Cinemaddiction

You guys ever just have one of those days where everything clicks? Today was one of those for me. Just the other day, I had hit up 1/4th of my normal run, with some great finds like the super rare and OOP "Munster, Go Home!" for $3.99 as well as "Meet the Feebles" which was free, and "Butt-O-Ween/Beavis and Butthead Do X-Mas" for a mere $3.99.

I had the day off today, which was a rarity, and I took a trip a little out of the way to hit up a couple of shops. Fast forward about 2 GameStops, a Game & Go, and a Cash N Pawn. Disappointed, as it was initially my last stop for the month in that area, I decided to go to Downtown Robbinsdale's Pawn America location.

Now, Robinsdale, in the past, had churned up 2 copies of Tool's "Salival" @ $9.99 a piece, an OOP Puppet Master box set for $35, as well as a $3.99 copy of Mario Van Peeble's "Panther" in the past. While it had been dry the last month, things had to change. I could feel it. And..they did.

Waiting for me were...

BMW Films "The Hire" CE - $3.99
Lady and the Tramp 2 - $5.99
The Little Mermaid 2 - $5.99
Reservoir Dogs - Mr. Pink Edition - $8
A Bronx Tale - $5.99

Nice little finds, but my last two were the icing on the cake...

ROOTS 3 Disc Set - $10
Shorts Vol. 5 - "Diversity" featuring Vin Diesel's "Multifacial" - $3.99

Ecstatic, and knowing my girly was probably waiting to make dinner, I had to make a call home to share the good news. Just so happens I made the call from a payphone in front of another Pawn America. I swear it wasn't intentional. Swooped in there, and what did I find?

Phantasm - $3.99
007: Live and Let Die - $3.99

I don't mean to brag, but I had to share my exciting day. I'd love to hear about others experiences as well. There's bound to be more pawn shop enthusiasts!

bigjim25

I haven't found good stuff lately but a few years back I found 3 sealed copies of The Little Mermaid + 1 copy of The Jungle Book & 101 Dalmatians for $10 each which I bought and sold for $40 each.

Quatermass

All the pawn shops I've been to have crappy WWF and Public Domain DVDs for $7.99 and $8.99, plus they are usually stored behind the counter in a locked glass case beyond my visual range (7-8 feet away). I never understood why Rolexes and guns are easily within smash-and-grab range in display cases, but they treat DVDs like they are the weapons-grade plutonium.

DVD Josh

I once bought five copies of Flash Gordon for $20 at the same pawn shop. Guy said they had been there for years and they actually refused several more. Sold each on eBay for at least $50 a piece.

bigjim25

Found all 5 Sopranos in like new shape at a pawn shop for $106 today. Looking forward to watching them.

The Valeyard

I never have any luck at Pawn Shops. Usually the same stuff and usually the same price as any Used Store (sometimes more).

DVDFreaker

I never seen the Sopranos but that is a good damn deal, congrats!

Adiras

Same here. I don't even bother with them anymore.

Bill Geiger

A couple weeks ago I stopped in a Pawn Shop looking for some rare finds. What do I find? The first disc I see is a mint Barfly and then picked up a sealed Sleeping Beauty and a sealed Beauty and the Beast Christmas. 3 for $25 even. I gave the B&B to my gf. The other two I sold on ebay and made about $90.00.

Al Padrino

For as shady as my city has become, I'm surprised we don't have more pawn shops. Mostly gold and the like in the two I'm aware of.

Billyspunk

Pawn shop dvds are a absolute mess, rarely do I find a clean dvd there. The scratches drive me nuts, you do not know if they will play ok when you get them home...

YROGERG

Picked a up an American DJ Rolling-Star-II in mint shape last year for $75.00
Retail is: $239.95



http://www.americandj.com/product.as...tIDNumber=1236

Brian Shannon

Never found anything at a pawn shop. Most of them seem to know about EBAY

Josh H

Yeah, never had any luck finding much of anything the few times I've been. And I don't personally like to support them since you never know (unless you know the owner personally) whether it's one that has no problems buying stolen goods (and thus keeping thieves in business).

Tylenol PM

Puppet Master box set isn't OOP anymore. Full Moon got the rights back months ago and started selling them again. You still got it at a good price though

Cinemaddiction

Had a decent day today. Found Wrestlemania X7 and X8 for $5.99 a pop. Of course, I'm hanging on to them, given they're OOP and pretty desirable.

About DVD conditions, I never have that problem. I always check mine before I leave, and considering I frequent chain store pawn shops (Pawn America, Cash & Pawn), they don't buy damaged discs. Period. Stores such as these don't really bother researching single discs, just the sets. For example, I was at a Pawn America today and they just got in S1 of Transformers. Price? $40. Fair market value, IMO. However, they also had X Files S7 for $18, and 3 seasons of Buffy for $13. I guess it all depends on who prices them, but almost all of them use Amazon.com to get their ranges.

Billyspunk

Ever wonder why pawn shops have locks on their doors during the times they are open? In the MA area they have to buzz people in, that makes be weary of shopping in places like that, why do they have to buzz people in? Is there that many bad people who shop there? Pawn shops IMO are the bottom of the barrell and I NEVER shop at them...

DVDFreaker

Then why go there?

Josh H

He did say he never shops there. Guess he had to go at least once in the past to form that opinion.

Cinemaddiction

Most independently owned pawn shops are like that, given they're run/operated by one person during the day, they have to protect themselves as well as their merchandise. It shouldn't make you weary at all, as it's a safety precaution. The clientele there shouldn't make a difference, and it differs from city to city. It's as simple as this. Don't go to the ones in less than favorable parts of town, then you won't have to worry about the riff-raff. They usually don't have what you're looking for (DVD's) anyway. I've frequented enough shops in those areas to know, never went back, and haven't missed them since.

Brent L

First off, head on over to the US Pawn Shop Directory if you aren't sure where all of the shops are near you. That site has really come in handy for me over the years.

Anyway, I have done this a lot (although I haven't really been to any in a while now) and over the years I've really found some great deals out there. As a matter of fact, I started this thread not too long after I first joined here back in 2003 asking people if they ever looked in pawn shops for DVDs as well.

Other than the stuff listed in that thread, I'd say that I've been able to locate the majority of the really hard to find OOP DVDs over the years. There have been a few that I've still never found to this day, but I've had pretty good luck for the most part.

Cinemaddiction

..you're my fucking hero..

C_Fletch

I've found several copies of Flash Gordon in the past. I constantly get good deals at this used book store.

This is REALLY funny: I Was talking to one of the employees and he told me that they only have 1 way to enter in DVDs. By title. So when a new version of the same movie comes out they just mark it at the same price as the old copy. I've picked up SO many upgrades I've lost count. They'll usually sell them for 6.95 so I can ick up the new version, give them my old version, and only be out $3.50 for the upgrade.

Just last week I picked up Sin City Extended edition and gave them my old copy. Total out of pocket for the new version: $5.

I've found multiple copies of the Shorts.

I found the Matrix Limited Edition 10 DVD set for $20

I picked up the American Idol: Best & Worst of Season 1-4 for $3.33

I have so many deals it would take me a day to just list them all.

The other day I found an OOP DVD for a $1. It sells for $30 on Ebay. Now, that's a good deal!!!!

I constantly find CDs for $1 and then use them for trade in credit at a used DVD/CD store. I usually get $5 a piece for them. McKay's always has the newer releases a few days after they're released so I'm able to get a new release DVD for $2. I have'nt bought a new DVD in a long time. And if I do it's because I just can't wait and it's a very high want. But that is very rare.

My entire DVD collection cost me pennies on the dollar. I hate holding onto OOP stuff because it typically get's rereleased eventually anyway. And if it doesn't I know they will release it on HD-DVD eventually. I've supported my DVD habit for years this way.

That pawn directory has come in handy.

The ONLY thing I don't like is the bum that comes in with a calculator and a 20 year old polaroid camera and can't figure out why they will only give him $2. I'm not a big fan of ignorant people and for whatever reason these shops are like a moth to flame for these type of people. Oh well. Somtimes you have to get a little dirty to get a good deal.

C_Fletch

"Pawn shop dvds are a absolute mess, rarely do I find a clean dvd there. The scratches drive me nuts, you do not know if they will play ok when you get them home..."

That's the beauty of the profesional resurfacing machine. A couple of bucks and you have a pristine copy. If the case is a mess I just replace it with one of the 300 DVD cases I got free from Blockbuster. Usually you cannot tell that my DVDs were bought used. If it plays I usually do not care.

Bill Geiger

Today alone I picked up at used dvds shops:

Fletch - $10.00
FM (2 Copies) - $3.99 each

Last week I picked up Phantasm for $10.00