I found a Franklin 'terracotta' coin in my grandpa's belongings - turns out it's 'not very common' and worth $2,000

PAWN Star's Rick Harrison was at a loss for words when a seller brought in a rare terracotta coin.

Tyler wasn't sure what he had when he found the coin in his grandfather's belongings.

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He brought it into the world-famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, where Rick had a little bit of a better idea of what it was.

It turned out to be a terracotta medallion, featuring Benjamin Franklin's profile. They were extremely popular in France in the 1700s.

"I got this through my grandfather's estate. It was in a really nice, fancy box, and I figured it's gotta be worth something," said Tyler.

In 1777, Franklin went to France to try and get some money for our budding new country.

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"When this guy shows up in France, he's hanging out with French royalty. Everyone wanted to meet this guy, everyone wanted to be around him," Rick explained.

"People loved him so much, that a company started making these plaques and they were hanging them on their walls because everyone loved him. He was like a rockstar."

Franklin is considered the most beloved Founding Father, but Rick had no idea what the plaque was worth.

Tyler wanted an eye-watering $10,000, so Rick brought in an expert to help price it.

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David Vagi, the director of the Numismatic Guaranty Company's Ancient division, said it was in fantastic shape and from the most important part of the American Revolution.

He said Franklin was "quite a celebrity," and a natural subject for commemorative objects like this one.

"These are not very common, and this one is actually in very good shape," Vagi said.

"This piece is actually quite rare. If you wanted to go out and buy 20 of them...it would be absolutely impossible."

Vagi told them that the plaque was valued between $1,500 and $2,000.

Ultimately, Rick offered Tyler $1,200 and the two negotiated back and forth before agreeing on $1,400.

"This is going to go towards my student loans, and I need some new tires for my truck too," Tyler said.

SNEAK PEEK

This wasn't the first coin Tyler brought into the pawn shop.

He also had a "booby coin" he inherited from his grandfather, and similarly, no idea what it was worth.

"I didn't know that much about it but I believe it's worth some money," he said.

Rick was shocked to see the coin, and said it's one of the "coolest coins the United States ever made."

The 1917 quarter features Lady Liberty on the reverse holding an olive branch with her right breast fully exposed - which didn't sit well with many American citizens.

"When the American public saw this coin and realized there was an exposed breast on it, it really upset a lot of people," Rick said.

It was so upsetting to some people that the Society for the Suppression of Vice pressured the Treasury to stop minting the coins and even demanded that the government recall the coins that were already in circulation.

Rick ultimately offered Tyler $1,000 for the quarter, which he quickly accepted.

He said he would use the money to help cover his school costs.

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