RICK: So I'm down here in LA with Chum.

And we're about to go take a look at this huge collection

of old steel printing plates.

And I have a feeling they're going to be really heavy.

So that's the real reason why I brought Chum.

[laughs]

You want me to carry it all?

That's why you brought me?

I got a bad back.

CHUMLEE: Jeez, Rick.

Hey, how's it going, man?

ADAM: All right.

How are you doing?

Sorry we're late.

I had to eat lunch twice.

That's OK.

Here it is.

That's a lot of metal plates.

Holy [bleep].

So these are all the printing plates from the American

Banknote Company?

ADAM: That is correct.

The plates were used in printing stock certificates,

currency, stamps--

pretty much anything.

Can I open one of these up?

Yeah, go ahead and open one up.

I mean, have these been cataloged or anything?

ADAM: No.

They've been here for several months.

Chum, see, like, they have this currency

thing on the front of them?

Let's go print some money, boys.

[laughs]

ADAM: I have plates and rollers from the American

Banknote Company.

I've collected coins and currencies my whole life,

as long as I can remember.

And then the printing talked to me a lot

because my entire family has been in the printing business

for three generations.

So it was just interesting to me from a lot

of different perspectives.

RICK: This is pretty amazing.

ADAM: The American Banknote Company was founded in 1795

by Robert Scott, who was the original engraver

for the United States Mint.

They have engraved and printed stocks, bonds, currencies.

RICK: Yeah, they were printing currency for tons

of different countries.

Just about every bond certificate for the United

States was printed by them.

They had the printing technology where

it was really, really difficult to counterfeit their stuff.

ADAM: Right.

And they're just out of business now.

And you just-- - No.

They're-- - They're still in business?

ADAM: --still in business today.

The currencies are a lot different now.

And stocks and bonds are traded digitally.

So they just, like, sold off all their old metal plates?

ADAM: Yes, they did.

And here, you're looking at it.

There's a ton of people that this could appeal to.

You have currency collectors who would buy it,

bond collectors who would buy it.

And if you have anything specific to certain companies,

it could be collectible.

So it's all for sale though, right?

ADAM: Absolutely.

I can pick through it.

It's not an all or nothing deal, right?

Well, I'd like to do the whole thing in one deal.

But I'll tell you what.

Once you get in there start picking some things

and if there's some things of interest,

we can talk about that and open that door.

OK.

Cool.

Um, I'm going to call a buddy down here to help

me too if you don't mind.

ADAM: Don't mind at all.

RICK: I'm going to start digging through this.

You call Peter, and then come back and help me.

All right.

I'll be right back.

RICK (VOICEOVER): So we're here at a printing museum.

And they're actually going to take these steel plates,

and put them in a press, and print something.

Can you just, like, show me the process of how to do this?

Oh, certainly.

Can you print this one?

ADAM: We can print that.

All right.

Who doesn't love a good train image?

RICK: So if everything looks good, maybe I can make a deal.

[laughs]

Are you ready? RICK: I'm ready.

Yeah, yeah Let's check it out.

Well, step on over to our printing press.

So first, we're going to work the ink.

It's actually a very specialized ink.

It's very dense, very heavy.

What-- our first step to do here is

actually to get the ink into those small crevices

in the plate.

RICK: OK.

And while this is happening, our paper

is actually in the process of getting

softened in a bucket of water.

CHUMLEE: Wow.

So we're inked up.

Now Mike, my master printer, is going to take the next step

here to get the ink off the surface

and then leave the ink in those reservoirs.

So now you can see the train.

CHUMLEE: You should just leave it like that.

Yeah.

Now we're going to get that into the press.

RICK: Oh, this is very cool.

So next, we're going to get the paper.

CHUMLEE: Quick question-- do you have the paper

they used to print money on?

Well, I can tell you who makes it.

It's actually one of the oldest companies in the nation.

It's Crane's Paper.

I'll be ordering from them tonight.

Yeah.

Well, they also have a good mailing list.

And guess who sees their mailing lists--

the Secret Service.

The key is getting this started with the felts,

allowing for the pressure.

RICK: Whoa.

That's incredible.

This is absolutely amazing.

I had no idea it would look like this.

Well, thanks, man.

I really, really appreciate this.

I never thought printing was art.

It is definitely-- it's an art and a craft.

Enjoy it.

RICK: All right.

So you're asking 4,500 and--

CHUMLEE: I think that's steal, Rick.

RICK: Um, so you're still good at 4,500 bucks?

I think 4,500 is a good number.

You get the opportunity of the printings.

And that can go wherever you want to take it.

It's unlimited.

I guess we have a deal.

This is absolutely fabulous.

I, um-- now I've just got to hire this guy.

[laughter]

[music playing]

I'll go to my truck. And I'll write you a check.

- OK. - Come on.

All right.

This is a really cool place.

Yeah, it is.

RICK: Chum.

I'll be a few minutes, Rick.