Top 10 Items Pawn Shops Like to Buy

Precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum are a staple at pawn shops. Depending on the karat (purity) and weight of your item, you can easily fetch $250 or more. Aside from other items like diamonds and jewelry, precious metals are the one of the best items to pawn for quick cash.

Cough,..we're not talking about your $10 Timex watch from Walmart here. If you own a luxury watch from Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, or any other high-end brand, you should expect a big check from a pawnbroker. However, items like these should be taken to high-end pawn shops that have the budget to give you the money possible.

You've heard the age old saying, "diamonds are a girl's best friend", well they're also a pawnbrokers best seller. It would be tough to find a pawnbroker that would turn down some "precious stones". If you have diamonds or gemstones you're willing to pawn, call your pawnbroker now. If they don't want them, call me next! (only if they're real :P)

Maybe they're not as in demand as diamonds or precious metals, but you can still pawn regular jewelry for quick cash. Just don't expect to get more than $100 bucks if your jewelry doesn't contain anything worth haggling about.

Now firearms are a hit or miss. It's either pawn dealers want them or they want nothing to do with them. It all depends on your location and the market. If your local pawn shop accepts firearms, you can expect at least 25% of the gun's value in cold hard cash.

What's a man without his power tools? Power tools are great items to pawn because of a healthy resale market that is mainly driven by contractors and handyman that can afford a new set of tools. If you're willing to part with your used tools, it shouldn't be difficult to pawn them or outright sell them for cash.

Who doesn't own at least 10 electronics in their home? And that's problem, electronics have become so affordable that you shouldn't expect more than $50 for flat screen TV or microwave. However, that doesn't mean you're pawnbroker won't accept them.

Depending on the type of smartphone you own, you can easily get $200+ on the spot. Smartphones are one the few items pawnbrokers are willing to negotiate on. That's because the used smartphone market is perhaps as big or bigger than the used car market. There will always be a demand for used smartphones like the iPhone or the Samsung Galaxy S.

If Gamestop can open 7,000 stores filled with new and used games and consoles, what does that say about the gaming industry? It says that gaming is lucrative and pawn shops want a piece of the bacon. Unfortunately, don't expect to get $50 for a used game like Gamestop. In reality, you'll need pawn/sell at least 3 games to approach the $50 mark.

Surprising to most, musical instruments are a top seller at selective pawn shops. The problem lies in the fact that selection of pawn shops that accept musical instruments is minimal. The good news is that more and more pawn shops are starting to accept them as collateral for a pawn loan.