American Pickers (or also known as The Pickers for international) is an American reality television series that premiered on January 18, 2010, on the History Channel, produced by A&E Networks in collaboration with Cineflix Media. In the series, the hosts travel across America in search of rare Americana artifacts and national treasures that they can buy from the collectors to add to their personal collections or sell in their antique shops.

Overview

The show follows antique and collectible picker Mike Wolfe and a co-host (originally Frank Fritz until 2022), who travel around the United States to buy (or "pick") various items for resale, for clients, or for their personal collections. Danielle Colby runs the office of Wolfe's business, Antique Archaeology, from their home base in LeClaire, Iowa, and more recently at a second location in Nashville. They originally traveled in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van and now in a Ford Transit. Fritz sells his acquisitions at his own shop and on his website, Frank Fritz Finds, upriver in Savanna, Illinois. The men go on the road, not only following up leads that Colby has generated but also "freestyling"–stopping at places that look like they might hold items worth buying. They also pick some places more than once. The series introduction is narrated by Wolfe and Fritz. The first three seasons used a lengthy introduction, but beginning with Season 4, a shortened version began to be used: "[W]e're pickers. We travel the back roads of America looking to buy rusty gold. We're looking for amazing things buried in people's garages and barns. What most people see as junk, we see as dollar signs. We'll buy anything we think we can make a buck on. Each item we pick has a history all its own. And the people we meet? Well, they're a breed all their own. We make a living telling the history of America... one piece at a time." Wolfe and Fritz explore people's homes, barns, sheds, outbuildings, and other places where they have stored antiques and collectibles. They call upon amateur and serious collectors, hoarders, and also people who have inherited overwhelming collections of items that they don't know what to do with. Wolfe, who has been picking since age four, has a particular interest in antique motorcycles, air-cooled Volkswagens, old bicycles, and penny-farthings while Fritz has a fondness for antique toys, oil cans, and old Hondas with a special love for peanut-related items. They have purchased old advertisements and commercial signage, film posters, a rare 15-gallon visible gasoline pump, and a Piaggio Ape (pronounced "ah-pay") which a friend told them is probably the only one of its kind in North America. In December 2011, American Pickers revealed that Antique Archaeology had leased part of a former 1914 car factory in Nashville which originally made the Marathon automobile for a second business location to decrease the distance required to haul their finds from the southern states. On July 21, 2021, The History Channel announced that Frank Fritz would be departing from the cast of American Pickers. On July 21, 2022, various news outlets reported that Fritz was hospitalized with a stroke after Wolfe posted about it on social media. In a late May 2023 visit between Fritz and Wolfe, Fritz deferred rejoining the series at that time due to his health. Danielle Colby, Mike Wolfe's younger brother Robbie, and friend and antiques expert "Jersey Jon" Szalay have since taken turns accompanying Wolfe on his road trips. At times, they also strike out on their own trips at the same time that Wolfe is on the road. Fritz was born on October 11, 1963, and died on September 30, 2024, at the age of 60.

Reception

The series debuted on January 18, 2010. The premiere episode of American Pickers had 3.1 million viewers, making it the highest rated History channel debut since Ice Road Truckers in 2007. The September 8, 2010, episode "Laurel & Hardy" garnered Nielsen ratings as high as 5.3 million viewers in the 25–54 age group. As of that episode, the show retained the title of #1 new non-fiction series of 2010 among all viewers and adults 25–54.

Australia

American Pickers was also shown in Australia on 7mate. In 2013, an Australian version of the show, called Aussie Pickers, premiered on 7mate. The series ran until 2014, lasting two seasons. In 2019, Road to Riches was launched on A&E Australia.

Episodes

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