‘American Pickers’ Star, Mike Wolfe, Sold His First Pick Before He Was Even in Middle School
Mike Wolfe has spent more than a decade as the host of the reality TV series, American Pickers. Wolfe was the mastermind behind the show, convincing the History channel to help him make the series to educate people on what picking is. Since the network took a chance on Wolfe’s idea, he’s done just that. The famed picker has taught everyone what his craft is all about. Few people know just how long he was at it before he became the face of the iconic TV series, though.
Mike Wolfe’s career began long before ‘American Pickers’ premiered
Mike Wolfe’s career has been pretty storied, and he’s made more money doing what he loves than he ever imagined. While Wolfe has plenty of fans, few people realize how long the man known for crawling through old garages to find treasures honed his craft before landing a TV deal. Wolfe started picking through discarded items for a profit before he ever learned to drive a car or a motorcycle. His first big interest was bicycles.
In February 2020, Wolfe appeared on CBS Sunday Morning. He recalled how his entire career started. Wolfe remembered picking a bicycle from a trash pile when he was still just a kid, no older than elementary school age. The famed picker said his family was too poor to afford a bike, so he was amazed that someone would toss such a treasure.
The bicycle wouldn’t have worked for him, as it was a girl’s bike. Still, he saw the value in it. Wolfe recalled selling that first find to a neighborhood kid for $5. It was his first big score, and many more would come. During the interview, Wolfe said that moment set him on his path, and he spent the rest of his childhood picking through garbage, looking for treasure. It turned into his career, but the price tags got much higher.
Mike Wolfe buys far more expensive items today
As Wolfe’s career has progressed, so have his picks. What started with a bicycle has become a thriving business and a well-loved TV series. Today, Wolfe, along with his business associates, is dealing in much higher-price items. In season 23 of American Pickers, Wolfe walked away from a rare Shelby GT car because the price wasn’t right. He was willing to consider parting with the better part of $100,000 to pick up the shell of the iconic vehicle.
Over the years, he’s purchased everything from sideshow banners to motorcycles. One of his biggest finds came in season 2 of American Pickers, when Wolfe, along with former co-host Frank Fritz, picked up a 1937 Harley Davidson Knucklehead from a former pawn shop owner. Wolfe laid down $20,000 for the classic Harley. An expert appraised the motorcycle for $25,000 at the low end.
More recently, Wolfe spent $46,000 on two niche automobiles, purchasing two Nash-Healey cars from an apprehensive seller. The company produced very few cars, with roughly 500 rolling off the assembly line before production ceased. According to Hagerty, the cars were fairly expensive in the 1950s, selling for the equivalent of $68,000 when new. Today, the average Nash-Healey seen at auction sells for more than $80,000.
