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    • Jul 31, 2012
    • 1 min read

Queen Isabella of Spain believed in pawn shops


A pawnbroker accepted Queen of Spain, Isabella of Castille's royal jewels as collateral to finance Christopher Columbus' expedition ships, the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria for their voyage to America. Queen Isabella's quote inscribed on the statue, "Columbus' Last Appeal to Queen Isabella," in the rotunda of the California State Capitol says: "I will assume the undertaking for my crown of Castille, and am ready to pawn my jewels to defray the expenses of it, if the funds in the treasure shall be found inadequate."

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Dec. 6, 1996, marked the first annual National Pawnbrokers Appreciation Day. The chosen date of Dec. 6 was no accident - it's also St. Nicholas' day, the patron saint of pawn broking.

During the Middle Ages, certain usury laws imposed by the Church prohibited the charging of interest on loans, thus limiting pawnbroking to people who had religious beliefs outside of the Church. Out

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