14 businesses in and around Victoria that buy used goods from the
public, or sell them on your behalf. For each one: what they buy, what they refuse, and
exactly how the transaction works — because a pawn loan, a consignment split and an outright
sale are three different things.
Verified 2026-09-24 from each business's own website. Prices, terms and what
they take change without notice. We are not affiliated with any business listed here, none of
them pay to be included, and we receive nothing if you sell to them.
If you are thinking about pawning something
A pawn loan is borrowing, not selling: you get your item back only by repaying the
money plus all interest and fees by the date printed on the ticket, and if you miss that
date the shop keeps the item and sells it.
Before you hand anything over, get three things written on the ticket: the interest
rate, the total redemption figure in dollars, and the deadline. Across all
fourteen cities we checked, almost no pawn shop publishes its rate anywhere on its website —
so the only place you will see it is on the paperwork in front of you.
If you want money and do not want the item back, ask separately for an outright purchase
price and compare the two. They are different numbers for different transactions, and a shop
that offers both will not necessarily volunteer which one it is quoting.
What will they actually pay?
We do not publish an average payout, because nobody publishes one. Any site quoting
you "typically 60% of retail" invented it. Across 189 businesses in fourteen cities, a
handful publish a consignment split, one publishes a per-gram gold table, and not one pawn
shop, scrap yard or electronics buyer publishes what it pays relative to resale value.
What we can tell you is the shape of it. Consignment pays the most and pays last, often on a
declining scale as the item sits. An outright sale pays least and pays today. Metals and gold
are weight times purity minus a spread nobody states, so the only real number is the one at
the scale. And for a great deal of what comes out of a cleared house — flat-pack furniture,
book-club paperbacks, old encyclopedias, out-of-season sports gear, adult clothing more than
a few years old — the honest answer is that nobody in these fourteen cities will pay anything
for it at all. The refusal lists below are the evidence.
Pawn shops in Victoria
Two completely different transactions under one roof. Read the box above before you go into any of these.
BuysGold, silver, platinum and diamonds, Broken and scrap jewellery, Estate jewellery, Coins, Bullion (certified .999 or .9999 fine gold and silver bars or coins, quoted by phone)
The dealCORRECTED AFTER CHECKING THEIR SITE. This is not a buy-only jeweller. Their own page offers four different transactions on the same item: sell for cash, trade, consignment, or collateral-based cash loans on jewellery and precious metals. A collateral-based loan is a pawn loan in substance - borrowing against the item, not selling it. They do not publish what they pay, how an offer is calculated, any interest rate, or any loan term, so every number is quote-by-quote at the counter.
Where742 Fort St., Victoria, BC V8W 1H2
Be explicit about which of the four transactions you are agreeing to, because a loan and a sale look similar across a counter and only one of them ends with you keeping the item. If you take a collateral loan, ask in writing for the interest, the repayment period and the date the item is forfeited. Separately, scrap gold and silver are priced off weight and purity and no Victoria buyer we checked publishes its rate - if a piece may be worth more as jewellery than as metal, say so before it is quoted as scrap.
BuysJewellery and gold, Watches, Musical instruments, Tools, Cameras, Televisions, Computers and electronics, Bicycles (original purchase receipt required), Phones (must be wiped to factory settings with all accounts removed, and not connected to a monthly plan)
Won't takePhones still connected to an account or on a monthly plan, Bicycles without the original purchase receipt
The dealTheir services page describes three separate transactions, and it matters enormously which one you agree to. (1) A PAWN LOAN, in their words: they loan you cash based on a percent value and hold your item until you return to pay the interest. (2) An OUTRIGHT PURCHASE: they buy the item from you and it is theirs - there is nothing to redeem. (3) CONSIGNMENT: they sell it for you and, in their words, take 25% and taxes. The 25% consignment commission is the only figure the business publishes. It states no interest rate, no loan term and no redemption deadline.
WhereOne Victoria store. Their contact page publishes two phone numbers (250-381-7296 and 250-383-7467) and hours of Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm. No street address appears anywhere on their site; the services page describes the shop entrance as being at Government and Bay, and a separate pawn entrance off Bay Street with free parking. Phone before you load the car.
A pawn is borrowing, not selling. Their own wording is that they hold the item until you return to pay the interest, so if the loan is not repaid the item is not returned. Because this business publishes no interest rate, loan period, or redemption date, ask for the written pawn ticket and read those three things before you hand anything over. Their site states that for pawns every transaction must be done with 2 pieces of ID.
BuysJewellery (gold, silver, platinum), Silverware, flatware and tea sets, Bullion, Coins, Timepieces and watches, Gemstones, Northwest Coast Indigenous art - masks, weavings, baskets and carvings
The dealTheir site says only that after a mutually agreed upon price is accepted for your items, payment will be provided. It does not state the payment method or any percentage of value, so treat every appointment as a negotiation over a single offer.
WhereParamount Executive Centre, 848 Courtney St. Unit 300, Victoria, BC V8W 1C4
This is an appointment-only office, and they will also come to your home. A valuation conducted in your living room is one where you have no comparison quote in the room - if you are bringing out something of real value, get it valued independently first and do not feel obliged to decide on the spot.
The dealOne of only two businesses in this guide that publishes what immediacy costs you. CONSIGNMENT, in their words: on most items, receive 50% of the net sale amount of the item, paid by e-transfer on the 15th or 30th of the month, the first payout period after your item sells. OUTRIGHT PURCHASE, in their words: for upfront purchases they offer 15%-30% lower than the consignment payout range.
WhereShowroom in Victoria. The consignment page gives showroom hours of Monday and Tuesday 1-5pm, Wednesday to Saturday 10-5, closed Sunday, and links to a map rather than printing a street address. No phone number is published on the page, only a contact form.
No public premises listed. We could not find a street address or phone on their site — contact them through it before making any plans.
Pickup is not free, it is deferred. Their site states the cost of pickup is applied to your consignment account and not charged to you upfront, which means it comes out of your eventual payout rather than being waived. Delivering the furniture yourself avoids it. Consignment also means you are not paid until the item actually sells.
BuysLuxury designer clothing and accessories, Designer handbags, Specific designer denim cuts, Luxury jewellery and scarves, Brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada and YSL
Won't takeHigh heels, Knee-high boots, Altered clothing, Business suits, Formal wear, Menswear, Children's clothing, Mass-market brands such as H&M and Forever 21, Items brought in garbage bags
The dealThe most transparent split in this guide, published on their own site: the consignor receives 40% payout in cash, or 50% in store credit. Top luxury labels - they name Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada and YSL - receive 50% cash. Payouts are made on the 1st and 15th of the month in store by cash; an e-transfer instead costs an extra $2 and a mailed cheque an extra $5, so the convenient payment methods are the ones that shrink your payout.
Where1507 Wilmot Place, Victoria, BC
Their site states that all monies become null and void after 6 months, and that unclaimed merchandise is donated two weeks after payout. If you consign and then forget about it, you can end up with neither the money nor the clothes. Items must arrive laundered and on hangers - items in garbage bags will be declined.
BuysMid-century modern and teak furniture, Tables, seating, storage and lighting, Ceramics, glass and barware, Clocks, Art and sculpture, Housewares
Won't takeGlass, ceramic or pottery items with chips or cracks
The dealTheir site states the consignor receives 50% of selling price, on a 2 month contract, with 2 payouts per contract via e-transfer. They also state they are happy to purchase or consign, so an outright buyout is available - but they publish no buyout terms, so you would have to ask for that figure separately.
Where2005 Cook Street, Victoria, BC V8T 3P9
Unsold items not claimed within 7 days of contract expiry are donated to charity by the store - put that date in a diary the day you sign. Email photos, dimensions and condition before turning up with a vanload.
BuysWomen's clothing 2-3 years old or newer, in great condition, Handbags, Shoes, Accessories
Won't takeItems older than about 2-3 years, Anything stained, holed or excessively worn, Items with odours, Dirty or muddy shoes, Clothing not freshly laundered or dry cleaned
The dealA 3-month consignment contract, with accounts opened with a minimum of 10 pieces. Their site also states that if you would like to be offered a buyout, let them know - so an outright sale is available on request. THE CONSIGNOR PERCENTAGE IS NOT PUBLISHED on their website and we found no figure to quote. It lives in their consignor contract.
WhereTwo locations: 1037 Fort St, downtown Victoria (250 361 9307), taking consignment Tuesday to Saturday 10am-4pm; and 111-2830 Peatt Rd, Langford/Westshore (778 433 6662), Wednesday to Saturday 10am-4pm.
Because the split is not published anywhere, ask for the consignor contract and read the percentage before you leave anything behind. At the end of the 3-month contract the items are donated. Their site states items under $100 are not eligible for pickup and are donated to local charities, and anything over $100 must be requested back by email a week before the contract ends.
BuysSecond-hand household goods, per their current accepting list, Higher-value items by appointment
The dealA consignment store rather than an outright buyer. Their site tells you to send an email with your request and they will reply with a drop-off number and time frame, and that appointments are made for high-end items only. The consignment percentage is not published on their site, and payouts must be requested in advance by phone or email.
Where10-435 Simcoe Street, Victoria, BC V8V 4T4
You cannot simply turn up with boxes - the drop-off number and time slot are arranged by email in advance, and there is a separate list of what they are currently accepting. Ask what percentage you keep before agreeing to anything, since the split is not published.
BuysGold and silver coins, Coin collections, Gold and silver jewellery, Bank notes, Collectibles and antiquities, Whole estates
The dealThey buy outright, from small collections up to entire estates, and state that appraisals are free. No payout percentage or rate is published anywhere on the site.
Where835 Fort Street, Victoria, BC
A free appraisal from a buyer is not an independent appraisal - the person valuing the item is the person who wants to buy it. For a collection of any size it is worth getting a second quote elsewhere before accepting.
BuysCopper #1 (new pipe and bare wire) and Copper #2, Brass, Aluminium and car rims, Stainless steel, Lead-acid batteries, Electric motors, Catalytic converters, Steel and iron, End-of-life vehicles, Household and demolition scrap
Won't takeSafes, Used oils, Garbage, Wood, Acetylene tanks
The dealPaid by weight and grade. Their site publishes no prices and tells you to call the office to get their current prices, because rates move with the commodity market - so phone the morning you plan to go. They also offer bins and containers and will pick up household or industrial scrap for larger jobs.
WhereTwo yards, and which one you go to changes what you get paid. Main yard: 2690 Munns Rd, Victoria, BC V8T 4K9, 250-479-8335 - take copper, brass and other non-ferrous metal here. Millstream yard: 600 Terlson Ln, Langford, BC V9B 6E2, 250-391-3066 - their site says iron and steel only. Hours Monday to Friday 8am-4:30pm and Saturday 9am-12pm, closed statutory holidays and long weekends; the site says the Millstream yard is open 7 days a week. Family-owned since 1960, now third generation.
Bring government photo ID. Their site states that, abiding by the BC laws and regulations, they ask customers to have a government ID when bringing in their material. This is not shop policy dressed up as law - see the provincial Act in the regulation note. Separating copper, brass and aluminium out of mixed steel before you arrive is what decides whether you are paid non-ferrous or scrap-steel rates.
BuysScrap and junk vehicles, Copper, aluminium, steel and iron, Auto parts, Unwanted batteries
The dealThey quote on the vehicle or the metal and pick it up. Their site says that in many cases where there is still value to your scrap metal they may also offer cash for it - note the conditional wording, cash is not guaranteed on every load. The site advertises a range of $70 to $2000 for vehicles or scrap metal; that is an advertising range spanning almost thirty-fold, not a quote, so the only number that matters is the one they give you for your specific vehicle.
Where#2, 608 Esquimalt Rd, Victoria, BC V9A 3L4
Their site does not state what ownership paperwork or identification is needed to hand over a vehicle. Ask on the phone what they need from the registered owner, and get the cash figure confirmed before the tow truck is booked rather than after the car is on the deck.
BuysJunk, scrap and non-running cars and trucks, Recycled auto parts
The dealThey quote per vehicle and, in their own words, pay you your cash on the spot during pickup. No price schedule is published anywhere on either site - the offer is per vehicle.
Where240 Okotoks Rd, Malahat, BC V0R 2L0
Neither site states what ownership documents or ID are required, and neither states in plain words that towing is free, so confirm both on the phone. Note also that the Malahat Auto Wrecking site links to Cash 4 Junkers as its own junk-car removal service, so a quote from each is not two independent quotes - ring an unconnected buyer if you want a genuine comparison.
BuysBooks of all kinds, from antiquarian and rare to current bestsellers, with condition as the primary concern, Whole collections and estates
Won't takeBooks in bad condition - loose pages, cracked spines, odours, heavy marking, rips and tears, Reader's Digest condensed books, Outdated textbooks, Computer manuals, Encyclopedia sets, Ex-library books, Most magazines
The dealThe detail that matters most: they generally deal in STORE CREDIT, which you can use on anything they sell in store and which never expires. Their site says cash is offered only for large amounts of desirable books or extremely valuable books, at the buyer's discretion. Appraisal takes roughly 10-25 minutes while you wait nearby, and anything they do not take is handed back.
Where100-747 Fort Street, Victoria, BC V8W 3E9
If you are clearing a house and need money rather than credit, say so at the counter, because credit is the default and cash is the exception. Their site says that with more than 1000 books you may be eligible for a house call.
The dealTheir site says they buy, sell and trade vinyl records, CDs and cassette tapes, and invites you to bring your stuff in to sell, with the option to trade in old albums against their stock. It does not publish how offers are calculated, whether payment is cash or trade credit, or what condition they require - all of that has to be settled at the counter.
Where107-3 Fan Tan Alley, Victoria, BC V8W 3G9
Record shops typically price by title and condition rather than by the box, so a large collection can be cherry-picked. Ask up front whether they pay cash or trade credit, and whether they will make an offer on the whole lot or only on selected titles.
Take government photo ID. Several of these businesses say plainly
that they cannot buy from you without it, and that a health card will not do.
Phone ahead with the specifics. Make, model, age, condition. Most
refusals happen at the counter over something that could have been settled in a
two-minute call.
Get more than one number if the item is worth more than a hundred
dollars or so. Offers on the same item vary widely.
Ask which transaction you are being offered — a purchase, a
consignment or a loan — and get it in writing.
CONFIRMED AND BINDING: SCRAP METAL. British Columbia's Metal Dealers and Recyclers Act, SBC 2011 c. 22 (https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/11022_01) governs the sale of "regulated metal" - defined as an item substantially made of non-ferrous metal, excluding used metal cans or containers for food, beverages or paint, and metal domestic or household products normally recycled to avoid waste. The Act's definition of non-ferrous metal covers aluminium, copper (including brass and bronze), lead, magnesium, nickel and zinc, and expressly "does not include gold, platinum or silver". A person selling regulated metal must present prescribed identification to the dealer at the time of the transaction. The dealer must record a description of the metal (type, weight, distinguishing marks), the date, time and value of the transaction, the employee's name, and the seller's name, address, telephone number, a description of the identification presented, where the metal came from, the details of anyone who delivered it, and any vehicle used - and must then provide that information to the local police authority within the prescribed period. Practical effect: arriving at a Victoria yard with copper pipe or aluminium and no photo ID means being turned away, and you should be able to say where the metal came from. Note the carve-out: selling gold or silver jewellery, coins or bullion to a Fort Street dealer is NOT covered by this Act. NOT CONFIRMED - DO NOT TREAT AS LAW: PAWNBROKERS AND SECONDHAND DEALERS. We were not able to retrieve the text of any City of Victoria pawnbroker or secondhand-dealer bylaw, and we make no claim here about what provincial or municipal law requires of pawnbrokers, holding periods, or police reporting in Victoria. What we can document is what three businesses state on their own sites: The Bay Street Broker says that for pawns every transaction must be done with 2 pieces of ID; Williams Scrap Iron & Metals says that, abiding by BC laws and regulations, it asks customers to have government ID when bringing in material. Assume ID is required everywhere in this guide and that it will be recorded, and confirm any holding period or reporting rule with the shop itself.
Worth nothing? That is a real answer too.
Most of what comes out of a cleared house will not sell at any price, and the businesses above
will tell you so at the counter. Photograph it first and we will tell you before you drive
anywhere — and if the answer is that it is worth nothing, we will point you at
the Victoria charities that will still take it.
Will a pawn shop in Victoria give me a loan or buy it outright?
Many do both, and they are entirely different transactions. A loan means you get the item back only if you repay the money plus interest and fees by the date on the ticket; miss it and the shop keeps and sells your item. An outright sale is final. Ask for both numbers separately and compare them.
How much will I actually get?
Less than you think, and nobody publishes a reliable average — we checked 189 businesses across fourteen cities. Consignment pays most and pays last. An outright sale pays least and pays today. Scrap and gold are weight and purity against the day’s market, minus a margin almost nobody states.
Will any of them collect from my house in Victoria?
Auto salvage almost always tows a non-running car free. Some furniture dealers and consignment shops will collect, usually for a fee or above a minimum value. Scrap yards that advertise collection generally mean a commercial roll-off bin, not a van for a box of copper. Every listing here says what we could confirm and nothing more.
Do I need identification?
Almost certainly, and it is the most common cause of a wasted trip. Several businesses state plainly that government-issued photo ID is required and that a health card will not be accepted. Take a driving licence or passport.
What is genuinely worth nothing?
Flat-pack furniture, most paperbacks, encyclopedias, classical and easy-listening records, out-of-season sports equipment and adult clothing more than a few years old. The refusal lists on this page are the evidence. Those things can still be donated, and often should be.