Frequently Asked Questions

What is "pawning"? What is a "pawnbroker"?

Pawnbrokers, also known as collateral loan brokers, make loans based purely on the intrinsic value of the collateral. Checking the customer's credit history is not necessary because only the value of the item being pawned is considered.

If the loan, or at least the interest, is not paid off during the specified term (usually three or four months), the item is forfeited and may be resold by the broker.

What kind of things do you loan on?

Historically, pawnbrokers loaned money on just about anything as long as they believed it had value. Nowadays, pawnbrokers loan money on items of value such as gold, diamonds, jewelry and musical instruments which will retain their value over a reasonable period of time.

How much do you loan? What is the smallest and largest amount of money you will loan?

Loan amounts vary from as little as $10.00 to hundreds or thousands of dollars depending on our appraisal of the value of the item. This value takes many things into account. For precious metals, value is based on weight. For gems and precious stones, we consider size, clarity, and desirability (will other people want to buy it). For some items, age is a factor.

Ultimately, in the event that you do not reclaim your item, we have to decide: Is this something that we believe we can sell and how much will it sell for five or six months from now?

We would much rather have you reclaim your item (most people do) than have to sell it, but that fact is that loan amounts are based on the current (and future) resale value of the item.

How much will the loan cost?

The State of California, in order to protect consumers from "predatory lending" practices, regulates how much a pawn shop in California can charge its customers. The interest rates are based on the amount loaned - feel free to ask how much it will cost to reclaim your item.

How long do you hold my loan before you sell it?

In California, contracts are for four (4) months. At the end of that period of time, a reminder notice will be mailed to the address of record so it is important to let us know if you move. Ten (10) days after the notice is mailed, the loan is forfeit. However, as explained in the next section, you can extend the loan.

Can I extend the loan? How?

You can extend the loan an additional four (4) months by paying the interest due. On your loan contract is a section that tells exactly how much is due to reclaim your item. If you come into the store and pay the interest, you will receive an updated contract. You may also send a payment via US mail. If you choose this method, please include your name, date of birth, the contract number and the description of the item you are paying on - or simply include a copy of your contract.

Can I find out how much you will loan before I come in? Do I have to come in to make the loan?

Unfortunately, we cannot appraise your loan item over the phone so you must bring it in to the store before we can make a loan.

How can I contact you for more information?

We can be reached by telephone at 209.462.7593 during regular business hours which are Monday through Friday, 8:30 am - 6:00 pm.

Or, you can reach us by email at cas12744@aol.com.