave, leaving Les and Ashley to believe that the new policy is causing them not to come in. But it would later become possible that they will never return when an employee told Ashley in a phone call that Seth's new policies may cause her to quit.

21 min

3

Monster Deals

After Seth rescinded his invasive search policies for American Jewelry's employees, the ladies that worked the redeem windows return to work. But Seth has a new problem -- profits are down, and he's looking for creative ways to get new customers into the store. Ashley has an idea that she tried out -- an inflatable gorilla with a banner reading "monster deals". However, Seth has a better promotional plan, which would explain why a couple of customers told Ashley to quit.

21 min

4

Tipped Off

The staff had been receiving complaints from customers that a staff member had been letting customers cut in line in exchange for a $3 tip. They would later find out that Anton, who works the pawn desk, had been doing the evil deed. Les had decided to let Anton off with a warning, as he had been with American Jewelry for several years and is otherwise a trusted employee. However, Seth wanted Anton fired, as he was still burned over another trusted employee who was later arrested for theft - Joe the head of security.

21 min

5

Redeem Girl Rumble

Noticing that one of the employees was discontent with working the same redeem window each day, Seth decides to have them work different windows. However, Les becomes angered at the situation, as he felt that the arrangement was good enough as it was. But his own discontent falls on deaf ears when Seth insists on keeping the new assignments, leading to the employees to come close to fighting, and Ashley to play the role of peacekeeper.

21 min

6

Busted

Jeff calls in sick, leading to Seth to order everyone to stay away from Jeff's desk in any circumstance. But when he caught Bobby J. near Jeff's desk, polishing a ring for a customer, he almost fires him, only to rescind the dismissal when Bobby J. told Seth that Les gave him permission to polish the ring. This led to Seth's argument with Les, in which he said that the policy applies to everyone, leading to Les to determine that Seth had become more security-hungry following Joe's arrest, and Ashley wishing that both men stop the bickering.

21 min

7

Watch Your Back

Les sells a valuable Breitling watch for $42,000 to a trusted watch collector that he dealt with many times before; however, he did not have the cash at the moment, so Les gave him the watch in exchange for an IOU. Seth, however, had misgivings about the deal. The man later said that someone else will pay him the money as he leaves out of town; Seth still had bad feelings about it, but Les still has trust in the customer. But Les would end up getting an expensive lesson in trust when the customer pays him for the watch -- with over 40,000 watchbands.

21 min

8

American Jewelry & Zoo

Following the debacle involving the 40,000 watchbands, delivered in over 100 boxes, American Jewelry has found themselves with limited space for anything else -- this includes "antiques" and "collectibles" that Les buys, but Seth and Ashley thinks are worthless junk, such as a 1950s salesman's sample model of an above ground swimming pool, a Christmas display from the old J. L. Hudson Department Store, and several taxidermied animals. The kids think the "junk" won't sell, and neither would the watchbands, but Les tries to prove them wrong, starting with a taxidermied boar's head. Also: a woman in labor and without a job buys an old rocking horse for her child from Ashley at a special rate, with Ashley covering the difference, but it ended up being a scam when her false belly fell out. And a man attempts to get a refund without receipt for a store brand "Cherokee" watch that he passed off as a "Rolex".

21 min

9

Les Sells Out

With over 40,000 wristbands to sell and stored in 126 boxes, Les decides to sell the watchbands one by one, starting at $2 apiece. While Seth and Ashley remained skeptical of the whole idea, they didn't realise that in the end, all it takes is a little showmanship -- and some friends in the business.

21 min

10

You Bet Your Butt

Seth and Ashley each make a series of bets to see if either of them, or Les, can purchase any item that comes into the store that they would otherwise dismiss as "junk", including a "Major Dollar" mascot costume and a rusted out Mobil Oil Pegasus logo. But when a set of first-class airline seats (the actual seats, not tickets) come into the shop, they get Les involved in the wager to see whether or not the seats will be bought -- the loser will take over the janitor's job for the final hour of the day.

21 min

11

Homefront Heat

Seth notices that Ashley was low-balling on, or rejecting outright, various items that he would otherwise give higher deals on. In addition, the deals were often broken due to Ashley's rudeness. But when Seth's interference angers Ashley, Les intervenes in order to make peace. Also: a crazy man brings in a bass fiddle case, but the item inside is not a bass fiddle, and the man would not let Les look inside.

21 min

12

Strike Out

Ashley continues to lowball and mistreat customers to Seth's detriment, but an argument in front of a customer over a signed 1972 Detroit Tigers baseball has led Les to the end of his rope, to a point where he sends both of them home the rest of the day. However, the kids' frequent bickering may be harming not only his business, it may also affect his health.

21 min

13

Les Goes Down

Customers brawl in the parking lot before the store opens; Les needs Seth and Ashley's help, but they're preoccupied with their quarreling.

21 min

14

Return of the King

With Les out of commission, Seth and Ashley run the shop as co-managers, but when Seth's decision to cut back on staff leaves Ashley alone on the floor with one too many crazy customers, it's clear that sharing duties just won't work.

21 min

15

The Trouble with Michael

Michael is a regular customer at American Jewelry, but the feeling is not mutual among the clerks, as everything he brought in was all but worthless. Ashley doesn't want him back anymore, and Bobby J especially has a hatred toward Michael, but Seth says otherwise, in the event that Michael actually had something of value. However, when Michael offered a car without a title, Seth felt that he was at the end of his rope -- until Michael offered a gold chain that might bring in thousands of dollars. Also: speed painter Dave Santia tries to paint Les's portrait in ten minutes in hopes to get money.

21 min

16

Seth in Charge

Seth, who's Les's hand-picked manager, had an idea in order to speed up the lines and improve efficiency -- give out pawn tickets and cash in the same line, instead of separate lines for each. However, Seth's plan had resulted in longer lines and irate customers, to a point where Les reconsiders having Seth in charge.

21 min

17

Back In Action

Les, now fully back in charge following his hernia operation, puts the staff on notice that everyone's job is at risk -- including Seth and Ashley, who Les says contributed to a drop in American Jewelry's revenue in all departments. Because of that, he placed both on probation, subject to the close, watchful eye of Les, and would remain there until Les determines that they can do their work properly.

21 min

18

Back to the Hustle

When two teens claim that they got scammed by a mystery woman with an inside connection to the shop, Seth brushes them off, but Ashley makes it her job to find out if they are telling the truth. Are they just dumb kids who trusted the wrong person with a deal that was too good to be true? Or do the Golds have another thief on their team? Plus, Les sets his sights on a McFly ride, and teaches a Jersey Boy how it’s done in the D. Share this one proudly.

21 min

19

Seth Snaps

Since Ashley resumed being a manager, she felt that she had every right to order Seth around, as he was still on probation. However, Ashley's regimental behavior was concerning Les, thinking that she's being a little too rough on Seth -- this included her criticizing Seth for buying things that she felt would all but take up space. But things come to a head when Ashley buys a 1950s Eljer toilet for $10, leading to Seth to buy it for $20, just so he can destroy it with a sledgehammer, before abruptly leaving the store angry.

21 min

20

Computer Crash

Following his flip out in the previous episode, Seth chose to stay home. But when the computer system gone down, Seth had no choice but to come in and repair the system. But when an irate customer, who was already frustrated with having to wait until the system goes back up in order to redeem his pawn of a ring, he was given a wrong ring, owing to duplicate numbers on the pawn slips. This led to Seth and Ashley to work to retrieve the correct ring before the impatient customer returns.

21 min

21

All American Jewelry and Loan

A Christian Reverend, who makes his belief of John 3:16 known on his shirts, sells Seth a rare baseball signed by Babe Ruth, complete with authentication papers. Knowing that the ball would be worth tens of thousands of dollars if genuine, Seth takes a risk and gives the Reverend a $1000 deposit, while he has it sent out to be verified. But when it came back as counterfeit, Seth and Les fear that they won't get their $1000 back.

21 min

22

Breakdown at Tiffany's

A diamond pocket watch is brought into the store, but the owner has troubling authenticating it; Bobby J goes for a ride in a custom low rider.

21 min

23

Gold Crash

With a major drop in the price of Gold, the store takes a huge financial hit. It's up to the Golds to sell, sell, sell, and make up for the loss.

21 min

24

Harold's Gamble

Les offers to buy a diamond-encrusted Audemars Piguet watch from a customer. After being burned by a similar deal earlier, Les had his watch expert take a close look at it. However, while the expert determined that the watch was real, a serial number check came up as counterfeit, leading to Les to question the abilities of the expert.

21 min

25

The Outsider

Seth brings in a consultant in a desperate bid to increase their retail business, in the wake of the gold price crash.

21 min

26

Seth's Secret

Angry over his father's dismissal of the consultant hired to help increase their sales, Seth goes MIA, leaving the store in the lurch. When he doesn't come back, Les goes looking - and is shocked at where he finds his son spending his time.

21 min