Pawn Shops in San Diego, CA
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A Brief History of Pawnbroking
Someone once said that the hand of God reaches everywhere and certainly that is true of pawnbroking. Pawnbroking was part of Italian life as early as 1464 when in acts of benevolence, the early monts de piete, by authority of the pope, loaned money to the poor without interest--on the condition that advances be covered by the value of pledges. The three golden balls which still symbolize the pawnbroking industry were originally the arms of the famous Medici family who flourished in Lombardy, in the northern part of Italy, during the 14th to the 18th centuries. It is believed that these gold balls were intended to represent gilded pills--either as a pun on the name Medici or in honor of the profession of medicine in which some family members had excelled .
In China, pawnshops were as visible two or three thousand years ago as they are today. The Chinese system favored the borrower where redemption of property could take up to three years at only 3% per annum! From Italy, business spread all over Europe; however, the ever-cautious French questioned the legality of charging interest and as a result, the first pawn shop opened in Paris in 1777. In England, the pawnbroker arrived with the Conqueror. Until legislation was authorized by Edward I, the only pawnbrokers in England were of Jewish descent. Lombard Street merchants, many of them from the Medici family, displayed the balls of Medici over their businesses and soon afterwards, other pawnbrokers followed suit and the pawnbroker’s symbol was born.
Although pledge borrowing occurred earlier, pawnbroking in the United States was recognized during the 18th century. In 1819 New York City had ten pawnbrokers, Boston had fifty in 1859 and Minneapolis had twenty-five in 1893. By 1914, pawn shops were the main source of credit in the U.S. with licensing occurring for the first time in New York in 1803. Semi-charitable lending agencies were established in 1959 to make low-cost consumer loans on pledges, chattels or mortgages. Provident Loan Society of New York was the largest. By the 1930’s, by charging 1% interest per month, it made more than 400,000 pledge loans each year. During the 50’s Provident Loan was responsible for one-half of New York’s pawnbroking business. Later, due to the consumer credit revolution, banks, credit unions, credit jewelers, secondhand dealers and unlicensed loan sharks created stiff competition for pawnbrokers. In 1945, after discount houses forced lower loan valuations on pledges and lower prices on non-redeemed items, pawnbroking declined rapidly. Within ten years several cities lost one-third of their pawn shops. Today, tight regulations govern interest rates and the methods of operation.
The San Diego Police Department and the State of California are both involved in regulating pawn shop activities. And if the economy worsens, pawn shops continue to offer small loans with fewer requirements than other lenders. For people who need $300 or less in a hurry (try getting a quick loan from a bank!) pawnbrokers--previously known as "lenders of last resort"--have moved back into the arena, loaning money not only to the disadvantaged but to middle and upper class professionals as well. -- P. Doering, reprinted from Second Hand News, Summer, 1995 issue. c 1995 Second Hand News. All rights reserved. (The following listings are a "work in progress." If you know of a good pawn shop in the San Diego County, CA area which is not listed here, email us the information.
Central & Beaches, San Diego County, CA 
AUTO PAWN OF CALIFORNIA -- Borrow $100 to $50,000; lowest rates in town; drive or store your car. (858) 695-6900, (888) 463-3322.
HILLCREST PAWNBROKERS -- 3940 Fourth Ave. , San Diego, CA (619) 297-1224.
NORTH PARK JEWELRY & LOAN -- Buy, sell, trade, cash loans. No loan too large or too small. Top $ for your old gold. Extra premium paid for large top quality diamonds. Dealers of high-end stereos, videos and firearms. 3993 30th St., North Park, San Diego, CA. (619) 298-6882.
SAN DIEGO SUPER PAWN --Specializing in large loans featuring a complete jewelry clearance center with upwards of $1,500,000 in inventory. 7500 square feet in an upscale setting. Owned by Las Vegas chain. 5985 El Cajon Blvd.,San Diego CA 92115. (619) 229-9273. M.-Fr. 10 AM - 7 PM, Sat. 9 AM College Area.
PALACE PAWN BROKERS -- Billed as the "oldest, biggest and the best", this is a classy pawn shop loaning money on quality jewelry, audio/video equipment, musical instruments, and much more! This is also one of the best places in town to buy near new merchandise. 951-Fourth Avenue, downtown San Diego, CA. (619) 234-3175.
SAN DIEGO JEWELRY & LOAN -- Loans up to $50,000. Checks cashed, Western Union money transfer plus money orders. Cash for valuable items. 933 Fifth Ave., downtown San Diego, Ca. (619) 234-5450.
PRESIDIO JEWELRY & PAWN --
Buy, sell, loan, trade. Jewelry, estate jewelry, silverware, gold and silver bars, coin and collections, Native American art, more! We make offers at no charge. 3555 Rosecrans, #105-A, San Diego, CA 92110 (619) 225-2224
OCEAN BEACH PAWN BROKERS -- Buy, sell, trade anything of value. 4919 Newport Ave., Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA. (619) 224-7296
PACIFIC BEACH PAWN SHOP -- 4660 Cass St., Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA. (858) 272-2522.
SPANKY'S PAWN SHOP -- The oldest pawn shop in Ocean Beach! Buy. Sell. Trade. Loan. 1919 Cable Street, Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA 92107 (619) 224-4354
East County
AUTO PAWN DEERHORN MOTORS -- Loans money on any type of vehicle where the vehicle and the title secure the loan. Vehicle remains on secure lot while customer receives cash. Customer has up to four months to repay loan with some interest. Loan is 25-50% of blue book. Company test drives vehicle and loan is based upon whether car is in good or better condition. 8939 Troy Street, Spring Valley, CA (619) 464-2131 (Fax # 619-741-2566.) Open Tu.-Fri. 9 AM - 5:30 PM; Sat. 9 AM - 5 PM. Closed Sun. & Mon.
EAST COUNTY PAWN SHOP -- 941 Broadway, El Cajon, CA. (619) 588-4207.
EL CAJON JEWELRY & PAWN -- Loans on anything of value. 935 E. Main, El Cajon, CA. (619) 440-8282.
South County
THE PAWNSHOP -- 389 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA (619) 426-4442.
SIMON & SIMON JEWELRY & LOAN -- San Diego ’s oldes pawnbroker family. 139 E. 8th, National City, CA. (619) 477-6404.
North Coastal - North County Inland
GEMS N’ LOANS -- Quick loans $5 to $100,000 for quality merchandise. Top prices paid,
immediate
cash. No credit qualification, hassle-free loan process. Se habla Espoanol. In business in San Diego County since 1993. Member of the Collateral Loan Second-Hand Dealers Assoc and the National Pawnbrokers Assoc. 925 S. Santa Fe, Vista, CA (near 78 & Escondido Ave.,) (760) 732-3999; 1551 W. Mission, San Marcos , CA. (760) 747-7117; 3753 Mission Ave. #111, Oceanside , CA (Mission at El Camino Real); (760) 722-2762 and 3210 Mission, Oceanside , CA (Mission at Airport Rd.) (760) 757-3553.
TRI-CITY LOAN -- Buy, loan, sell. All kinds of items; loans from $5 to $25,000. Jewelry repair. 546 S. Santa Fe Ave., Vista , CA. (760) 941-6962.
ESCONDIDO COIN & LOAN -- Since 1959. Four month loans on coins, gold, silver, jewelry, items of value. 241 E. Grand Ave., Escondido , CA. (760) 745-1697.
COLLATERAL LOAN OF ESCONDIDO -- Since 1979, we buy or loan on practically anything of value. Guns, TV sets, gold, silver, stereos, cameras, jewelry, tools, diamonds. Loans up to four months or we will purchase the item. Lay-a-ways. 239 W. Washington, Escondido , CA. (760) 741-7208
HOUSE OF PAWN -- We loan on practically anything of value..gold, jewelry, sterling, silver, v.c.r.’s, camcorders, firearms, tools. 815 S Escondido Blvd., Escondido, CA. (760) 480-1111.
KING’S PAWN -- $500-$25,000; family owned and operated since 1991. We pay the most! 1010 E. Valley Parkway, Escondido, CA. (760) 432-9411.
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