A cash-strapped economy has made trading more popular than ever in Hickory, North Carolina, and veteran barter shark Gene Roberts has to take on a new sidekick, Robert Price, just to stay in the game. But when a barter war ensues with their arch-rivals, Fred and Andy, over a Prohibition-era kegerator, Gene’s southern charm may not be enough to seal the deal. Without a single item for Friday’s big auction, Gene stocks up on bizarre novelty collectibles, including a 10-foot ear of corn, and Robert questions their budding partnership. But a last-minute trade-out for a Civil War sword with an unusual history could turn their luck around.