Who is Rebecca Romney? Pawn Stars' iconic rare book expert
Rebecca Romney is reputed as an expert in the field of historical and rare books. She’s also a popular cast member on Sky HISTORY reality series Pawn Stars.
Image: Rebecca Romney | Pawn Stars
If you have some old books lying around, have you wondered how much they might be worth? Many people have thought likewise about their own abandoned tomes. They’ve even gone as far as taking them to the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop made world-famous by the Sky HISTORY series Pawn Stars.
Over the years, shop owner Rick Harrison has struggled to confidently appraise many old books brought in by customers. On such occasions, he’s sought advice from Rebecca Romney, an authority on rare books.
As an avid collector and reseller, Rebecca is accustomed to hunting for new books. Sky HISTORY decided to do some hunting of our own - for insights into how Rebecca became a big fan favourite on Pawn Stars.
Rebecca Romney’s background
Rebecca was born Rebecca Angeline Engeat in 1985. In an interview with Psychology Today in 2025, she recalled: ‘I grew up in a reading family - a family of scientists, so we read a lot of science fiction. Books were how we passed our time, how the family would connect.’
These formative experiences shaped Rebecca’s lifelong passion for literature. She went on to study linguistics and classical studies at university, but admits that this education was no free pass to the rare book trade.
‘There’s no degree to do what I do. Book collecting is about handling books as historical artefacts, so it’s all senses-based, experience-based. The only way to learn is by doing.’
How Rebecca joined the Pawn Stars cast
In 2007, Bauman Rare Books was set to open a new gallery in Las Vegas, where Rebecca happened to be based at the time. Having only recently graduated, she secured a job at the new site, which opened to the public early the following year.
Rebecca regularly appeared in early seasons of Pawn Stars, which started airing in 2009. Longtime fans of the show will remember her being credited on-screen as the manager at Bauman’s Las Vegas gallery. However, she did not land this position before Rick first approached Bauman about potentially featuring on the show.
‘We initially declined, but Rick came back pressing,’ Rebecca said in 2013. ‘I was now managing the store when he started pressing, and we eventually accepted.’
It all happened on Rick’s initiative. ‘It wasn’t the show’s producers or anything like that. It was a personal invite from him,’ she revealed.
Some of Rebecca’s biggest moments on the show
When it comes to what happens on Pawn Stars, regular viewers know the drill. Shop staff don’t want to pay over the odds for a relic a visitor has brought in. So, when that relic is a book, they often invite Rebecca to drop by and inspect it. She will then give her verdict on how much it’s really worth.
Often, this means crushing the seller’s heart with an unexpectedly low valuation. Other times, though, Rebecca has identified diamonds in the rough. The following highlights of Rebecca Romney’s time on Pawn Stars reveal what an entertaining, breathtaking rollercoaster it can be for everyone involved.
Rebecca saves Chumlee’s job
It’s always fun to see Rebecca’s rapport with other cast members in the series. One good case in point is when she got one of the shop’s employees, Austin ‘Chumlee’ Russell, out of a sticky situation.
In the sixth season, Chumlee spent $500 on new stock for the store - a book supposedly signed by Charles Lindbergh. Was it really the pioneering pilot’s signature? Rick was sceptical, leading him to demand that Chumlee take the book to Rebecca to hear her own thoughts.
Mercifully, Rebecca confirmed the signature as genuine after all, valuing the book at a healthy $1,500. Chumlee was relieved, telling her: ‘You probably saved my job.’
Rebecca makes a small but crucial observation
In the mid-2010s, Rebecca took up a new role at Bauman’s Philadelphia headquarters. However, despite leaving Las Vegas, she has still sporadically popped up on Pawn Stars.
One of these later appearances was in the 18th season, when seller Don offered a journal of the 1804 Lewis and Clark expedition. This journey was aimed at mapping the vast western territory acquired by the United States via the Louisiana Purchase.
Don originally wanted $16,000 for the journal, but Rebecca warned that library markings on it hurt its value significantly. In the end, it left Don’s hands for $4,200.
Rebecca Romney is just one of many history experts on Sky HISTORY. Eager to learn about others lined up for future shows? Just sign up to our Newsletter.
