Editing Pawnbroker (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of pawnbroking}}
[[File:Provident Loan Society Essex Houston jeh.jpg|thumb|[[Provident Loan Society]] in [[New York City]], a charitable pawnbroker]]
[[File:Pawnshop with sign in usa.jpg|thumb|A modern pawnbroker storefront]]
The first pawn shops were in ancient [[China]] about 3,000 years ago. Pawnbrokers, often working independently, would offer short-term credit to peasants.  The business model existed 1,500 years ago in [[Buddhist_temple|Buddhist monasteries]], no different from today, strictly regulated through the ages by Imperial or other authorities.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

In the West, pawnbroking existed in the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. Most contemporary [[Western law]] on the subject is derived from the Roman jurisprudence. As the empire spread its culture, pawnbroking went with it.

In spite of early [[Roman Catholic Church]] prohibitions against charging [[interest]] on [[loan]]s, there is some evidence that the [[Franciscans]] were permitted to begin the practice as an aid to the poor.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gregg|first=Samuel|date=2016|title=How Medieval Monks Changed the Face of Banking|journal=American Banker|volume=1|issue=88|via=EBSCOhost}}</ref> In 1338, Edward III pawned his jewels to raise money for his war with France. King Henry V did much the same in 1415. In 1603 an ''Act against Brokers'' was passed and remained on the statute-book until 1872. It was aimed at the many counterfeit brokers in London. This type of broker was evidently regarded as a [[Fence (criminal)|fence]].

Crusaders, predominantly in France, brokered their land holdings to monasteries and diocese for funds to supply, outfit, and transport their armies to the Holy Land. Instead of outright repayment, the Church reaped a certain amount of crop returns for a certain amount of seasons, which could additionally be re-exchanged in a type of equity.

A pawnbroker can also be a charity. In 1450, Barnaba Manassei, a [[Franciscan]] friar, began the Monte di Pietà movement in [[Perugia]], Italy. It provided financial assistance in the form of no-interest loans secured with pawned items. Instead of interest, the Monte di Pietà urged borrowers to make donations to the [[Roman Catholic Church|Church]]. It spread through Italy, then to other parts of Europe. The first Monte de Piedad organization in Spain was founded in [[Madrid]], and from there the idea was transferred to [[New Spain]] by Pedro Romero de Terreros, the Count of Santa Maria de Regla<ref name="Ficachi">{{cite web|author=Leon Teutli Ficachi |url=http://www.anahuac.mx/clares/archivos/nacionalmontedepiedad.pdf |title=Nacional Monte de Piedad|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219125044/http://www.anahuac.mx/clares/archivos/nacionalmontedepiedad.pdf|archive-date=December 19, 2008|access-date=1 October 2008}}</ref> and [[Order of Calatrava|Knight of Calatrava]].<ref name="EncMex" /> The [[Nacional Monte de Piedad]] is a charitable institution and pawn shop whose main office is located just off the [[Zócalo]], or main plaza of [[Mexico City]].  It was established between 1774 and 1777 by [[Pedro Romero de Terreros]] as part of a movement to provide interest-free or low-interest loans to the poor. It was recognized as a national charity in 1927 by the Mexican government.<ref name="EncMex">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Alvarez |first=Jose Rogelio |encyclopedia=Enciclopedia de Mexico |title=Nacional Piedad de Monte |year=2000 |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |volume=10 |location=Mexico City |isbn=1-56409-034-5 |pages=5699–5701 }}</ref> Today it is a fast-growing institution with over 152 branches all over Mexico and with plans to open a branch in every Mexican city.<ref name="905mil">{{cite news |author=Notimex |title=Dispone Monte de Piedad de 905 mdp para préstamos |url= http://www.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/noticia/321965.dispone-monte-de-piedad-de-905-mdp-para-prest.html|publisher=El siglo de Torreón |location=Torreón |access-date=2008-10-01 |language=es }}</ref>