American Pickers: American Pickers Star’s Prized Collection to Be Auctioned After Tragic Death

The antiques that were owned by American Pickers star Frank Fritz will be put up for auction after he unfortunately passed away, two years after having a stroke that rendered him unable to return to work at the time of his passing on September 30. Frank was 60 years old and surrounded by loved ones, including his longtime friend and co-star Mike Wolf.

Although Frank had been collecting motorcycles, vintage signs, and other antiques for a long time, he was also the proprietor of an antique store called Frank Fritz Finds, located in Savannah, Illinois. In an interview conducted exclusively for the United States Sun, Jerry Gindro, Frank’s long-standing buddy, disclosed the fate of the cherished antiques that the American Picker star possessed. There will be a sale of items through an auction, and Jerry believes that due to Frank’s large number of followers, the auction will do exceptionally well.

In 2021, the United States Sun went to Davenport, Iowa, to take photographs of Frank at his farmhouse, which cost $155,000. Within one of the houses on the property, he displayed rows upon rows of motorcycles that were part of his personal collection. American Pickers fans have witnessed Frank purchase a wide variety of artifacts over the course of the show’s history, ranging from antique mannequins to vintage signage. A number of the bicycles will be on exhibit at Jerry’s shop, as he had previously stated to the United States Sun.

Savannah, Illinois, is home to Frank Fritz Finds, which can be found in the back room of Hog Dogs, Jerry’s favorite pub. In October, Jerry stated to the United States Sun, “We have been in the antique business for the past 35 years. It’s likely that we’ll just keep acting like that. It’s possible that we will exhibit motorcycles and helicopters that exemplify Frank.” Right now, the store is decorated to look like a general store from the 1880s. “It’s possible that bike racks will be placed all along the middle of the room. We are attempting to think about what other people want me to do,” said Jerry.

The little antiquities that Frank Fritz Finds sells range from oil cans that cost $35 to ancient typewriters that cost $30. Following the stroke that Frank experienced in July 2022 at his home in Iowa, he lost a significant amount of involvement in the firm. On August 18, Frank’s friends and family members submitted a request for an immediate appointment of a temporary guardian and conservator for the celebrity, stating that his decision-making capacity was impaired as a result of the stroke.

According to the conservatorship paperwork that was received by the United States Sun, plans for the business were revealed amid his battle with health issues. According to the initial plan submitted by the conservator, Midwestone Bank, Mr. Fritz is a well-known collector who possesses numerous outbuildings full of valuable collections. It is the intention of the conservator to leave those goods mainly in their current state, with the exception of refilling Mr. Fritz’s antique store in Savannah, Illinois, if and when required. The conservator has not yet conducted an inventory of those items.

According to the conservator, there is optimism that Frank will be able to take part in the selection and pricing of items, just like he did in the past. By the year 2020, Frank had to leave American Pickers to undergo back surgery. In spite of the fury that fans felt over the cast reorganization, he never came back and was officially fired in 2021. Robbie, Mike’s brother, took over for Frank on the show, and Jersey John Chalet eventually joined the cast full-time.

In 2021, Frank disclosed his feud with Mike, who was 59 years old, during an interview with the United States Sun. According to Frank, “I haven’t spoken to Mike in the past 2 years. Despite the fact that he was aware that my back was infected, he did not call me to inquire about how I was doing. But that is the way things are. Everything is stacked in his favor 100% of the time.”

Frank continued, “It’s almost as if you have Aerosmith and Steven Tyler is the frontman for the band. I found my place on the show. I’m currently in second place, and he’s in first place. I don’t have a problem with it.”

During his recuperation, Frank was confined to a wheelchair as a result of the stroke. The United States Sun reported in August 2023 that a source had earlier stated he is able to walk, but he will always require the wheelchair because he is unable to walk for extended periods of time. “You basically lose motion,” she said. “His mobility was lost. A stroke can affect either the left or the right side of the body. In this case, it afflicted the right side.”

Earlier, Jerry provided some insight into the health issues that Frank was experiencing in the months leading up to his death. He had previously stated to the United States Sun that Frank “felt really, really bad” whenever Jerry visited him at the nursing home. “You would notice that one half of his body was utterly ruined. His arm would simply fall to the ground whenever he lifted it up. Being completely confined to bed must be a challenging situation,” Jerry described.

He went on to say that Frank became frustrated because he couldn’t come out and say what he wanted to say, despite the fact that some days were much better than others. “This is something that I’ve witnessed. When individuals get tired, they get fatigued,” said Jerry. “I believe that if you do not have the will to live, you will not live. If Frank had had the will to live, I believe he would have been able to survive for a tremendously longer period of time.”

The feud between Mike and Frank came to an end after Frank’s health problems, and they reunited over Memorial Day weekend in 2023. When Frank passed away, Mike was present in the hospice where he was receiving care, along with other loved ones.