About

Sean Rich is a California-based archeologist, historian, and TV personality with over 30 years of experience in rare antiques, historical weapons, and treasure hunting.

Perhaps best known for his role on the popular series, Pawn Stars, Rich has served as an on-camera expert and armory specialist for numerous television and film projects, including National Geographic's Lords of War, History Channel's Gettysburg, and the Disney film franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean.

In addition to his extensive work in antiquities and media production, Rich is a seasoned treasure hunter with experience in exploring and excavating some of the most elusive shipwrecks around the world.

He is the founder and owner-operator of Tortuga Trading, a leader in the sales and acquisition of antique firearms and other one-of-a-kind historical relics.

EARLY LIFE

Sean grew up on the west coast of Florida and has always been driven to the water. He has an unquenchable passion for history that started simply by walking on the beach as a young boy with his family and finding fossilized shark teeth millions of years old. He was obsessed. 

Fossils and Paleontology led to reading about the lost Spanish treasure Galleons and Pirates of the Caribbean in National Geographic magazines. Sean looked out over the Gulf of Mexico and wondered what may lie beneath, just waiting to be found, and he knew then and there that his path was clear… ARCHAEOLOGY! Land and nautical.

Years later, Sean would turn his passion into a business that his young self could be proud of. Today, he is known in the industry for adhering to a strict code of ethics, only buying and selling antiques that have been legally accepted in the marketplace, and for taking a firm and clear stand against "tomb robbers" and those who steal artifacts from archaeological sites to sell on the black market. The quality and integrity of his work have led to Sean working directly with museums, institutions, and professionals from all over the world who share his passion for preserving history.

  • Sean Rich With Early Antique Gun Collection

  • Sean Rich With Early Fossil Collection

  • Sean Rich Early Studies of Archaeology and Anthropology

Career

Highlights

  • 2005 - Leased and sold antique weapons to Disney Studio for Pirates of the Caribbean II and III, volunteering his time and expertise on set over 2 years as a historical weapons consultant and Armourer with the Prop Department

    2009 - Chosen to be on the HISTORY CHANNEL T.V. series called "PAWN STARS" as their Antique Arms & Armour Specialist

    2009 - Supplied props to 20th CENTURY FOX Studios for the Movie production "KNIGHT & DAY", starring TOM CRUISE & CAMERON DIAZ which debuted in April 2010

    2009 - Appeared in several episodes on HISTORY CHANNEL's new hit show "PAWN STARS" SEASON 1 & 2

    2010 - Supplied props to Walt Disney's "PIRATES of the CARIBBEAN 4, On Stranger Tides"

    2010 - Filmed more episodes on "PAWN STARS" SEASON 3 & 4

    2011 - Featured in HISTORY CHANNEL'S Civil War Week Special of "PAWN STARS" SEASON 4

    2011 - "PAWN STARS" SEASON 5 and 6

    2011 - Featured in HISTORY CHANNEL'S Special "GETTYSBURG"

    2012/2013 - Filmed and Starred in First Season of National Geographic Channel's New TV Show "LORDS of WAR"

    2014 - Supplied authentic antique Props for AMC Network's NEW series, "TURN", about George Washington's spy ring during the American Revolutionary War

    2014 - Returned on HISTORY CHANNEL'S "PAWN STARS"

    2014 - Supplied props to Hot Snake Media for their TV show production "AMISH MAFIA" featured on DISCOVERY CHANNEL

    2015 - Appeared on HISTORY CHANNEL'S "PAWN STARS"

    2016 – Appeared on HISTORY CHANNEL’S "PAWN STARS"

    2016-17 Executive Producer "FORGOTTEN", "GALLEON QUEST" (TBD)

    2016-17 Props for Disney's "PIRATES of the CARIBBEAN 5, Dead Men Tell No Tales"

    2017 - Exhibited at the Palm Springs ComicCon, the "Sean Rich Traveling Museum" featuring the Props provided to Disney for all the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies.

    2018 - Weapons Consulting Producer on DISCOVERY CHANNEL'S TV Show "MASTER OF ARMS", Episode (1) November 2, 2018

    2019-20 - TORTUGA PRODUCTIONS, LLC. Check out the teaser on our home page or on YouTube, “PRESERVING HISTORY with Sean Rich”. We are working on some very exciting new projects. Stay tuned !!!

    2020-21 - Supplied props to Disney for the movie "JUNGLE CRUISE" starring Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson. Released July 30, 2021.

  • • CADA (Collectors Arms Dealers Association)

    • A National Arms Dealers Association.

    • The Arms & Armour Society, London.

    • The Armor and Arms Club of New York and sponsored by; Stuart Pyhrr, Curator, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Arms and Armor Department and Donald LaRocca, Associate Curator of Arms and Armor Metropolitan Museum of Art.

    • The San Diego Maritime Museum and sponsored by; Mark Alan, Curator of special exhibits. Note: Loaned personal collection for two exhibits 2000/2001, "Pirates!" and "The Manilla Trade Galleons".

    • The National Muzzle Loader Association, #108999

    • The National Rifle Association, LIFE MEMBER.

    • The California Rifle and Pistol Association, #329006

    • California Department of Justice Handgun Safety Certificate #1233854

    • The Texas Gun Collectors Association.

    • United States Power Squadrons, Cert. #E226729

  • BA-Archaeology/Anthropology, Minor-Geography - Salve Regina University, Newport, Rhode Island