What can I pawn? A complete guide for Sydney residents

The most common question we get from first-time customers is simple: what can I actually pawn? The short answer is anything with a stable secondary market value and enough demand that we can recover our loan if it is not repaid. Here is the longer answer.

What we lend against

Gold and silver. The most common category we see. Jewellery, coins, bullion, scrap, broken pieces. Gold is valued by purity and weight. Silver is valued by grade and weight. Both are priced against the live spot price.

Luxury watches. Rolex, Omega, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, IWC, Cartier, Tudor, Grand Seiko, and other brands with a recognised secondary market. The reference number, condition, and any original documentation determine the loan value.

Designer bags. Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hermès, Prada, Bottega Veneta, Celine, and other luxury brands. Condition and authenticity are the key variables. Bring the original dust bag, authenticity card, and receipt if you have them.

Diamonds and fine jewellery. GIA and IGI-certified diamonds are straightforward to value — bring the certificate. Uncertified stones are assessed by our in-house gemological tools. Signed pieces from Tiffany, Cartier, Bulgari, and similar brands carry a brand premium on top of the material value.

Musical instruments. Guitars (Fender, Gibson, Martin, Taylor, PRS), violins, brass and woodwind instruments from recognised brands, and quality amplifiers. Entry-level instruments have small loan values.

Electronics. MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones in recent generations. Professional cameras (Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm) and lenses. Gaming consoles (PS5, Xbox Series X). Professional audio equipment.

Coins and collectibles. Australian pre-decimal silver coins, gold sovereigns, Perth Mint bullion coins, and recognisable numismatic pieces. We assess on metal content first, collector premium second.

What we do not lend against

Starter electronics, budget smartphones, fashion watches (no secondary market), clothing and shoes (even designer labels), furniture and homewares, appliances, cars and motorcycles, tools and equipment. Not because these things are worthless — they are just not the right fit for a pawn loan structure.

How the loan amount is decided

We assess the secondary market value of the item — what we could realistically recover if the loan is not repaid — and lend a percentage of that. For gold and silver, the loan is based on live spot price. For watches, bags, and jewellery, we check current secondary market listings.

The loan amount is always less than what we could sell it for. That is how the math works. We are not trying to profit from a default — we want you to repay and collect your item. But we have to protect ourselves if you cannot.

How long is the loan?

Standard loan terms are 3-6 months. You can repay early at any time, with no penalty. You can also extend the loan by paying the interest and rolling into a new term. If you cannot repay, your item is sold to recover the outstanding amount. You do not owe anything beyond that — no debt collection, no credit impact.

Is there a minimum or maximum?

No formal minimum, but we are unlikely to lend against anything worth less than $50 at current market prices. There is no formal maximum. If you have a piece worth $50,000 and you want a $30,000 loan, we can discuss it.

How to check before coming in

Not sure if your item qualifies? Call us on 02 9715 7200 and describe what you have. We will tell you honestly whether it is worth bringing in and give you a rough idea of what to expect.