Pawning Through The Ages

Take a look at this cool article from history.com about the evolution of page pawning industry through the ages.

For thousands of years, people all over the world have from time to time found themselves with one problem in common—the need for fast cash. And for almost as long, there’s been one easy way to solve it: To “pawn” personal items of value for a cash loan. Throughout history, pawnbrokers have provided monetary loans in exchange for valuable items. These items are then held by the pawnbroker for a contractual period of time during which the owner of the item can repay the cash loan, plus an amount of interest, to reclaim their goods. If they are unable to come up with the money to buy the item back, the broker has the right to sell the item to another buyer. In the United States today, more than 12,000 pawn shops operate nationwide, their shelves filled with an eclectic array of items from the ordinary to the unbelievable. Each has its own unique story and past.

FULL ARTICLE HERE