On this (imaginary) episode of Pawn Stars:
Customer outside of store: My name’s Michael, and I’m here at the Pawn Shop to sell my Olympic bronze medal. I’m hoping to get enough to pay the back taxes on the 15 gold medals that I won, and maybe have a little left over to have some fun at the tables before I go home.
Rick (to camera, in warehouse): I’m really excited to see this come in here. Olympic medals don’t just walk into the store all the time. I mean, this is a piece of history, and Olympic memorabilia is highly collectible. But I don’t care how good it’ll look sitting in my store, it has to be for the right price.
Rick (back at counter, to Michael): The US is one of the only countries to assess a prize tax on its athletes who win Olympic medals. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida is supposedly introducing a bill that’ll change that, but right now, winners have to pay about $9000 per medal. Although there’s no truth to the rumor that the tax was instituted because it was a windfall, since, “they didn’t really win” the medals.
Chumlee: Yeah, isn’t that the real reason that the ’72 US basketball team didn’t pick up their silver medals? They’re all amateurs, and they couldn’t afford the taxes.
Rick: Shut up, Chum.
