I enjoy watching a show called Pawn Stars, which is a reality show about a large, family-owned pawn shop in Vegas. Basically, the show consists of people bringing in interesting items, and the shop figures out an appraisal of the worth, and then the negotiating process for a sale price. I've read comments on the internet that the guys are kind of sleezy, they don't give fair prices, etc. etc. Which...I guess you'd have to see the show if you haven't, to judge that for yourself. I think part of it is a perception created by bias. The guys seem a little like biker dudes, and they aren't super refined (though, IMO, they seem like decent people).
Anyway, I was watching an episode last night which got me to thinking about the negotiating part. A guy brought in an old book that he said was once owned by Isaac Newton. They brought in an expert, and turns out, it had at one time been in Newton's personal library. He said it was worth $20K. The shop owner offered $5K, they bargained to $7K, and that was the deal. Both parties seemed happy. But did the pawnshop act ethically in offering such a low price?