Pawn Stars, the TV Show on the History Channel

You only have to watch Pawn Stars once... okay, maybe twice... to know that if you sell to the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Vegas that they are going to give you well under the price that they'll probably get when they go to resell the item elsewhere.

Ironically, the people keep selling at low prices even when Rick calls in his "auctioneer friends" and pricing experts. Why don't these customers look at the auctioneer and say "can I consign this to your next auction?" Nope, instead they sell it to Rick at maybe half the auction price estimate.

It's one thing to sell something of value for a lot less than it's worth.

It's another thing to do it on the History Channel's #1 TV show for the world to see.

I wonder if the on-air sellers aren't subsidized by their appearance on the show, such that they can accept a lower price. I know on "Deadliest Catch", the 2 sons of Phil told Derrick "we're here to make good TV".

I know these shows advertise for people to "audition". Why wouldn't that fee offset a lower sale price? Or do you think the people who sell their items on Pawn Stars receive nothing for appearing?

It seems like on "American Picker", that the sellers wouldn't sell so low unless they were being otherwise compensated. The trade off can't be "you get to be on TV".