Pawn Shops

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I’ve watched that show “Pawn Stars”. Kind of interesting. Makes me think of stuff I got rid of a long time ago and wish I’d kept.

About 12 yrs ago I was looking for an antennae for an old TV, and someone suggested a pawn shop near where we ate lunch. I found the antennae, and as I was leaving I saw a pretty earring tree……..total for both items was $9.

Even though I’m in a large city, I haven’t noticed a lot of pawn shops. But a few years ago I visited a relative and her DH who live in a city with lots of military families. I noticed lots and lots of pawn shops, and she told me that’s where she bought her kids musical instruments, and her DH got a great deal on a camera. (It’s said that in some military towns there are strip malls with: pawn shop, liquor store, gun store, pawn shop, strip bar, payday loan place, pawn shop, tattoo parlor.) ;)

I can see where parents might want to check pawn shops for musical instruments instead of buying new. Also hear that – depending on what you’re looking for – there are decent deals on jewelry.
I've heard of people who sell items of a deceased relative to a pawn shop because they don't want to go thru all the time. etc. involved with an estate sale.

But a few months ago I had some time to kill and browsed the DVD collection in a pawn shop. $2 each, and I bought 3. One movie played okay, one skipped, and the other stopped playing halfway thru. I kept the one and tossed the other two. Guess that's a risk you take. :shrug:

Anyone have any experiences to share – good or bad?
 

No experience with pawn shops, but I do watch Pawn Stars sometimes and find it an interesting show. There's another pawn show with a father and his son and daughter who run a pawn shop in a big city, I think it might be Chicago. I don't like that show as much as Pawn Stars.
 

I've been to the Pawn Stars store in Las Vegas...The Gold and Silver Pawn Shop. It's not a really interesting place and the stars are only there to film shows, so you seldom get to see them. At times there's a long line down the street to get in. I did sell them a commemorative token I had from years before.

Now American Jewelry and Loan in Detroit, the location of the Hardcore Pawn series, looks like it would be a bit more interesting albeit possibly dangerous. I lived only a mile from it at one time.
 
Pappy said:
We have several pawn shops in Florida. I like to visit them once in a while. You can find some good merchandise and barter with the pawn guy to get the best price. I bought my last two hand guns from a pawn shop.
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Why do you need more than one hand gun?
Oh I get it, one for each hand?
 
I haven't been to a pawn shop, however hubby and I like to go to antique shops and flea markets. In fact, we went to one this morning.. and in a display case, I noticed two purses.. and I recognized the look, so I had the attendant open the cases.. as I suspected, both were Coach brand with serial numbers.. perfect condition inside and out.. I paid $18 for each. When I looked them up on line, they both retailed for $350. I love a bargain.. and that was a good one..
 
Wow, QS. A fantastic deal. (A friend who can afford new Coach bags pays a pretty penny for them.)

Neext time I'm near a pawn shop or antique shop I want to look for some eye-catching unique salt & pepper shakers and juice glasses. Mine are 'blah'. Might also check thrift shops. We don't have many flea markets here, but I've seen some good ones in other areas.
 
A few years ago there was a big increase in the number of pawn shops here. I suppose this reflected the state of the country at that time. They were not the old style of shop with three brass balls and masqueraded under various other names, but they were pawn shops no matter what you called them.

The point used to be that you could get an instant loan using goods as security, with the intention that you would redeem them within a week or so - the forerunner of the 'Payday loan'. The amount that you got did not necessarily reflect the value of the goods, but simply that they represented good security for the amount that you borrowed. The pawnbroker only has to cover this amount and make a bit of profit, so sometimes you can get a real bargain.

With the situation getting better (or so we're told), we may not se so many of these shops in future.
 
I like to browse in pawn shops. I have found some good bargains of things that I don't need, but wanted to own just to say that I have it. I bought a floor jack the last time I was in one and I do use it. Florida is full of pawns shops.

As for "Pawn Stars", it is a staged TV show. Who in their right mind takes a Rembrandt to a pawn shop to sell when taking it to Sotheby's would bring more money.
 
oldman said:
As for "Pawn Stars", it is a staged TV show. Who in their right mind takes a Rembrandt to a pawn shop to sell when taking it to Sotheby's would bring more money.
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I agree with the "staged" part, but very interesting to see items from the past. Some say it is easier to pawn/sell the item directly to the pawn shop rather than pay the commissions to the auctions...smiley-confused013.gif
 
Pawn shops can be a great bargain for buyers, but for sellers?

Mega rip-off. They'll pay less than 10 cents on the dollar, then turn around and demand 5x that amount. They don't stay in business by helping poor people - they do it by catering to cheap rich people.
 
People running pawn shops are not going to give you any bargains... You have a much better chance of finding a real treasure at a flea market where something really valuable could be hiding amongst the junk.. and if you do your homework and study what you are interested in finding, you can get some REAL bargains.
 

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