Auction Hunters: Season 3, Episode 1: “Cold Hard Cash.”
The Haff-Ton team arrived in Anchorage, Alaska. The show would have us believe they drove from California to Alaska; but I’m not buying it.
Fact: Anchorage, Alaska is 3,401 miles from Los Angeles, California.
Duo atteneded a Conex container (as big as 38 feet long) auction. Haff-Ton team needed good merchandise to make up for the cost of the trip.
Fact: Conex boxes were developed by the U.S. military in the 1950s.
The auctioneer seemed to dislike the “Cheechako.”
Fact: “Cheechako” is a regional term that means “newcomer to Alaska”
Auctioneer closed the bids quickly for locals. Dragged out the final calls for the Haff-Ton team. Allen even suspected the auctioneer of ghost bidding – raised the price against them. They felt trapped at auction.
Nautical Rope Unit
Gambling machine, swirl chair, hall tree, nautical rope, and exercise machine. Haff-Ton team won the unit for $700.
The video arcade gambling machine worked. Allen pulled out the exercise machine. Ton joked it was against his religion to touch it.
The nautical rope was in good condition.
Fact: The best nautical ropes have the tensile strength to pull 6 Boeing 747s.
Ton opened a duffle bag. HOLY COW! He found a gun case with a 44. Magnum and a .500 Smith and Wesson.
Fact: In a 2008 poll of the best film weapons, .44 Magnums ranks 2nd to Lightsabers.
The .500 Smith and Wesson was the most powerful hand revolver made. It cou
ld take down a grizzly bear, polar bear, elk, buffalo, or moose. Ton loved it!
Maybe a little too much. He kissed it. Oh… kay.
Duo took the guns to Ken, a gun store owner. He stated that the .44 Magnum was the kind of gun used by Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry.
Fact: The role of Dirty Harry Callahan was originally written for John Wayne.
Ken bought both guns for $1,800, but the Haff-Ton team would first be allowed to fire the Smith and Wesson.
Allen and Ton had a blast. The S&W blew apart cinder blocks. Wow, I wouldn’t want to be a grizzly bear up against that thing!
Fact: The recoil force of the .500 pistol is equivalent to that of a .12 shotgun.
Household Unit
Fan, vacuum, microwave, pet carry case, washer, dryer, computer, TV, trash bin, and steel briefcase. Haff-Ton team won the locker for $1,025.
Would this be their Alaskan gold rush?
Fact: The Alaskan Gold Rush in 1897 brought over 100,000 prospectors to the region.
The guys unpacked car seats, a bike, and LOTS of e-waste or electronic waste.
Fact: Over 50 million tons of electronic waste (e-waste) are discarded every year.
Ton found a 1920’s canoe. It was made completely from wood, in great condition, and not mass produced.
Fact: Ancient Native Alaskan canoes were made from whale bone and seal skin.
Allen dove deep into the back of the unit. He found two large pontoons.
These pontoons were designed f
or sea planes. Alaska didn’t have many airports, but lots of sea planes. Huge business in that state.
Fact: With 90,000 flights a year, Lake Hood, Alaska is the world’s biggest seaplane base.
Haff-Ton team took the pontoons to Clint, a real estate agent who flew a seaplane to travel to work each day. Talk about an unusual company car!
Clint needed to test the pontoons out before he made an offer.
They attached pontoons were to Clint’s plane. He and Allen went for a little ride. The left pontoon wobbled a little; but at least nothing leaked.
Allen happy to be back on dry land after that hard landing. Clint bought the pontoons for $5,100.
Alaska was not warm to Allen or Ton. The cold state however did provide a hefty profit.
Auction Total:
Paid $1,725
Sold: $10,460
Profit: $8,735
Please post your creative comments in the box below.