South Dakota Pawn Shops: Locations, Comparisons & What to Expect
Guide last reviewed September 5, 2026. Next scheduled review: December 2026. Shop details for other businesses come from their own websites and the PawnGuru directory on that date; confirm hours and terms with any shop before you drive.
This guide answers the questions people ask about South Dakota pawn shops as a group: where they are, how they compare, what a pawn loan costs here, how to sell to one, what you can buy on a budget, which ones suit jewelry sellers, what the alternatives are, and how to tell a reputable shop from a poor one. We run one of the shops on the list, and we say so wherever that matters.
What pawn shops are in South Dakota?
Most of South Dakota's pawn shops are in its two largest cities. PawnGuru's verified directory lists 17 shops across four cities: eight in Rapid City, seven in Sioux Falls, one in Aberdeen and one in Mobridge. That directory is not exhaustive — smaller towns have counters it does not list, including a loans-only pawn shop here in Mobridge and one in Eagle Butte — but it is a fair picture of where the trade sits.
| City | Shops | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | Great Plains Pawn (1007 W 41st St), First National Pawn (2517 W 10th St), Sunset Strip Pawn (2407 W 12th St), 1st Cash & Exchange (2123 E 10th St), Action Pawn and Gun, National Pawn Co, AR Pawn & Gun | Firearms first — most hold a federal firearms licence — then electronics, tools and jewelry. Great Plains Pawn carries the largest review count in the state. |
| Rapid City | Black Hills Pawn, Pawn With Us (406 E North St, since 1998), First National Pawn (115 E North St), Best Choice Pawn, Presidential Pawn, Fair Deal Pawn & Gun, Rushmore Coin & Pawn, Liberty Pawn | Firearms, Native American art, coins and jewelry. Pawn With Us publishes its term: a 30-day pawn with a 10-day grace period. |
| Aberdeen | American Pawn (Main Street) | General pawn — electronics, tools, jewelry, firearms. About 100 miles east of Mobridge on US-12. |
| Mobridge | Larsen's Jewelry & Half Interest Pawn (211 N Main St), plus a loans-only pawn counter | Larsen's is a jewelry store with a pawn counter: pawn loans at 25% per 30 days, cash for gold and silver, jewelry and watch repair, Black Hills Gold, bullion and coins. No firearms. |
Addresses and specialties from each shop's own website and PawnGuru's South Dakota directory, checked 5 September 2026. Pierre, Watertown, Brookings and other cities are not in that directory; if you know of a shop there, it is worth a phone call before assuming the nearest one is hours away.
For north-central South Dakota and the Standing Rock area, the map matters more than the count. From Mobridge it is about 100 miles to Aberdeen, roughly 250 to Rapid City and roughly 300 to Sioux Falls. Larsen's is the only jewelry store within about 90 miles that also has a pawn counter, which is why customers drive in from McLaughlin, Selby, Timber Lake, Gettysburg, Herreid, Pollock and Fort Yates, ND. Our Areas We Serve page has the routes and drive times.
How do South Dakota pawn shops compare with each other?
South Dakota pawn shops compare on four things: what they take, what they charge, how much of that they publish, and what they know about the items you are likely to bring. On the first, most of the state's shops are firearms dealers first and pawn shops second. On the second and third, almost none publish a rate. On the fourth, a general pawn shop values a gold ring by weight; a jeweler values it by weight and by what it is.
| What to compare | Typical SD pawn shop | Larsen's, Mobridge |
|---|---|---|
| Interest rate | Quoted at the counter; rarely published. The ceiling in Mobridge is 50% per 30 days and most shops charge the maximum. | Published: 25% per 30 days, half the ceiling. $100 borrowed is $125 repaid. About a 300% APR, and we say so. |
| Loan term | Commonly 30 to 90 days; varies by shop. Pawn With Us in Rapid City publishes 30 days plus a 10-day grace period. | Standard 30-day term, renewal options written on the ticket. |
| Firearms | The main line at most Sioux Falls and Rapid City shops. | Not accepted — no firearms or ammunition. |
| Jewelry and gold | Valued on metal weight. Repairs usually not offered. | A working jewelry store: bench repair, watch repair, Black Hills Gold, diamonds and estate pieces. Gold tested by stamp, magnet and acid in front of you. |
| Selling instead of pawning | Cash offer on scrap value. | Cash offer at 75–90% of melt on scrap, or consignment at retail with 60% to you. |
| Years in one place | Few publish a date. Pawn With Us in Rapid City states 1998. | Jewelry store on Main Street since 1941; pawn counter since 2017. Named in PawnGuru's 2026 feature on America's oldest pawn shops. |
| Credit | No credit check; non-recourse. Same everywhere. | Same — not reported to credit bureaus; the item is the only recourse. |
"Typical" describes what the shops above publish or do not publish on their own sites. Where a shop states a term, we quote it. Where it does not, ask at the counter and get the dollar payoff and the due date in writing before you sign.
What does a pawn loan cost in South Dakota?
It depends on the city, because South Dakota sets no statewide pawn rate. The state's pawnbroker chapter, SDCL 37-16, makes it a misdemeanor to charge "above the rate allowed by law" and to operate without a municipal licence — and leaves the rate itself to the licensing city. In Mobridge the ceiling is 50% per 30 days. Most shops charge whatever their ceiling is. Larsen's charges half: 25% per 30 days.
| You borrow | You repay at Larsen's | At the 50% ceiling | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $125 | $150 | $25 |
| $200 | $250 | $300 | $50 |
| $500 | $625 | $750 | $125 |
| $1,000 | $1,250 | $1,500 | $250 |
Whatever the shop, the number that matters is the one on the ticket: the dollar payoff and the exact due date. Our step-by-step pawn loan guide covers the ticket, renewals, lost tickets and what happens if you do not repay.
How can I sell items to a South Dakota pawn shop?
Bring the item and a government-issued photo ID, let the shop test and weigh it, hear the offer, and take cash the same day or take your item home. That is the whole process at any licensed shop in the state; the differences are in how openly the testing happens and how the number is explained.
Most shops will give a rough read from clear photos. At Larsen's, text 2–4 photos to (605) 850-9455 with any stamps or markings visible. It is the difference between a productive trip and a wasted tank of gas.
South Dakota pawn transactions are recorded against a government-issued photo ID — driver's licence, state ID or passport. Bring chargers, cases, boxes, papers and extra links; complete items sell for more.
Gold and silver should be tested and weighed where you can see it. At Larsen's that is a karat-stamp check, a rare-earth magnet, and an acid test on the stone, then a gram weight on the counter scale — and the offer is explained before you decide.
Selling pays the most cash and ends there. Pawning pays less but you can redeem the item. Consignment — which few pawn shops offer — sells the piece at retail on the floor; at Larsen's you keep 60%, with no time limit.
No obligation attaches to a test or a quote. If the number does not work, keep the piece.
For gold specifically, the arithmetic behind any honest offer is public: gram weight × karat purity × the day's gold price per gram × a payout factor of roughly 75–90% of melt for ordinary scrap. We show the whole calculation, with a live example, in How Much Does a Pawn Shop Pay for Gold?, and the full buying list is on Cash for Gold.
What can I buy at a South Dakota pawn shop on a budget?
At most South Dakota pawn shops the floor is firearms, power tools, electronics, game systems, musical instruments and a jewelry case — forfeited collateral and outright purchases, priced well under new retail because the shop bought them below resale. At a jewelry-store pawn shop like Larsen's the case is the point: pre-owned and estate jewelry, diamond rings, Black Hills Gold, sterling, silver bullion and coins, priced on what the piece is rather than only what it weighs.
- Pre-owned and estate jewelry — the biggest saving over new retail, and a jeweler can size, clean and repair it before it leaves.
- Black Hills Gold — new and pre-owned, one of the region's largest selections; see the Black Hills Gold page.
- Silver bullion and coins — priced against the day's spot; the Silver Bullion page explains how.
- Layaway at 20% down, no fees — the budget option most pawn shops do not offer on jewelry.
- Returns within 48 hours with a receipt on most purchases — ask any shop what its policy is before you buy; many pawn sales are final.
- Buying from out of town — Larsen's eBay store carries authenticated Black Hills Gold with 100% positive feedback across 1,400+ sales, for readers who are not driving to Mobridge.
Which South Dakota pawn shops serve jewelry sellers?
Every pawn shop in the state will buy gold. The question for a jewelry seller is whether the shop can tell a 14k chain from a 14k Black Hills Gold bracelet, a natural diamond from a lab-grown one, and a scrap ring from an estate piece worth more intact — because those are priced differently, and a shop that values everything by weight pays scrap for all of them. Per PawnGuru's listings, First National Pawn in Sioux Falls lists gold, diamonds and watches among its specialties, and Black Hills Pawn in Rapid City lists gold and silver jewelry. In north-central South Dakota, Larsen's is a jewelry store first: a Main Street jewelry store since 1941 with a repair bench, diamond and estate buying, Black Hills Gold identification by maker's mark, and a consignment option for pieces that deserve a retail buyer rather than a melt.
If you are selling jewelry rather than scrap, read Sell Jewelry in Mobridge first — it covers what to bring, what not to clean, and when consignment beats a cash offer. For diamonds, the diamond buyer page explains how lab-grown stones are identified and priced.
What are alternatives to a South Dakota pawn shop?
It depends on whether you need cash back or cash out. If you want to keep the item, the alternatives to a pawn loan are a credit-union or bank small loan (slower, credit-checked, cheaper if you qualify) and, for short-term money, the payday and installment lenders that South Dakota capped at 36% APR in 2016 — many of which left the state rather than lend at that rate. A pawn loan costs more per month than either but has no credit check and no recourse beyond the item.
If you are selling, the alternatives are selling directly to a jeweler or gold buyer, consigning, listing the piece yourself on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, or mailing it to an online gold buyer. Marketplaces can beat a cash offer on desirable pieces — our own eBay store is proof of what a retail buyer will pay — but you carry the photography, the fees, the shipping and the returns. Mail-in buyers add transit risk and a quote you cannot argue with in person — we set out what the national mail-in buyers publish in their own terms against selling across a counter. Consignment is the middle path: retail price, none of the work, 60% to you at Larsen's. The consignment terms are on the services page.
Are South Dakota pawn shops reputable and well reviewed?
The established ones are. Four checks tell you which is which: the Google rating and review count, a municipal pawnbroker licence (ask the city, not the shop), membership of the National Pawnbrokers Association, and how long the shop has been at one address. By those measures Great Plains Pawn in Sioux Falls carries the state's largest review count at 4.7 stars on more than 200 reviews, and American Pawn in Aberdeen sits at 4.0 on around 50, both per PawnGuru. Larsen's is rated 4.8 on Google, holds a BBB profile and an NPA membership, is licensed by the City of Mobridge, and was one of twelve shops named in PawnGuru's May 2026 feature on America's oldest pawn shops, listed at 1941.
References
- PawnGuru — Pawn shops in South Dakota — the 17-shop, four-city directory and review figures cited above. Its "36% APR / 90-day" law box describes the 54-4 lender cap, not pawn.
- SDCL Chapter 37-16, Pawnbrokers — five sections: excessive interest, sale of a pledge during redemption, municipal licensing, disclosure, exhibition of goods.
- Pawn With Us, Rapid City — source for the 30-day-plus-10-day term and the 1998 date.
- Great Plains Pawn, Sioux Falls — address and firearms focus.
- National Pawnbrokers Association — About Pawn — national averages and the 85% redemption figure referenced in our loan guide.
General information, not legal or financial advice. Other shops' addresses, hours and terms are quoted from their own published material on the review date and can change; confirm directly before you travel. Larsen's terms are ours and are printed on every ticket.
South Dakota Pawn Shop FAQ
What pawn shops are in South Dakota?
Most are in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. PawnGuru's verified directory lists 17 shops across four cities: eight in Rapid City (including Black Hills Pawn, Pawn With Us and First National Pawn), seven in Sioux Falls (including Great Plains Pawn, First National Pawn, Sunset Strip Pawn and 1st Cash & Exchange), American Pawn in Aberdeen, and Larsen's Jewelry & Half Interest Pawn in Mobridge. Smaller towns have counters the directory misses, including a loans-only pawn shop in Mobridge and one in Eagle Butte.
How do South Dakota pawn shops compare with each other?
On what they take, what they charge, what they publish, and what they know about your item. Most South Dakota shops are firearms dealers first and rarely publish a rate. Larsen's in Mobridge takes no firearms, is a working jewelry store, and publishes its rate: 25% per 30 days, half the 50% ceiling, so $100 borrowed is $125 repaid. Pawn With Us in Rapid City publishes a 30-day term with a 10-day grace period. Everywhere else, ask for the dollar payoff and the due date in writing.
What does a pawn loan cost in South Dakota?
There is no statewide pawn rate; SDCL 37-16 leaves the ceiling to the licensing city. In Mobridge the ceiling is 50% per 30 days and most shops charge the maximum. Larsen's charges 25% per 30 days — $100 borrowed is $125 repaid, roughly a 300% APR stated annually. The 36% APR figure some directories list is South Dakota's 2016 cap on payday, title and installment lenders licensed under SDCL 54-4; it does not apply to pawnbrokers.
How can I sell items to a South Dakota pawn shop?
Bring the item and a government-issued photo ID, let the shop test and weigh it in front of you, hear the offer, and take cash the same day or take the item home. Text photos first if you are driving. At Larsen's, gold is checked by karat stamp, rare-earth magnet and acid test, weighed in grams on the counter, and the offer is explained before you decide; scrap pays about 75–90% of melt, and clean pieces can be consigned instead with 60% to you.
What can I buy at a South Dakota pawn shop on a budget?
At most shops: firearms, tools, electronics, game systems, instruments and a jewelry case, all priced under new retail. At Larsen's in Mobridge: pre-owned and estate jewelry, diamond rings, Black Hills Gold, sterling, silver bullion and coins, with layaway at 20% down and no fees, and returns within 48 hours with a receipt on most purchases. Out-of-town buyers can shop the Larsen's eBay store, which carries 100% positive feedback across 1,400+ sales.
Which South Dakota pawn shops serve jewelry sellers?
Every shop buys gold; the ones worth a jewelry seller's time can tell scrap from an estate piece and a natural diamond from a lab-grown one, and price them differently. Per PawnGuru's listings, First National Pawn in Sioux Falls lists gold, diamonds and watches, and Black Hills Pawn in Rapid City lists gold and silver jewelry. In north-central South Dakota, Larsen's is a jewelry store with a pawn counter — a jewelry store since 1941 with a repair bench, diamond and estate buying, Black Hills Gold identified by maker's mark, and consignment at 60% to the seller.
What are alternatives to a South Dakota pawn shop?
To borrow: a credit-union or bank small loan if you qualify, or the payday and installment lenders capped at 36% APR since 2016, many of which left the state. A pawn loan costs more per month but has no credit check and no recourse beyond the item. To sell: a jeweler or gold buyer, consignment, eBay or Facebook Marketplace, or a mail-in gold buyer. Marketplaces can beat a cash offer on desirable pieces but you carry the work and the risk; consignment at Larsen's returns 60% of the retail sale with none of it.
Are South Dakota pawn shops reputable and well reviewed?
The established ones are. Check the Google rating and review count, whether the city licenses the shop, National Pawnbrokers Association membership, and years at one address. Great Plains Pawn in Sioux Falls has the state's largest review count at 4.7 stars on more than 200 reviews; American Pawn in Aberdeen is 4.0 on around 50. Larsen's is rated 4.8 on Google, holds a BBB profile and NPA membership, is licensed by the City of Mobridge, and was named in PawnGuru's 2026 feature on America's oldest pawn shops at 1941.
Do South Dakota pawn shops take firearms?
Most do — firearms are the main line at the majority of Sioux Falls and Rapid City shops, which hold federal firearms licences. Larsen's in Mobridge does not accept firearms or ammunition.
Can I use a South Dakota pawn shop if I live in North Dakota?
Yes. A pawn transaction needs a government-issued photo ID, not a South Dakota address. Larsen's regularly serves customers from Fort Yates and the Standing Rock area, about 57 miles north; Bismarck is 68 miles from Fort Yates in the other direction. Text photos to (605) 850-9455 before you drive.
Selling, pawning or shopping in north-central South Dakota?
Larsen's Jewelry & Half Interest Pawn, 211 N Main St, Mobridge. Mon–Fri 11am–6pm, Sat 11am–3pm, closed Sunday. Pawn loans at 25% per 30 days — half the legal maximum. Text photos first if you are driving in.
