Ever wonder how a pawn shop decides what your item is worth? A pawnbroker weighs several factors from the moment you walk in to the point a loan amount is set. Here's how it works.
What You Can Bring
Common items include jewelry, gold, platinum and silver, watches, electronics, tools, musical instruments, collectibles, ATVs, and motorcycles. Precious metals hold value even as cracked or broken jewelry, and pieces with authentic gemstones are worth something even when damaged.
Condition and Market Value
We assess condition, shape, and market value — checking for scratches, flaws, and damage. Supply and demand in the local area matters too: hard-to-sell items (a surfboard inland, snowshoes in the tropics) may be declined or valued lower. Some items never go obsolete, like jewelry and gold coins; electronics, by contrast, date quickly, so a good broker keeps current on makes and models to price accurately.
How the Loan Amount Is Set
The primary factor is the item's expected resale value, considered as a range. The low end is the wholesale value — what we'd get if we had to sell it to a used-goods wholesaler. The high end is the retail price if it sells here in the shop. If local demand for your item is thin and we'd likely have to wholesale it, the loan offer comes down accordingly.
Want an accurate number? Bring your item and a photo ID, see our collateral loans page, or call (561) 774-9292.