EZPAWN pawn shops, known as pawnbrokers, are among the oldest financial institutions. They help those with poor credit, low income or no credit at all, and they can be very profitable if you know what you’re doing. They have a bad reputation, but this is unwarranted. They’re very useful to many people and aren’t the seedy places some believe them to be.

The pawn shop you see on the show Pawn Stars is very real, though it’s small. They’re a family business with a father, son, and Chumlee, who I don’t think is quite as stupid as he appears on the TV show. The guys are interesting, and it’s fun to watch them buy and sell items that range from very rare coins to power tools and cars.

Find a Nearby Pawn Show

Most of the items purchased on the show are brought in without any documentation. This makes them worth a fraction of what they could be worth to someone else, and puts the pawn shop at risk if they turn out to be bogus or stolen. The pawn shop is willing to take this risk for the potential to make a large profit.

It’s important to remember that the prices they give for relics on Pawn Stars are very broad approximations of their value. If you know the history of a particular item, or you’re an expert appraiser, you may be able to sell it yourself for a much higher price.