Rick Harrison Net Worth

Rick Harrison is an American business owner and reality television personality who has an estimated net worth of $5 million.

Harrison is best known as the co-founder of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop and the star of the long-running Pawn Stars on the History Channel. Since the show premiered in 2009, he has become one of the most recognizable figures in reality television.

On the show, Harrison is known for his calm negotiating style and deep knowledge of collectibles. His ability to quickly evaluate unusual items earned him the nickname “The Spotter.” The series follows the daily operations of the family-run pawn shop, where Harrison and his team assess items ranging from rare coins and historical artifacts to vintage guitars and sports memorabilia.

Under his leadership, the pawn shop grew from a small family business into one of the most famous pawn shops in the world and a major tourist attraction in Las Vegas.

Early Life

Rick Harrison was born Richard Kevin Harrison on March 22, 1965, in Lexington, North Carolina.

He was the third child of Richard “Old Man” Harrison and Joanne Harrison. His father served in the United States Navy, which caused the family to move several times during Rick’s childhood.

When Harrison was two years old, the family relocated to San Diego, California.

At the age of eight, Harrison began suffering from epileptic seizures, a condition that often forced him to spend long periods confined to bed. During this time he developed a strong love for reading, especially history books and biographies, which helped him build the extensive knowledge base he later used on Pawn Stars.

He attended Taft Middle School in San Diego but struggled academically and eventually dropped out of high school during his sophomore year.

Around this time, Harrison began experimenting with small business ventures, including selling counterfeit designer bags, which he later described as his first experience with entrepreneurship.

In 1981, the Harrison family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, a decision that would ultimately shape his career.

The Origins of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop

Soon after arriving in Las Vegas, Harrison’s father opened a small secondhand store called the Gold & Silver Coin Shop in 1981.

The business initially operated from a 300-square-foot storefront on Las Vegas Boulevard. Rick worked alongside his father during the day learning the trade of buying and selling coins and precious metals, while at night he earned extra money by repossessing cars.

The business gradually expanded:

• In 1986, the shop moved to a larger location in downtown Las Vegas.
• Two years later, after losing their lease, the Harrisons relocated again to another building on Las Vegas Boulevard.

Rick and his father believed their next step should be opening a pawn shop, but city regulations made that difficult. A 1955 Las Vegas law limited pawn shop licenses based on population size.

Determined to obtain a license, Rick reportedly called the city statistician weekly to track population growth so they could apply as soon as a new license became available.

Their persistence paid off. In 1989, once the population threshold was reached, they secured a license and officially opened the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop near the Las Vegas Strip.

By the mid-2000s, the shop had become a profitable operation, issuing roughly $3 million in loans annually and generating about $700,000 in yearly income through interest.

Creating “Pawn Stars”

Rick Harrison believed for years that a pawn shop would make a compelling television show. The store attracted a constant stream of unusual items and colorful personalities.

The shop first gained media attention through a 2001 documentary on PBS and later appeared on Insomniac with Dave Attell on Comedy Central in 2003.

Harrison spent nearly four years pitching a reality show concept centered on the store. After discussions with several networks, the History Channel eventually agreed to develop the program.

The result was Pawn Stars.

“Pawn Stars” Success

Pawn Stars premiered in July 2009 and quickly became a major ratings success.

The show follows customers who bring items to the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop to sell or pawn. Harrison and his team evaluate the items, often consulting experts before negotiating a price.

The program blends history, humor, and negotiation, with Harrison frequently explaining the historical significance of objects while determining their value.

The cast dynamic helped make the show popular:

• Rick Harrison – the calm negotiator
• Richard “Old Man” Harrison – blunt and humorous patriarch
• Corey Harrison – shop manager known as “Big Hoss”
• Austin “Chumlee” Russell – comedic personality

The show’s popularity turned the pawn shop into a major tourist attraction, with thousands of visitors traveling to Las Vegas each year just to see the store featured on television.

Over time, the series produced hundreds of episodes across more than twenty seasons, making it one of the most successful programs in the history of the History Channel.

Business Ventures and Public Profile

The success of Pawn Stars transformed Harrison into a national celebrity.

Beyond running the pawn shop, he has pursued several ventures including:

• Writing books about his life and business philosophy
• Public speaking engagements
• Media appearances discussing collectibles and entrepreneurship

One of his best-known books is License to Pawn, which details his journey from a small family business owner to a reality television star.

Harrison has also participated in public discussions about business regulation, entrepreneurship, and economic policy in Nevada.

Personal Life

Rick Harrison has been married multiple times and has a large extended family.

When he was 17 years old, his girlfriend Kim Harrison became pregnant. Although she suffered a miscarriage, the couple married soon afterward.

They later had two sons:

• Corey Harrison, born in 1983
• Adam Harrison, born two years later

The marriage eventually ended in separation.

Harrison later married Tracy Harrison, whom he met on a blind double date. After their divorce, he married Deanna Burditt in 2013 in Laguna Beach, California, but the couple divorced in 2020.

In 2021, Harrison married Amanda Palmer.

Family Dispute

After the death of Richard “Old Man” Harrison in 2018, a legal dispute emerged within the family over ownership of the pawn shop.

Rick’s mother Joanne Harrison filed a lawsuit claiming that Rick had improperly taken control of her ownership stake in the company.

According to court filings, Joanne alleged that while she was hospitalized around 2000 or 2001, Rick had her sign documents transferring her 51% ownership of the business.

She also claimed that after her husband’s death she inherited his 49% share, but had difficulty accessing company financial records and documentation.

The dispute drew significant media attention because of the family’s public profile through Pawn Stars.

Real Estate

Rick Harrison has owned several properties in the Las Vegas area.

One of his most notable homes was located in the Red Rock Country Club community in Summerlin, an upscale neighborhood west of the Las Vegas Strip.

The 8,800-square-foot property, originally built in 2001, was purchased by Harrison in 2016. He reportedly spent about $600,000 renovating it.

Luxury features included:

• A 12-seat theater with a 150-inch screen
• A wine cellar holding more than 1,000 bottles
• An elevator
• A whole-home audio system

The backyard featured views of Red Rock Canyon and the Las Vegas Strip, along with outdoor amenities such as:

• A lagoon-style swimming pool
• A spa and waterfall
• A lazy river flowing into the pool
• An outdoor kitchen

Harrison listed the property for sale in 2019 for $3.99 million and eventually sold it for $3.15 million in March 2021.

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