PRICEY PICKS American Pickers star Mike Wolfe stocks stores with most expensive antiques from $8k Ford sign to $5k soccer arcade game
AMERICAN Pickers star Mike Wolfe has stocked his stores with the most expensive antiques yet from an $8,000 vintage Ford sign to a $5,000 soccer arcade game.
Mike, 60, owns Antique Archaeology in Le Claire, Iowa and Nashville, Tennessee, as the stores are filled with one-of-a-kind antiques.
The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal photos of Mike’s new and most expensive items in his stores that are available for purchase.
One antique is a blue and white 1903 Ford Sales and Service sign.
The price in store for the antique is $8,000, but customers could get the item online for a discounted price of $7,500.
An old school soccer arcade game, which is similar to foosball, is on sale for a whopping $4,900.
A red and green Coca-Cola sign is $3,500.
A St. Louis Plane sold in the Le Claire store is listed at $3,200.
A description on the website reads, “Made shortly after Charles Lindberg completed his nonstop flight from New York to Paris.”
The model pedal plane was “designed to mimic the plane that Lindberg used for his journey.”
A 3,000 Love Tester machine, which was featured on Season 24, is also for sale in the Le Claire store.
The website description reads of the antique, “Once used in a funhouse or state fair, the Love Tester was a fun fortune telling machine that tested both your love and luck!
“Ranging from Cold to Uncontrollable, the Love Tester can ‘accurately’ predict the state of your relationship!”
All of the original parts are in working condition, according to the listing.
A Shell neon gas station sign, which the website describes as a must-have piece, could be a collector’s for $2,900.
A Double Coca Cola sign from from Chattanooga, Tennessee is $2,300.
The sign is in it’s original condition, according to the website, with unfinished edges, peeling and rust.
A U.S. Flag Carnival boat found in the Le Claire store is $1,800.
A 1947 Humpty Dumpty pinball machine is on sale for $1,500.
The U.S. Sun previously reported Mike offered $700 for the item on an episode of American Pickers.
He said on the show, “In 1947, this machine came out and introduced the flipper. Not just two, but six. The subject matter is interesting, it’s Humpty Dumpty, but the adult version of that.
“What would be expected is peeling, you know, pretty aggressively through here. But overall, I mean… It’s not bad.
“The historic value of this machine outweighs the actual value. When you think of how pivotal this machine was for collectors, as far as the evolution of pinball… this machine doesn’t command a lot of money.
“But still, this is the great-great-grandpappy of pinball wizard.”
In January, Antique Archaeology added the antique to their Le Claire, Iowa store with a price of $1,500, a 115 percent mark up.
CUSTOMER REACTION
While the antiques are a pickers dream, certain shoppers have slammed the stores for their expensive items.
One customer wrote of the Iowa store, “Place is way overrated and overpriced… Highly recommended to stay away from this place.”
A second fired, “Overpriced items they found at estate sales that they dust off and then charge 3x the price. And that’s most stores…”
A third said, “Super fun place!!! We arrived six minutes before close and the two ladies were in no hurry to move us along. If you are a fan of the show you will see many items that have been on the show.
“It is interesting the price picked is way different than their sale price. Of course they need to make a profit but jeepers. Ended up buying some stuff but wished I could have bought more. Great place to shop and some unique items. Go!”
As for the Tennessee store, One fan fumed, “Huge disappointment. Made a special trip to go there. Total waste of time.
“Very few items for sale and what were there was overpriced. Don’t waste your time…”
A second customer fired, “Waste of time, we love the show and were excited to get to go but it was a total waste of time!
“They have shot glasses, t-shirts, and can coozies and shop towels with their name on it but not much else. Very few antiques and the ones they have are super expensive! $1,500 for a small quaker sign.”
A third said, “The Antique Archaeology store left me unimpressed. A lot of mass-produced souvenir items for sale with a few antiques on display.”
“Would have been very disappointed if I came up just for this,” a fourth customer complained. “Was expecting an antique store, not an American Pickers gift shop.”
OTHER BUSINESSES
Mike is the owner of multiple businesses and landlord of properties in addition to managing his stores.
The Iowa antique store is across the street from his new vacation rental Two Lanes Guesthouse and blocks away from buildings he is the landlord of.
The vacation rental will be available for rent in April after a months-long delay.
He also has a vacation rental in Columbia, Tennessee near his bike shop Columbia Motor Alley, as well as other properties he manages.
PICKERS RATINGS
American Pickers began filming new episodes in February 2025.
The U.S. Sun reported in May 2024 that the series has three more seasons left in its contract.
Season 26 brought in low ratings for the long-running show.
The October 9 premiere had 565,000 viewers as Mike picked through Evel Knievel memorabilia.
The finale on January 15 was the second highest-rated episode of the season as 708,000 viewers watched.
The most-watched episode came in at 760,000 viewers on December 18.
DIY Delorean on October 30 had the lowest ratings of the season with 442,000 viewers.
American Pickers stars Mike, Robbie Wolfe, Danielle Colby and Jon “Jersey” Szalay.
