Pawn Loans

A pawn is another term for a collateral loan. Pawnbrokers lend money on items of value ranging from gold and diamond jewelry, musical instruments, televisions, electronics, tools, household items, firearms, and more. Some pawn shops may specialize in certain items. Loans are based on the value of the collateral. When a customer pays back the loan, their merchandise is returned to them. A customer may also choose to surrender your collateral as payment in full. Pawn shops may offer extensions/renewals (where permitted by state law).

Pawnbrokers offer the consumer a quick, convenient and confidential way to borrow money. A short-term cash need can be met with no credit check or legal consequences if the loan is not repaid. Pawnbroking imposes a discipline on the borrower that other lenders do not. Pawn loans do not cause people to overextend credit or go into bankruptcy.

Loan amounts vary according to the value of the item. There is no minimum  or maximum dollar amount on a  pawn. Your loan amount will be determined according to other factors as well such as demand and condition of the item. Not all pawn stores are the same and price will vary.

Pawn shops base the value of the item on current appraised value, its current condition and the ability to sell the item. Pawnbrokers use research tools that they have at their disposal to determine an item’s value and get you the most money for the item. The appraisal process varies depending on the type of item—for example, jewelry is evaluated differently than a DVD player. All items that pawn shops buy or pawn are tested to ensure that it works properly.

Less than one tenth of one percent of all pawned merchandise is identified as stolen goods. That’s because customers must provide positive identification and a complete description of the merchandise. This information is then regularly transmitted to law enforcement, which dramatically decreases the likelihood that a thief would bring stolen merchandise to a pawn store.

Yes, Pawnbrokers are governed by all of the major federal laws that apply to entities designed as financial institutions. The federal laws that regulate the pawn industry are Patriot Act, Truth in Lending Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, as well as Data Privacy and Safeguard of consumer information as part of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Rules. Pawn shops that deal in firearms are regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Pawn shops may also be Federal Firearms License holders. States have regulated the pawn industry for decades, and most pawnbrokers are licensed and regulated by local authorities as well.