The Weirdest Things That People Have Tried to Pawn

It is true that pawn shops will take anything they can sell at a profit. You can find all kinds of things ranging from modern to antique, each with its unique story. Some stories are sad, some are downright hilarious but whatever the case may be, a pawn shop is a wondrous treasure trove. 

Whilst it is true that pawn shops will accept and sell virtually anything, the thing is, some items should never even be peddled to a pawn broker. There are a couple of weird and wonderful items that are walked passed a pawn shop’s premises but these are some of what makes being at a pawn shop interesting.

Gold Watches

Gold watches have long been a popular item for pawnshops, but some individuals have attempted to pawn truly bizarre timepieces over the years. From a solid gold watch encrusted with hundreds of tiny gemstones, to a vintage wristwatch that once belonged to a famous celebrity, these unusual offerings have left pawnbrokers both bewildered and impressed. One of the oddest attempts involved a custom-made, gold-plated watch shaped like a miniature frying pan complete with a working clock face – a quirky yet creative approach to pawnable timekeeping treasures. While gold watches remain a common commodity in the pawn world, it’s the eccentric variations that occasionally steal the spotlight.

Gold brick

A gold brick or gold bar is something that would get any pawnbroker excited but just because it looks like gold doesn’t mean it is gold. Customers have been known to try and pass off gold painted bricks as the real thing. Fortunately, pawnbrokers can tell a spray-painted gold brick a mile away. Pawnbrokers do not buy anything that looks like ‘gold’ without first testing in. An ordinary gold painted brick is the easiest thing to test. For one iris extremely light where gold bricks are typically heavy and it scraped off easily to reveal what lies beneath the golden coat.  It would be hard to pull that stunt at a pawnshop Brisbane or anywhere for that matter because pawnbrokers can spot fake gold, in any form.

Gold Teeth and fillings

Gold is often used in dentistry. It is used as cavity filling, bridge gaps and sometimes gold is used to replace an entire tooth. Customers have walked into a pawn shop with their teeth intact only to start pulling the gold tooth out.

The notion that pawnshops are the best place to get money when you are desperate for cash has had people trying to sell off their prosthetics. They would literally rip their artificial limbs off for cash; some have even try to pawn livestock. Of course, a pawnbroker will not buy something like that because they would never be able to sell it to someone else but this hasn’t topped people trying to pawn ridiculous things. Some of the weird things that people have tried to pawn off include urns with the ashes of perfect strangers. Some people will take chances and try selling something like the towel that Michael Jackson once used to wipe his sweat off, that might be better than the woman who once walked into a pawn shop and tried to sell what she claimed was Elvis Presley’s 50 year old poop. She had had preserved this after a one night stand with the King.

If you’ve ever watched the popular show Pawn Stars that looks at the daily lives of a family that runs a pawn shop in Las Vegas, you will have seen some strange or quirky items that come through. People come in hoping to get a good chunk of money for precious metal items that were once owned by some famous person or specially made to commemorate some milestone like the sterling silver walkman made by the luxury brand Tiffany & Co. for John Enwistle formerly of the now defunct band, The Who. Pawnbrokers aren’t keen on buying old electronics, especially something like a walkman that plays cassettes. These are just extinct but sometimes a broker will buy an item because they know of a collector who would buy such an item. This particular walkman ended up being bought for $1,250 by a pawnbroker who stands to gain more at auction or from collectors of The Who’s personal belongings. 

Whilst a pawn shop Brisbane might be the best way to get a quick loan or cash, there are specific items that are guaranteed to fetch a reasonable amount of money. 

Clare Louise