Auction Hunters: Season 2, Episode 17: “Half Pipe Dreams.”
The Haff-Ton drove the bread truck to Long Beach. Allen had one word describe auction hunting in Long Beach – Money!
Fact: The port of Long Beach shipped $140 billion worth of cargo in 2010.
Duo was hoped not to see any local whales. Then there’s Denny. Allen described Denny as, “Ton without the charm.” Wait, Ton has charm?
Household Unit
Mattresses, couch, mini fridge, skate board, lamp, and blankets. The Haff-Ton team won this locker for $625.
Allen thought the rug inside might be from Kashan. No dice. It was a reproduction.
Fact: A genuine antique Perisna rug from the Kashan region can be worth up to $100,000.
Allen found a damaged surf board. Big whoop. Ton unpacked several boxes of old clothes. Another big whoop.
Allen discovered nine vintage skateboards, including a Z-Flex skateboard with some very fancy artwork. The Haff-Ton team took the boards down to Venice Beach near Dogtown.
Fact: “Dogtown” refers to the area in Santa Monica where many early skateboarders lived.
Duo showed the boards to professional skateboarder, Steve, who was also a vintage skateboard collector. He expressed how skateboarding originated with surfers. Surfers would make boards from wood and added roller skate wheels when there were no waves to ride.
Fact: The first mass produced skateboard was introduced by “Roller Derby” in 1959.
Steve informed the duo that some of their skateboards where from the 50’s and 60’s.In mint condition the boards would have been worth about $3K.
Unfortunately some of the boards had water damage or cracks or the graphics were worn away. In their current condition, they were worth between $400-$600.
Allen then showed Steve the Z-Flex skateboard. Steve said the board had wear on the wheels that was likely caused by pool riding.
Fact: Pool riding emerged after a 1976 drought led Southern CA residents to drain their pools.
Steve explained the artwork on the board was by Doug Smith, an artist who drew graphics especially for pro skateboarders. The art was very rare and the graphics, one-of-a-kind. To a collector, the board was worth about $2,000.
Steve bought all the boards for $2,500.
Musician Unit
Helmet, audio equipment, mixer, tool box, speaker box, plastic containers, and garbage bags. The Haff-Ton team won the locker for $775.
Ton found several vintage concert t-shirts. Allen found a stack of old newspapers celebrating the end of the Y2K scare.
Fact: Americans spent an estimated $134 billion preparing for Y2K.
Ton discovered a survival kit with water proof matches, blankets, water, knife, and wilderness survival guide.
Fact: Large survival kits are also known as “Get-Out-Of-Dodge” or “GOOD” bags.
Duo found two pocket bikes in the back of the unit.
Two bikes. Two guys. Race time!
Fact: Pocket bikes can reach speeds as high as 78 mph.
Allen found a Kevlar vest. It was old but still in good condition.
Fact: Kevlar was created by DuPont in the 1970s as replacement for steel belting in race car tires.
He also found a swat helmet and a ballistics face mask.
Fact: The first Special Weapons Tactics (SWAT) unit was formed in Los Angeles in 1968.
Allen wanted to know why Ton had to try it all on. How long has he known Ton for; and he still had to ask?
Fact: Mycenaean Greeks used armored helmets made from boar tusks as early as 1700 BC.
Haff-Ton team took the special tactic armor to Shaun, an armor collector. Shaun didn’t show interest in the ar
mor and helmet, but the mask caught his eye. He told them it could stop the bullet from a .44 magnum. Whoa!
Fact: In 1965, publisher Robert E. Peterson killed a 1500 lb. polar bear with a .44 Magnum.
Shaun showed duo one of his own face masks which could stop a .357 magnum. He let the duo try shooting at his face mask in exchange for a fair deal. I would not let anyone shoot me in the face, would you?
Fact: A bullet shot from a .357 magnum travels over 900 miles per hour.
Duo sold Shaun all the tactical gear for $500 and threw in a doughnut to sweeten the deal. First time Ton fired a weapon and did not destroy something.
Auction Total:
Paid $1,400
Sold: $5,300
Profit: $3,900
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