‘Pawn Star’ to sign NGC slabs
Rick Harrison’s photo and original signature will appear on a limited number of NGC slabs.
Television personality Rick Harrison has agreed to individually autograph a limited number of Numismatic Guaranty Corporation certification labels, according to the firm.
Harrison is co-owner of World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn in Las Vegas, Nev., which he runs with his father and son. The family business is the subject of the popular cable television show “Pawn Stars,” now in its 14th season, that has led to international fame for the Harrisons.
“Pawn Stars” features expert evaluations of historical objects and lively negotiations with would-be sellers. One of the experts to appear on the show is David Vagi, director of ancient coins for NGC.
Vagi’s appearances prompted Harrison to visit NGC’s Sarasota, Fla., headquarters in January 2015. Harrison toured NGC’s facility and then traveled to the Florida United Numismatists Convention, where he signed autographs for fans at NGC’s booth.
What the firm calls “NGC Rick Harrison Authentic Hand-Signed Labels” are the latest collaboration between the coin grading service and the famous Pawn Star. NGC-certified coins encapsulated with these labels will be available from GovMint.com this summer, NGC says.
“We are always happy to have a chance to work with the team at NGC, and I am excited to be among those highly recognized names in the coin industry who have lent their names to labels with this trusted brand,” Harrison said.
“NGC is honored that Rick Harrison has agreed to take our collaboration to the next level by autographing NGC certification labels,” said Miles Standish, NGC vice president. “He has a lot of fans in numismatics, and we expect coins encapsulated with NGC labels individually signed by Harrison to be very popular collectibles.”
Harrison joins NGC’s list of label signers, including Kenneth Bressett, the longtime editor of A Guide Book of United States Coins (the “Red Book”); Mike Castle, the congressman who helped launch the 50 State Quarters Program; and John M. Mercanti, the 12th chief engraver of the U.S. Mint and designer of the American silver Eagle reverse.
Charlie Duke, astronaut in NASA’s Apollo 16 lunar mission, will also sign a limited run of NGC slab labels.
Most recently, NGC has partnered with astronaut Charlie Duke to autograph its labels.
Duke is one of only 12 people to have walked on the surface of the moon.
As part of the Apollo 16 mission, Duke became the 10th man to walk on the moon in April 1972. Then 36 years old, he became the youngest person ever to have stepped foot on the lunar surface – a record that he still holds.
He and fellow NASA astronaut John Young stayed on the surface for 71 hours, spent 20 hours and 14 minutes outside the lander and logged 16.6 miles in their lunar rover.
Three years prior to his own moon walk, Duke served as capsule communicator for Apollo 11, the first moon landing. A month later, Duke was selected as the backup lunar pilot for the harrowing Apollo 13 mission in April 1970.
The Charlie Duke autographed NGC labels will be available from select retailers later this year.
For more information, visit NGCcoin.com/Labels.
This article was originally printed in Numismatic News. >> Subscribe today.
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