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American Pickers (2010)

10 23 seasons 426 episodes 45 min Reality

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Synopsis

Pickers like Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz are on a mission to recycle America, even if it means diving into countless piles of grimy junk or getting chased off a gun-wielding homeowner’s land. Hitting back roads from coast to coast, the two men earn a living by restoring forgotten relics to their former glory, transforming one person’s trash into another’s treasure.

About the series

American Pickers (or also known as The Pickers for international broadcasts) 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.

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American Pickers (or also known as The Pickers for international broadcasts) 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. They originally traveled in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van and now in a Ford Transit. The pickers 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 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.

The pickers 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 large collections of items. Wolfe, who has been picking since age four, has a particular interest in antique motorcycles, air-cooled Volkswagens, old bicycles, and penny-farthings. 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. This location subsequently closed in 2025.

On July 21, 2021, The History Channel announced that Frank Fritz was leaving American Pickers. On July 21, 2022, various news outlets reported that Fritz was hospitalized with a stroke. In a late May 2023 visit between Fritz and Wolfe, Fritz deferred rejoining the series at that time due to his health. 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. They also occasionally make their own trips independently.

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.

Ireland

In 2020, A+E Networks UK commissioned Irish Pickers, which follows Irish antique dealer Ian Dowling. It premiered on Blaze and is narrated by Ardal O'Hanlon.

Episodes

Home media

In other media

In the NCIS episode, "One Man's Trash", Gibbs and Ducky watch American Pickers and see an antique war stick from a 16-year-old cold case. Mike Wolfe guest stars as himself in the episode.

Related

In 2026, History's Greatest Picks has been made with Mike Wolfe.

Notes

The series was re-broadcast on ITV4 from 6 October 2025 onwards.

The series was re-broadcast on Channel 4 from 20 October 2025 onwards.

See also

Canadian Pickers / Cash Cowboys (2011–13), a similar TV series featuring two pickers in Canada; produced by Cineflix Media for the History channel in Canada.

Picker Sisters, a 2011 TV series about two female pickers/designers.

Picked Off, History's 2012 reality competition series, also produced by Cineflix Media.

References

External links

Official website

History's "Meet the Pickers" cast bios

Official Antique Archaeology website

Official Frank Fritz Finds website (archive)

American Pickers at IMDb

"American Pickers": The Inside Story of the History Channel’s Surprise Hit, Jeff Ignatius, River Cities' Reader, 17 March 2010

Text from American Pickers on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Pickers

Seasons

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Questions about the series American Pickers

What is American Pickers about?

American Pickers: Pickers like Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz are on a mission to recycle America, even if it means diving into countless piles of grimy junk or getting chased off a gun-wielding homeowner’s land. Hitting back roads from coast to coast, the two men earn a living by restoring forgotten relics to their former glory, transform…

How many seasons does American Pickers have?

American Pickers has 23 seasons, with 426 episodes in total.

Is American Pickers still running?

American Pickers is still running, with new episodes expected.

How long is each episode of American Pickers?

Each episode of American Pickers runs about 45 minutes.

Who stars in American Pickers?

The cast of American Pickers includes Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz, Danielle Colby-Cushman, Rob Wolfe and Steven Tyler.

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Page updated on 09/15/2026.