In my experience, pawn shops pay approximately 7-35% of the original retail price. For example, if you bought a power drill for $300, a pawn shop would typically offer between $21-$105 for the item.
A few months ago, I decided to pawn my guitar, vintage radio, and KitchenAid mixer. The retail prices for these items totaled about $1,000, and the pawn shop originally offered me $125 for everything.
Pawn shops determine value by analyzing prices of similar items that recently sold online, current precious metal prices (if you’re selling jewelry), and how quickly similar items sell in their store.
Rings, watches, and coins are usually made with precious metals like gold, platinum, and silver. The value of these items are not only based on their intrinsic item value, but also current “spot prices” of precious metals.