Pawnshops, for the most part, are given a rough time, but most pawnbrokers are honest. They may not give you the best price if you’re selling to them, but they’re usually quite honest about it and are not attempting to deceive you.
But a pawn shop in which to find antiques? People bring in the strangest of things to a pawnshop and, frequently, the operators don’t know the antique value of the piece. Antiques are usually not their area of specialization. If a person were to bring in a seed pearl and amethyst 15-karat gold brooch, the pawnbroker would likely weigh the piece, deduct any weight for the stones and offer the seller 35 percent of the gold value.
So, the pawnbroker buys an Edwardian amethyst brooch for $35. It has a gold value of $100 and they’re offering it to you for $140. But you, because you’ve been pouring over books and articles on antique jewelry, recognize this beautiful brooch which casts its violet and golden hues, as being Edwardian. And you know that if you were to walk into an antique dealer specializing in antique jewelry, you would likely be paying upwards of $1,245 for this antique brooch treasure.
Don’t pay the pawnbroker’s price right away. Negotiate. Ask them how much it weighs and how much the gold weight is. If you are serious about this hobby long-term, purchase a good electronic jeweler’s scale. Weigh the piece yourself. Figure out the raw gold value. Offer the pawnbroker $90. Perhaps you end up paying $110. Now you can buy a sweet bouquet of cut flowers to give to your wife when you present her with her “new” Edwardian brooch.
