Tag: Gold

As the value of gold continues to reach new heights, savvy individuals are wondering how they can benefit from the trend. One simple response is to head to a reputable pawn shop such as Fullerton Pawners with gold, in just about any form, that you’d like to pawn or use for a loan. Since the shop buys and sells precious metals like gold and silver, there are numerous options available to you.

Consider a few other factors below to better understand what the value of gold could mean for you.

Why Has the Value of Gold Gone Up?

Gold prices were unusually strong in 2025, reaching historic highs above $4,400 per ounce according to market reports. While prices are always fluctuating, gold’s current strength isn’t random. It’s driven by a couple of major economic forces:

1. A Safe-Haven for Investors Due to Global Uncertainty

People who want a stable asset whose value won’t likely plummet view gold as a safe-haven. Essentially, that means investors buy it as a reaction to an uncertain economy or geopolitical risks. Ongoing global tensions, concerns about inflation, and other events may have negative implications for your 401-K—but those are the same forces pushing investors into gold and driving prices up.

2. Expectations of Lower Interest Rates & Risk Aversion

What’s happening in other areas can indirectly impact the cost of gold, too. For instance, there is some talk of future interest rate cuts. It’s a little complicated, but the anticipation alone has the power to weaken the U.S. dollar and other assets, making gold even more attractive because of its ability to maintain its value.

You don’t have to be an expert in any of these things to take advantage. All you need is a piece of gold jewelry or an antique watch in your possession that you’re open to pawning.

Read about other economic factors in our recent blog here.

How to Take Advantage of the Value of Gold at Pawn Shops

When gold prices are high, pawn shops like Fullerton Pawners in Chicago can be a smart place for customers to unlock value from their gold items. Do you have something valuable at home that contains the precious metal? Here are four ways you might be able to benefit at a pawn shop:

1. Sell Your Gold for Higher Cash Payouts

When the market price of gold rises, the amount pawn shops are willing to pay for gold jewelry, coins, or investment-grade bullion also increases. That means selling old or unused gold items now could put more cash in your pocket than at lower price levels.

2. Pawn It for a Loan with Strong Collateral

Gold has a strong melt value, which goes up based on its weight and purity. This is why gold can make for excellent collateral. If you need a little extra cash in the short-term, you may be able to secure a larger loan. You can get money while still retaining ownership of your item once you repay the loan.

3. Trade Gold for Other Financial Needs

In addition to selling or pawning, pawn shops can offer related services like electronics repair. If you need to send funds to family, cover bills, or just want your laptop fixed, leveraging your gold’s value at Fullerton Pawners might get you further, faster, than a traditional bank.

4. Buy Precious Metal Goods at a Pawn Shop

If more customers are showing up with beautiful heirlooms, that may also affect the shop’s inventory. Do you love interesting antiques and custom rings and necklaces? Find out what people are bringing in that would look perfect on your wrist, hand or wall.

When it comes to pawning, there are other details to know about how to prepare for a transaction and what to ask when you get there. If you don’t have much pawning experience, read this blog about gold purchases so you feel prepared and informed about your decision.

You Can Benefit As a Customer at Fullerton Pawners in Chicago

Looking for a trusted resource to sell your gold? Head to Fullerton Pawners. If you’d like, contact us online first with questions about the goods in question.

Call 773-637-9999 to speak with a team member and find out more about our pawning, selling and loan processes.

Despite its occasional swing in value either direction, the stability of gold makes it one of the most popular commodities discovered at, and sold to, pawn shops everywhere. It is fairly abundant in various forms around the globe, which means there’s a significant chance you may even have a bit of it in your home in one form or another.

For those wondering what makes this particular precious metal as popular as it is, there is more than one answer.

There’s a lot of Gold in the World – in Many Forms

According to the US government, some 187,000 metric tons – over 412,264,430 pounds – have been mined over the centuries and molded into everything from ancient artifacts and coins to modern jewelry and wiring in electronics.

While most of it exists in other countries (as well as in underground reserves), gold remains in demand at pawn shops like Fullerton Pawners. If you’re in need of quick cash or a small loan, a vintage gold watch, broach or ring might be your best bet to address that need.

The Comparatively Stable Value of Gold

Unlike the scores of currencies around the planet, the value of gold is rather stable. We sometimes hear of a sudden drop in the value of a foreign currency after something like a political election. This occurred recently with the peso in Argentina, which was devalued by over 50%, seemingly overnight.

In times of economic uncertainty, people want assets that are not just stable and valuable but aren’t tied to their currency. This mode of thinking explains why gold has reached its height during recessions in this country, including the most recent one. In these times, its value is considered reliable compared with the dollar, particularly when markets appear unstable.

Its Durability and Uniquely Beautiful Appearance

Have you ever noticed that gold is able to maintain that gorgeous, golden sheen, despite sitting at the bottom of a jewelry box for years (or several millennia after its use in ancient Egypt)? Meanwhile, the change in your wallet will tarnish eventually, just like the silver necklace around your neck. Iron is strong and useful, but it rusts easily, as well.

Simply put, many of the metals we are familiar with, such as copper and silver, contain components that will soon oxidize if exposed to humidity and other elements in the environment.

Gold Doesn’t Rust or Tarnish

Some people like the look of tarnished metal objects such as the oxidized copper surface of the Statue of Liberty. This layer of corrosion can be cleared away, but it is a process that reduces the value of certain kinds of metal. Meanwhile, the stability of a substance like gold can still correlate with how much it is worth in monetary markets as well as in the world of pawning.

Gold is Highly Malleable and Conductive in Electronics

The fact that gold is one of the softer metals makes it highly malleable, which has also contributed to its appeal. This may not mean much to you, but there are people who will extract it out of objects so they can turn it into something else – or bring it to their local pawn shop.

One gold enthusiast did just that when he went in search of gold nuggets and melted them down at home. He weighed the resulting amounts and determined he could get some decent cash for his efforts (don’t try this at home unless you are set up like a metallurgical shop).

So, yes, gold is unique. Its conductivity makes it very useful in electronics – another common and in-demand item found at pawn shops.

Check Out the Goods at Fullerton Pawners on Chicago’s North Side

Fullerton Pawners has been purchasing gold and a long list of other valuable items, along with handling small loans, at our Chicago north side location for decades. We love getting first-time visitors who are curious about the wide range of services we provide.

Come check out our goods, or bring in your own, and we will answer your questions any time. Contact Fullerton Pawners online, or call us at 773-637-9999.