Pawn shops are ready to pay thousands for these 11 regular items — do you have them?
Check out this selection of the top things you didn't know you could pawn.
Have you ever sat back and watched an episode of Pawn Stars and thought, "I bet I could get good money for my old stuff?" While you may not have the exciting finds that command hundreds or thousands of dollars at pawn shops, you may have things lying around that are worth something. Check out this selection of the top things you didn't know you could pawn.
Whether you're looking to sell or need a loan, a pawn store could be fore you.
Whether you're planning on selling your vintage or other items outright or you need a temporary loan, a pawn shop may be the answer. It isn't the most efficient way to secure a loan, but it's an option. You can leave the item with the pawn broker in exchange for a loan amount, and if you repay it in time, you get the item back. (If you don't repay it, the shop keeps your item.)
Is it better to sell at a pawn shop or online?
You can check at local pawn shops to see what they would give you for your items and try using those values in your online listings on Craigslist. A pawn shop may not pay you as much for your stuff, but they take the hassle and time out of the equation.
1. Obviously, rare stamps can be a valuable item to pawn.
If you possess some of the rarest stamps, you could get a good amount of money at a pawn shop or by selling to a collector. For example, a Ben Franklin 1-cent stamp is listed for thousands of dollars on eBay (up to $36,000).
2. Jewelry and watches can be worth a lot of money at pawn shops.
Although it may not come as a surprise, remember that jewelry and watches can be among the most valuable items to sell or pawn. A number of factors influence the resale value, such as the gemstones included, age of jewelry, rarity of the items, and whether they were owned by someone noteworthy.
3. Precious metals can fetch a nice pawn or resale price.
Scrap metals are often valuable at pawn shops.
You may have precious metals, whether they were once part of jewelry or not. Gold, silver, and platinum are some of the top-value precious metals.
4. Gaming consoles and equipment are good items to sell for cash.
If you have an old gaming console, controllers, or related equipment, pawn shops and gaming stores may give you good money for them. The better the condition they are in, the better, especially if they're still usable. (However, some vintage or retro gaming items could be extra valuable just for nostalgia.)
5. You can pawn firearms that are registered to you.
Many pawn shops are looking for firearms to buy from you, so if you have firearms legally registered to you, you can pawn or sell them.
6. You can pawn electronics or resell them.
Pawn shops often buy electronics, especially if they're in great condition and of top brands. Maybe you have some old TVs, laptops, e-readers, and other electronics lying around that you don't need. Try the pawn shop or list them on Facebook Marketplace to make some cash.
7. Games may be a fun item to pawn or sell.
Games for sale at a pawn shop.
While these might not be the top-dollar sellers, board games may be of interest at pawn shops. The price you can get depends on if there's a demand in your area for those games, and vintage items can usually get more money.
8. Vintage items may be worth a lot of money.
These vintage cameras including Polaroids could be worth a lot of money.
It isn't a secret that many collectibles are worth more money if they're considered vintage or retro. You might be surprised at what you have in your home or garage that's vintage and valuable — look up values of your vintage tools, technology, books, and more. Even Disney movies on VHS could be worth a lot!
9. Workout equipment can be a great item to resell or pawn.
We've all been there — paid a bunch for new exercise equipment and then let it sit untouched for months or years. You might get the most resale value by selling locally or on Craigslist.
10. Don't forget about antiques.
Any antique items you have could be worth a lot of money. As Antiques Roadshow and Pawn Stars have shown us, it can be surprising what qualifies as an antique and how much it might be worth.
11. Memorabilia of important events are valuable.
If you have memorabilia like newspapers from a major event in history or concert posters, you could sell or pawn these for cash. Country Living reports that framed concert posters may be worth $100 to $1,000 depending on the artist and condition of the poster.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on October 16, 2023. It has since been updated.
