Pawn Shop Rings: Guide To Buying, Selling, & Pawning Rings At Pawn Shops

Buying Rings From Pawn Shops

Pawn shops are a great place to buy rings and other jewelry. Often you can find great deals that are much cheaper than retail jewelers. Also, you can find designs that are not common in other places because people often pawn family heirlooms and antique jewelry.

Buying rings from pawn shops is safe - pawn shops are regulated businesses and they follow all local, state, and federal laws. Buying from pawn shops can be much safer than buying from online sources like eBay.

Most pawn shops are open to negotiating the prices of rings in their stores. You can often negotiate down a price by several hundred dollars in minutes by simply asking. Also, many pawn shops offer financing, which means you can sometimes buy a ring for little to no money down today.

You should always shop around before buying a ring or any other jewelry from a pawn shop. Use our tool to find jewelry pawn shops near you, and create a list of pawn shops that seem interesting. You should visit the pawn shops to inspect their inventory and compare offers.

Pros & cons

• Cheaper than retail jewelry stores
• More design varieties are available
• Financing
• Avoid online scams
• Not brand new
• May not come with the original box and paperwork

Pawning & Selling Rings To Pawn Shops

Most pawn shops accept rings for pawning, and they also buy rings if you want to sell your ring. Pawn shops typically only accept rings that are valuable - this means that the ring should be made with valuable materials such as gold, platinum, silver, diamonds, etc. Pawn shops may not be interested in cheaper materials like stainless steel.

Pawn shops typically can give you cash the same day when you pawn or sell your ring. The pawnbroker will inspect your ring, make sure it is authentic, then give you an offer.

Follow these tips to sell or pawn your ring at a pawn shop:

• Visit several pawn shops and get multiple offers.
• Do your homework ahead of time to get a basic understanding of what you think your ring is worth before you bring it into the pawn shop.
• Clean your ring with light dish soap and water so it looks nice when you bring it in.
• Bring all paperwork and purchase receipts with you.
• Be aware that pawn shops value rings based on the materials in the rings. They do not pay extra for sentimental items.

Wedding Rings

Wedding rings are found at most pawn shops. Wedding rings are often valuable, and people either pawn or sell their wedding rings when they need cash or get divorced.

Should I buy a pre-owned wedding ring?

You should consider buying a pre-owned wedding ring if you want to save money and get a good deal. Pawn shops can be a great place to buy a used wedding ring. Pawn shops often have a large selection of high-quality wedding rings that have been inspected and verified by an expert jeweler.

Gold, platinum, and silver wedding rings usually stay in good condition. Any minor scratches can be buffed out and made to look new. Also, many wedding rings can be adjusted to fit your finger. Pawn shops can resize the wedding ring for you.

Buying a new wedding can be much more expensive than buying a used wedding ring. New wedding rings can command 30% to 50% premium overused wedding rings. This means that you lose 30% to 50% right after you buy a new wedding ring.

Reasons to buy your wedding ring from a pawn shop

• Financing: Most pawn shops offer competitive financing. Ask your pawnbroker about current financing rates and loan amounts.
• Save money: Save 30% to 50% versus buying a new wedding ring. Used wedding rings can be much cheaper than new wedding rings.
• Diverse selection: Pawn shops have a diverse selection of wedding rings. Pawn shops can often carry unique and hard-to-find designs that new jewelry stores do not carry. Many people pawn and sell antique wedding rings.
• Avoid fakes: Pawn shops are not able to sell fake jewelry or misrepresent their goods. You can buy your wedding ring with confidence from pawn shops.
• Ability to customize: Pawn shops carry other jewelry, and they can help you mix and match your wedding ring diamond and setting.
• Work with an expert: Pawnbrokers are often jewelry experts. You can ask the pawnbroker about the wedding ring.

Class Rings

Class rings are commemorative rings that represent graduation from high school or college. Class rings are usually customized for the institution, and display the year and institution name. Class rings can be made from a variety of materials - gold, silver, platinum, stainless steel, and tungsten.

Pawn shops carry class rings that are valuable. Not all class rings are considered valuable - the class ring must be collectible or made of a precious metal to be considered valuable.

Class rings have more limited demand because the rings themselves are very customized for a specific year and institution. As a result, the range of buyers is much more limited.

The value of class rings is usually directly related to the value of the materials used to make the ring. The materials can be gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, etc. Most pawnbrokers will analyze the material value of the class ring to determine how much they will offer you when you want to pawn or sell your class ring.

Diamond Rings

Diamond rings are commonly found at pawn shops. Most of the value of diamond rings is related to the value of the diamond and precious metal used for the setting.

Diamond rings are easy to pawn and sell at pawn shops because pawnbrokers can easily find another buyer. Diamonds often are valued based on a grade assigned to them. Diamond values can range from a few hundred dollars to millions of dollars. The GIA is a great resource to learn about diamonds.

Diamond rings are typically more valuable when the diamond size is large and clear and does not contain any imperfections. Jewelers typically analyze the total carat weight of a diamond ring - they add up the number of carats for each of the diamonds on the ring.

Diamond rings often feature one or more large diamonds, and a band called a setting that holds the diamond(s). Diamond rings can be valued as a sum of the parts of the diamonds(s) and the band. Large diamonds can often be interchanged with other ring bands.

Shopping for a diamond ring at pawn shops is advantageous because you can mix and match diamonds and bands. Also, many pawn shops feature antique and historical diamond ring designs that are rare today.

Super Bowl Rings

Super Bowl rings are famous for their large size and elaborate designs. Often Super Bowl rings are made of yellow or rose gold and decorated with precious gemstones like diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. They usually include the team name, team logo, the phrase World Champions, and the Super Bowl number in Roman numerals.

Super Bowl rings are awarded by the National Football League (NFL) and given to the team members of the winning team of the league’s Super Bowl. Super Bowl rings are given to the actual players, team members, and staff so they can remember their championship victories.

Super Bowl rings are very rare since only a limited number are made each year. Super Bowl rings can sell for tens of thousands of dollars, up to several hundred thousand dollars. Most Super Bowl rings are are appraised between $30,000 and $50,000.

Factors that can influence the Super Bowl ring valuation include:

• Condition
• Who owned it: Rings owned by star players are worth more. Rings owned by non-players are worth less.
• Super Bowl number
• Design

Most pawn shops will buy Super Bowl rings because they are valuable. Not all pawn shops have Super Bowl rings in inventory - so do not visit your local pawn shop expecting to find a Super Bowl ring.

Some fake Super Bowl rings exist - always make sure you are dealing with a reputable seller before buying a Super Bowl ring. Ask for paperwork and proof of authenticity before buying the ring.

Tips For Buying Rings At Pawn Shops

• Negotiate - Pawn shops allow you to negotiate pricing and terms, which can end up saving you a lot of money. Read more about negotiating at pawn shops.
• Shop Around - Visit many pawn shops in your local area to get an idea of the ring and jewelry inventory. You can use our tool to find local jewelry pawn shops near you.
• Read Reviews - Customer reviews are a great resource to understand a pawn shop’s reputation and deals. Pawn Shop Map features reviews for local pawn shops near you.
• Do Your Research - Learn about buying jewelry. We feature many guides on our blog that help you understand buying jewelry and rings at pawn shops. Researching your purchase ahead of time can help you save money and find great deals.
• Create A Budget - Set a budget before you step foot in the door. Use this dollar amount as a ceiling and never go above it. Staying disciplined helps you take emotions out of the buying experience.
• Ask Questions - Many pawn shops have licensed gemologists and have been in the jewelry industry for decades. They often are a great source of information. Asking questions helps you better understand the items and get comfortable with your purchase.