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Rick Harrison Drops $85,000 on Stephen Stills’ Iconic Guitar in ‘Pawn Stars’ Windfall

by Madonna

Fans of Pawn Stars know Rick Harrison as a tough negotiator who rarely overpays. But even the shrewd pawn shop owner has his weak spots—especially when it comes to legendary pieces of rock ‘n’ roll history. That’s exactly what happened when a rare and historic guitar walked through the doors of his Las Vegas shop.

In a recent episode, a guest named Landon, a guitar collector, came in carrying a vintage guitar case. Inside was a 1941 Gibson SJ-200, once owned by iconic musician Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills, & Nash. “I bought the guitar in an auction a few months ago,” Landon told Harrison. “It was expensive, but I was thrilled—and a little terrified. I’m looking to sell it today, because that’s kind of my hobby.”

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Harrison, clearly taken by the instrument, immediately recognized its significance. “Everyone who was around in the ’60s knows of Stephen Stills. He played for Buffalo Springfield—‘For What It’s Worth,’ that was the name of the song,” he recalled. “It was literally considered the rebellion hippie anthem of the 1960s.”

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The shop owner went on to praise Stills’ legacy, noting his pivotal role in forming Crosby, Stills, & Nash, and acknowledging his ongoing career. “If he’s not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I’d be shocked,” Harrison said. Landon quickly informed him that Stills had actually been inducted twice—once for Buffalo Springfield, and again for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, both on the same day.

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To further validate the guitar’s origin, Landon presented documentation, including a signed bill of sale from the previous collector who had purchased it directly from Stills. That caught Harrison’s attention. “I love this guitar. It’s really interesting. But I have to be careful. If everything checks out, this thing could be a serious jackpot,” he said.

Landon was looking to sell the guitar for $110,000, prompting Harrison to bring in his go-to guitar expert, Jesse Amoroso. As soon as Amoroso laid eyes on the instrument, he was visibly impressed. “You do not see these,” he said. “It’s the 1941 SJ-200. It was Gibson’s highest-end model. They introduced it in 1938, then stopped making them due to the war.”

Amoroso called the guitar “the Holy Grail,” confirming it was authentic and even played a few notes to demonstrate its tone. Despite showing signs of wear and repair, he appraised the guitar at $75,000 to $90,000 based on its model alone—and added that Stephen Stills’ ownership tacked on another $20,000 to $30,000 in value.

“This is the one,” Amoroso said. “If you’re going to buy one, this is the only one that’s available.”

Armed with expert verification, Landon held firm at $110,000, but Harrison, ever the businessman, made an initial offer of $80,000. Landon countered with $90,000, and for a moment it looked like the deal might collapse. But before walking away, Landon dropped his ask to $85,000—and Harrison took the offer.

“Cool, man, let’s do some paperwork. You’ll have cash, and I’ll have a guitar I gotta sell,” Harrison said with a grin. As it turns out, Landon revealed that $85,000 was higher than his bottom line, meaning both parties walked away feeling like winners.

In the end, the pawn shop snagged a historic instrument, and viewers got to witness a rare moment where Harrison’s fandom briefly overtook his famously firm negotiation tactics.

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