[header] How to start a pawn shop [title] Learn how to assess the value of goods. [step] This includes electronics, gems, and jewelry, as these are the most pledged items at pawn shops. One of the best ways is to go online to an auction site like ebay and study what people pay for various goods. 
This will give you a good idea of the general retail value of items at a certain moment in time. [substeps] Bear in mind that over the course of time, trends change, so you'll need to remain up to date with current retail values in order to assess correctly.