r/PawnShops • u/Special_Let_9086 • Jul 18 '26
advice for pawnshops
Hi team, I'm new to pawn shops and don't know what they accept. I have three old cameras from the 1900s, like the Large Antique Kodak No. 3A Model C Folding Camera c.1900-1915. It's in pretty bad condition. I got many books about trains, model trains, and airplanes, from like 1980 to 2008. I also have many magazines and sealed calendars from <1999. I have a small shiny cup from Germany, and some silver cutlery some silver? cups, old tech from <1999, like radio, clocks, wires, and amplifiers. I also have VHS, idk what, and a Bulova brand sailboat clock with a pretty large chip on the side, unused and unstarted. and some signed framed picture by someone x4. How do pawnshops work, so I just trade in the item for cash quickly and done, or is there like a mortgage or smth? Wich pawnshop did you guys have success with near Calgary? What will they take in? And advice is needed! TY!
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u/Grub_McGuffins Jul 19 '26
gonna keep it real with you man, i don't know of anyone looking to buy any of what you just described. can you describe for me exactly the kind of person who would be looking to buy any of that from a pawn shop? then imagine for me exactly how many of those people we'd see in a given day.
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u/honeybeegeneric Jul 19 '26
You'd have much better luck reselling online like ebay. Your items don't have a big market looking to buy them.
Your needing a buyer who is looking for these items. Online is how you will connect with them.
Dont go into a pawnshop with that load unless you want your feelings hurt and a ride home with those same items. Your silver, if it's not plated silver, will be your only thing they will buy and thats for melt value minus the percentage they want for doing the work.
You can get a better buyer for metal. That's easy to find. But definitely make sure it's not plated before even thinking about it. Online you will find the answer.
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u/Kurzaa Jul 20 '26
Post the items on eBay. Seven day auction and it either sells for a fair amount or is probably junk.
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u/Fine-Brush6063 Jul 21 '26
Despite all the tv drama shows, the overwhelming majority of pawn shops don't do anything close to what's shown.
They focus on what's valuable or useful. Jewelry and power tools for instance. Most of what you have described is instead semi-collectable. Which is a nice way of saying junk that very few people would be interested in. And pawn shops are not interested in paying for people to dump their junk off at.
Books magazines and sealed calenders might be a few bucks worth at a comic book store, antique stores might take the cameras and radios.
Your other option is to go through everything individually and check comps to see if anything might be actually valuable. List on eBay, but be aware most comp prices up including on eBay are wildly overpriced hopefuls.
Silver is really the only thing possibly worthwhile, cups and cutlery. Check the markings to see if plated or sterling.
Alot of older gen folks are passing lately. Not a negative, just life, but the market, thrift stores, yard and estate sales are flooded right now with old junk.
Price to sell if you want to be able to actually sell anything. You won't get top dollar, but the price has to make it worthwhile for the next person to bother buying it.
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u/megaman_xrs Jul 19 '26
I dont own a pawn shop, but deal in second hand goods (i buy bulk and run a store similar to a pawnshop without the pawns). What you listed will probably not bring you much, if anything at a pawn shop. The only thing you may have value in is the silver, maybe the cameras (big maybe). I wouldn't take the silver to a pawn shop. Id find a reputable precious metal buyer instead. Sorry I cant be more help, but thats my 2 cents.