Things You Didn’t Know You Could Pawn

When considering items you can pawn, your first thoughts may go to jewelry, electronics or even musical instruments. But did you know you can pawn less conventional items like comic books, vintage Barbie dolls or even boats? Yes, those random pawn shop goods you may see when shopping truly do have value. The next time you’re looking to make a bit of extra cash or need a quick loan, consider pawning one of these less obvious items.

Vehicles

If you’re looking to sell your car, motorcycle or boat quickly, a luxury pawn shop should be your first stop. Selling your vehicle yourself or through a traditional dealership can take a lot of time and may leave you with a deal you’re less than satisfied with. While vehicles might seem like weird things to pawn, you’ll be surprised by how easy and quick the process is.

Pawn shops that buy cars will be looking to take relatively new cars. However, many pawn shops are open to taking older models as long as they have under 100,000 miles. Of course, classic and luxury cars like Porsche and Ferrari are desirable but don’t hesitate to bring in other cars like Acura, Ford or Honda. Basically, if your car is in good condition, it’s worth bringing it to your local pawn shop.

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The same idea goes for motorcycles and boats. If you have a boat or motorcycle that is in great condition or a luxury or antique item, your local pawn shop will be interested in taking a look.

Of course, as vehicles are large, expensive items, you should expect to have to provide some documentation when trying to sell or pawn them. To sell or pawn your vehicle at a pawn shop, you’ll likely need:

  • A valid title in your name.
  • Proof of completion of all payments on your vehicle loan.
  • To prove you have no liens and don’t owe any government fees.

To learn more about the process of pawning your vehicle, read our in-depth guide to pawning a car.

Antique Toys and Collectibles

When was the last time you took a look through the boxes in your basement, attic or garage? You may be surprised to know the value of some of the toys and collectibles you have packed away. You can trade these valuable items for cash or use them as collateral for a loan. Toys may seem like unusual pawn shop items, but rare, antique or collectible toys are actually in high demand.

Market Decipher report lists the collectibles market size as $402 billion in 2021. Market Decipher expects to see the toy market reach $35.3 billion by 2032. The next time you’re ready to do some spring cleaning, look out for toys or collectibles from the following franchises:

  • Marvel
  • Star Wars
  • Disney
  • Barbie
  • GI Joe
  • Legos
  • Cabbage Patch dolls

Toys in their original packaging, especially antique or vintage toys, will sell for more. But, as long as the toy is in good condition, you should fetch a fair price for it. Don’t forget to look for any accessories you may have. For example, vintage Barbie accessories may sell for a similar price to the vintage doll itself.

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Vintage and antique toys are always in demand. These toys are no longer available on the market and can never be replicated as technology and manufacturing practices change. However, the time it takes for a toy to become valuable has significantly decreased in recent years. Now, toys and collectibles can become valuable without having to wait years to be coined “vintage.” For example, certain collectible dolls from the 2013 animated film “Frozen” are selling for upwards of $3,000 not even a decade after the movie’s release.


Memorabilia

Similar to antique toys and collectibles, memorabilia is another hot ticket item at pawn shops. You may not even realize how many items you have that you could pawn. If you’re looking to make some quick cash, consider pawning odd items you find around your home — you may be surprised at how valuable they truly are.

Sports

Sports memorabilia ranges from collectible cards to autographs. The sports memorabilia market is one of the biggest markets in the world. If you have a quality product, there is likely a pawn shop that will want it.

Common valuable sports memorabilia items include:

  • Balls
  • Cards
  • Autographs
  • Bats
  • Jerseys
  • Helmets
  • Shoes

However, as sports memorabilia is such a big industry, pawn shops will want to verify what you are offering is the real deal. Bring any documents with you that can help validate your proof of purchase or the authenticity of the item. Pawn shops will perform their own appraisal and verification process, but any documentation you can provide can help you sell your items and get the best price possible.

Music

Music memorabilia is another big market for pawn shops. Especially with the shift to digital music consumption, physical copies, especially of older musicians’ work, are high price items. While music has gone mainly digital, there is an increasing interest in vinyl records. In 2020, new and used vinyl sales outsold CDs for the first time in several decades. Vintage and limited edition records are going for even more than they have before.

Keep in mind music memorabilia is more than just records. Other types of music memorabilia include:

  • Ticket stubs
  • T-shirts or other clothing items
  • Autographs
  • Concert posters
  • CDs

Sometimes, bands or artists will even release products like board games or comics. These tend to be more bizarre pawn shop finds, but they do exist. As previously mentioned, any music memorabilia you try to pawn will need to be in good condition, and the more documentation you have, the better.

Books

Books may not be as common for pawning as memorabilia or antique toys, but they can still be valuable. If you own a book that meets any of the following criteria, your book is likely to be valuable enough to pawn:

  • The age of the book: An old book that is in great condition can be extremely valuable. Of course, age is sometimes not enough. You’ll want your book to be well known or highly sought after.
  • If the book is signed: Autographed books will be much more valuable than even an older, non-autographed version. However, you’ll need to be able to authenticate the signature to prove its value.
  • How rare the book is: Typically, the rarer a book is, the more valuable it is. Some quick internet research or talking with an industry professional can help you determine the rarity of your book.
  • If the book is a first edition: First editions of classic books are extremely valuable and make for great collateral if you’re looking for a pawn shop loan.

Keep in mind comic books can be considered valuable books as well. First-edition or well-kept Marvel comic books can be worth a lot. Comic books will also need to meet one or more of the criteria above. As always, authenticity documentation is recommended when trying to pawn.


Pawn Your Items at The Vault Jewelry and Loan

The Vault Jewelry and Loan specializes in high-end luxury items such as jewelry, handbags and watches. However, we also know value can come from less obvious items. That’s why we are open to taking a look at any item — no matter how strange — if it has true value.

In each of our locations across Virginia, you’ll find a team of experts ready to offer you a fair deal. If you think you have something of value, get in contact with our experienced team through our online form or by calling us at 703-379-1006.

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