Sometimes, money’s tight. You need some extra cash for food, rent, or something else, and you might be wishing you could get your hands on $1,000 within a day or two.

Fortunately, pawn shops make that possible. You can bring your item to a pawn shop like Cash Express and walk out the same day with money in hand.

Some items fetch a better price than others, though. Below, we’ll discuss a few things you can bring into a pawn shop to help you walk out with at least $1,000.

But first: pawn or sell?

Should I Pawn or Sell My Items?

That depends.

Pawning an item gets you a short-term loan — with the item as collateral. There are no credit checks, either.

And if you can’t pay it back plus interest, the worst that happens is you lose your item.

Still, pawn shops know their customers might be in tough financial situations, and they’re willing to help. They often will give an extension if you’re having trouble paying back the loan.

Your other option is to sell. Selling will usually net a higher price, but, of course, you don’t get your item back.

Items to Pawn or Sell For $1,000

Pawn shops have to deal with several costs, such as storage space, licenses, labor, and other store expenses. They need to earn enough to cover all these, plus make a profit.

The result?

Small, high-demand items are pawn shop favorites. Pawn shops can get the most money out of these items while minimizing their storage costs.

Here are some of those items.

Watches

Watches can fetch much more than $1,000 at a pawn shop, depending on several factors. 

Brand is one of the most important. Rolexes, Breitlings, and Chopards (to name a few) could earn you thousands of dollars.

Other factors influencing watch proceeds include:

• Condition
• Being made of precious metals
• Being a collector’s item

Diamond Rings

Diamond rings are an obvious choice for a few reasons. First of all, people looking to save money on a ring often go to pawn shops. Also, pawn shops don’t even need to sell the ring to make money. They can take it apart and sell each piece separately.

Jewelry

Most other kinds of jewelry will sell well, too. They’re small for easy storage, yet are in high demand by people who want jewelry at a bargain.

Jewelry not in good condition? You can still sell it for scrap metal at a pawn shop.

Firearms

Some pawn shops won’t give you the best prices on guns. You’ll want to visit a pawn show that specializes in firearms.

Additionally, not all guns fetch a high price. Do your research on your gun’s value and make sure it’s in good condition.

Lastly, make sure you have all relevant paperwork and licensing. Otherwise, you can’t pawn or sell your guns.

Other Items You Can Pawn For Less Than $1,000

Here are some items that won’t fetch such a high price, but are worth bringing to a pawn shop anyways if you need some spare cash.

• Electronics
• Less valuable firearms and watches
• Golf clubs
• Mountain bikes
• Tools (especially power tools)
• Gym equipment
• Musical instruments

Need $1,000 today? Cash Express would love to help. We take a wide variety of items, but we especially love jewelry and precious metals. Bring your items to our Philadelphia pawn shop today for some quick cash!