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Best Items to Pawn? Here You Go…

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There may come a time you need money now, and you have no choice to visit a pawn shop to get rid of a few items for some quick cash.  I get it.  The great thing is that there are more than 30,000+ pawn shops throughout the United States, which means there should be pawn shop near you.

I have mentioned pawn shops before, as they can often offer an aggressive price for your items, but it isn’t always the case.  I have found pawn shops often undercut you on most items since they have to make a profit.

However, if you need the money now and you want to deal with professionals, it’s not a bad option to consider, seeing you can get cash in as little as 30 minutes.  Of course, your items need to be in demand.  You can even use these items as a short-term loan if you want the item back, but the rates will be much higher than what a bank can get you.

In today’s post, I wanted to talk about the best items to pawn.  If you’re looking to make $50, $100 or even $200+ by the end of the day, there should be at least one item that you can take to a local pawn shop.  Many find it easy to walk away with a few hundred dollars  Again, this isn’t the best way to make money instantly, but it’s not the worst.  I just want to help out as I always do.

So, without further ado, here are the best things to pawn from around the house.

Best Items to Pawn Around the House

Before I delve into what you can sell at a pawn shop, let it be known that you can sell almost anything, as long as it has value, of course.  My rule of thumb is that if what you’re selling is on eBay, a pawn shop will probably be interested, however, there will be some items that are much more in demand than others.

What I will do below is break it down into categories, ranging from the high-demand items to items that can net you $100 or more.



High-Valued Items to Pawn

Pawn shops are almost always willing to pay top dollar for the following items since they know they can profit quite handsomely.  How much you make will depend on the condition, brand, etc, but what you can do is explore eBay to see what others are paying for it.  Just be sure to check the most recently sold items.  While you won’t get the eBay value, you should get close to 50%+, depending on the pawn shop.

  • Clothing (high-end fashion names only)
  • Electronics (iPads, tablets, Kindles, Macbooks, laptops, computers, and monitors)
  • Gaming Consoles (Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo Switch and even retro systems)
  • Instruments
  • Jewelry
  • Power Tools
  • Smartphones (iPhone, Android, Samsung, LG and Blackberry)
  • Watches

What Can I Pawn for $50 to $100+?

Again, depending on the brand and condition, it isn’t too hard to get at least $50 for the following items:

  • Electronics (Apple and Samsung, especially)
  • Kitchen Appliances
  • Computers/Laptops
  • Golf Clubs
  • GoPro
  • Jewelry
  • Power tools (bigger, the better)
  • Printers
  • Televisions (no older than 3 years and larger than 55″)
  • Video Game Console

NOTE:  If your items are new, in the box, then you could command a much higher price tag.

What Pawns for $500+?

Honestly, there’s not much that pawns for $500+ on the spot, but there are some items that may bring you luck, such as:

Jewelry:  Most of your gold and diamonds can command an offer higher than $500.  Pawn shops sell a lot of jewelry and often are more than willing to pay you an aggressive price.  And, the nice thing about these pawn shops is that they almost always have an expert on site who knows what you have to sell.  I always recommend you get your jewelry appraised before blindly handing it over at a pawn shop.  Sure, while you won’t get market value, you won’t want to get ripped off.

Collectibles:  I know, this topic is vague, but collectibles can be valuable to a pawn shop.  It just depends on what you have to offer.  Like the jewelry, get your items appraised, or again, check out eBay to see what other people are getting for their item.  As long as you know the market value, some collectibles can easily net you $500+.

Coins:  Walk into any pawn shop and you will almost always see a collection of coins.  Coins have been a collectible for an eternity and so many coins hold a high value.

Higher-end Electronics:  Some electronics can command a price tag close to $500, but, again, it depends on what you have to offer.  This can include larger, newer televisions, as well speakers, laptops and even certain gadgets.  Usually, Apple products can sell for a high price, as do televisions larger than 55 inches.

What Else Pawns for Decent Money?

You may not want $100+ and that’s fine, as pawn shops will purchase smaller items off you as well.  This can include the following:

  • Bicycles
  • Board Games (usually those that retail for more than $30+)
  • Books
  • Camping Gear
  • Children’s Items (toys, strollers, etc)
  • Cookware (deluxe brand-name pots, pans, etc)
  • Home Decor (mirrors, shelves, tables, lamps)
  • Pet Supplies
  • Sporting Goods Equipment (baseball bats, gloves, rackets, snowboards, skates, etc)
  • Workout Equipment

Final Thoughts

A pawn shop can be a great way if you need cash instantly, but be wary of the short-term loan option as interest rates will be very high, sometimes in the triple digits, depending on the state you live in.  These loans never make sense.  I just recommend you sell the item outright and be done with it.

That’s going to wrap it up.

If you want cash instantly, a pawn shop can be a decent option, but it isn’t my favorite, but I understand why you may want to consider one if you need money now.  I hope this list helps you brainstorm items you can bring into a pawn shop near you.  You won’t make a ton, but it’s a way to make a few hundred fast.

As always, if I’m missing any items you can bring in or you want to share your success story, then, by all means, feel free to let me know in the comments below.

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Tom Nathaniel

Hi! My name is Tom Nathaniel, and I created LushDollar to help share my honest thoughts on everything money. You won't find gimmicks here. It's the Internet's most honest money site after all. I graduated from Arizona State University, and I have worked in the finance industry since 2006, consulting with multiple Fortune 5000 companies.

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