Man Shocked As He Discovers Dad’s Old WWII Pilot Jacket Is Worth $2500

A World War II pilot’s son, Marc, recently stumbled upon his dad’s vintage bomber jacket tucked away in a closet; little did he know it was worth a fortune. Upon discovery, Marc took his historic find to the renowned World-Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas, Nevada, during an episode of the 23rd season of Pawn Stars.

Marc was left in shock when he discovered that the seemingly piece of garment held a significant monetary value today, estimated to be worth around $2,500. Marc’s decision to bring the jacket to the pawn shop stemmed from his desire to find a suitable market for such a historically significant item. “Maybe somebody who appreciates it can buy it and display it somewhere,” he mused.

Old WWII pilot jacket is worth $2500

The jacket had two captivating features that served as poignant reminders of its World War II heritage. The back of the bomber jacket has a vivid painting depicting the P-38—the very fighter plane piloted by Marc’s father during his wartime missions.

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Also, a distinctive badge—the emblem of the 97th Fighter Squadron, known as the Devil Cat—was imprinted on the front of the jacket.

Marc decided not to sell the historical WWII piece

Rick Harrison, proprietor of the pawn shop, enlisted the expertise of his friend Paul Milbury from Military Historical Arms and Antiques to assess the value of the item. Upon examination, Paul expressed his disappointment that Marc, presumably the owner or seller, lacked any documentation to authenticate the jacket.

“What’s gonna make this valuable is the paperwork and the history saying what he did, where he did it, that’s what brings in the value now,” he explained. “The jacket, I’d say, between $1,000 and $1,500. With history behind it, with paperwork, with other stuff, the jacket could bring $1,500 to $2,500.”

However, Marc decided not to sell his jacket at that moment. Instead, he returned home to explore what other belongings and documents he could uncover from his father’s historic possessions.