'American Pickers' returning to Missouri

"American Pickers" is returning to Missouri in May.

Episodes of History Channel's hit television series are planned to be filmed throughout Southeast Missouri, according to Maggie Kissinger, associate producer for Cineflix Productions, which produces the series.

"American Pickers" is a documentary series exploring the world of antique "picking." The show follows skilled pickers in the business as they hunt for America's most valuable antiques.

The pickers are always excited to find sizable, unique collections and learn the interesting stories behind them, Kissinger said in a news release. As they hit the back roads from coast to coast, the show co-hosts are on a mission to recycle and rescue forgotten relics. Along the way, they want to meet characters with remarkable and exceptional items, she said. They hope to give historically significant objects a new lease on life, while learning a thing or two about America's past along the way.

"The Pickers have seen a lot of rusty gold over the years and are always looking to discover something they've never seen before. They are ready to find extraordinary items and hear fascinating tales about them," Kissinger said.

But, she said, plans may have to change because of the coronavirus.

"We understand that with the proliferation of COVID-19, we are all facing very uncertain times," Kissinger said. "We at American Pickers are taking the pandemic very seriously and will be following all guidelines and protocols for safe filming as outlined by the state and [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]. While we plan to be in Missouri this May, we will continue to reschedule if conditions change for the worse. Regardless, we are excited to continue to reach the many collectors in the area to discuss their years of picking."

The "American Pickers" TV show is looking for leads and wants to explore hidden treasure. Anyone with a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques the pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through, may send their name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to americanpickers@cineflix.com or call 855-OLD-RUST.

More information about the show may be found at the "American Pickers" Facebook page, www.facebook.com/AmericanPickers.

New episodes of "American Pickers" air at 8 p.m. Mondays on History Channel.