0:00:02 > 0:00:04The world economy is in crisis,
0:00:04 > 0:00:06with banks failing and currencies crumbling.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09But there is one asset that's booming - gold.
0:00:09 > 0:00:1220 grand of odd earrings, unfashionable bracelets
0:00:12 > 0:00:14and broken items.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16The value of gold has rocketed,
0:00:16 > 0:00:19so more and more people are cashing in to cover their bills.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23There's no money out there for nobody and a lot of people are selling their gold.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25- Comes up to about five and a half. - 5,500?- Yeah.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28At the frontline of this new gold rush are pawnbrokers.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30- Can I pawn this one, please?- Sure.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33Go to the banks, you have to give them your house.
0:00:33 > 0:00:34Come to us, you give us your jewellery.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37For six months, we filmed the pawn business in Birmingham,
0:00:37 > 0:00:39following customers in control...
0:00:39 > 0:00:42The pawn shops are a good source of getting money
0:00:42 > 0:00:46as long as you're willing to pay back the money within a short period of time.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48- ..and those in despair. - 451, that one.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53I'm here every month paying interest, like it's become a vicious circle.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Welcome to Cash Britain.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01As winter arrives in Birmingham,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04the heating bills leave a lot of people feeling the chill...
0:01:07 > 0:01:10- Hello, baby. - Hello, Mum, you all right?
0:01:10 > 0:01:14..and grandmother Faye and her family are no exception.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17'I've got four daughters, ten grandchildren.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19'They themselves are struggling
0:01:19 > 0:01:22'because two of my daughters is not working at the moment,'
0:01:22 > 0:01:25and I don't work because of health issues.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28I expect the washing-up to be done tonight, Caroline.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30I can be a lady of leisure after.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34My mum does all the cooking so we have to do the cleaning, definitely.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38'It's about, even though my financial situation is not very good,
0:01:38 > 0:01:43'I always make sure that somehow, you know, I get some money to them,'
0:01:43 > 0:01:46if I've got money, which I very rarely have,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49but no matter what it is, whether it's a £10 or a £20, I will give.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53'But, you know, I do like to help them out because'
0:01:53 > 0:01:57that's what families is about, that's what mothers is about.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00With her daughter Fiona needing to top up the gas meter,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04Faye wants to turn some of her jewellery into cash.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07So she's off to the pawnbrokers.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13Everyone's going through a really difficult time. It is hard.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16You can barely make ends meet, the money that you live on.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18I live on incapacity benefit
0:02:18 > 0:02:21and that's a very small amount of money.
0:02:21 > 0:02:26You know, just the clocking for the gas alone
0:02:26 > 0:02:29'eats away half of that per week.'
0:02:29 > 0:02:31- Hello.- How can I help you?
0:02:31 > 0:02:35I've got some bits here. I wanted to know if you'd buy them.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39- I need to go to see my daughter and give her some money to help her out. - Right.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43She's a bit low on finance at the moment so she's going to need something for gas.
0:02:43 > 0:02:48Faye's hoping to raise 30 quid but it's not looking good.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52That just comes from Marks & Spencer's, it's got M&S inside.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55- OK.- So unfortunately that isn't of any value.- OK.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00That's another one from M&S, so that isn't of any value either, I'm afraid.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Wow!
0:03:02 > 0:03:04It's a right rip-off, that one, isn't it?
0:03:04 > 0:03:06And just as she's losing heart...
0:03:06 > 0:03:09But that looks like a little ingot.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11That's gold, and they are, I can tell these are.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13Yeah, I bought those myself.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16The hallmark is across the centre, so yes, they are.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20OK, there's 11.7 there, then.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Well, it's 117 so I could go to 120.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29- Are you satisfied with that? - I'll settle for that.
0:03:29 > 0:03:30'I was shocked.'
0:03:30 > 0:03:34I thought if I get £30 or £50, that's fine.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38'I am quite reserved so I didn't really want to show it outwardly
0:03:38 > 0:03:41'so, quietly, I was blown away,'
0:03:41 > 0:03:43I was dancing inside.
0:03:43 > 0:03:4920, 40, 60, 80, a hundred, 10, 20. There you go.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51- Thank you so much.- Thank you.
0:03:51 > 0:03:52This has made my day.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Voila!
0:03:55 > 0:03:57'So that gives me a little bit more cash.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00'Now I can actually put petrol in the car,'
0:04:00 > 0:04:02drive down to my daughter in Quinton,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05give her some money that she can have gas in the house,
0:04:05 > 0:04:08so when her daughter comes from school the house is warm.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11So you're her guardian angel today, then, when you go to visit her.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15- I wouldn't go that far! - "Oh, Mum I've got..." - I wouldn't go that far!
0:04:18 > 0:04:2330 years ago, Gerry Senior established his pawnbroking empire.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Now two of his sons have taken up the reins,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29helping Brummies turn their gold into cash.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32All right, darling? That's nine carat gold.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35I'd lend £500 on that now.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40The most fantastic thing about gold is that
0:04:40 > 0:04:45that was created during the dying seconds of a star gone supernova.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Can you stop that?
0:04:51 > 0:04:56- Ooh!- BEEP- You're having me a nervous blooming wreck, I tell ya.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02- How much do you need? - We want about a thousand dollars.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04Well, forget it.
0:05:06 > 0:05:07What can we do for you?
0:05:09 > 0:05:13Pawnbrokers don't just buy or pawn gold, they sell it, too.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18And Simon has a few tricks to tempt punters through the door.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Normally it's the same bits that go in every day.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24But if you change 'em round and put 'em in different places,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27people come in and say, "Oh I haven't seen that before,"
0:05:27 > 0:05:30and I think, "Well, it's been in the window for three months."
0:05:30 > 0:05:34Mother-of-five Jeanette has her eye on something in the window.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37- You all right, my love? - I'm the lady that's just phoned you up about the chain.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39- Oh, the chain.- Yeah.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41She's after a birthday present for her son.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45- It's his birthday today, then, or...? - No, it was three years ago!
0:05:45 > 0:05:49- Yeah?- It was for his 21st.- His 21st?
0:05:49 > 0:05:51He's 23 now! He was 21 when he...
0:05:51 > 0:05:53SHE LAUGHS
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Oh! Well, bit late, but we'll get there.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00He had a ring but he builds sheds, and he's caught it.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04So Jeanette wants to replace the broken ring with a gold chain,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07but it's going to cost.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10That's 380 quid. It's ridiculous, the prices.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12They've shot up so much.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Have you got something in the range of 200?
0:06:15 > 0:06:19That's 230, something like that, but they are quite pricey at the moment.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Let me have a look at that again.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Yeah. I'll take that.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27He'll like that. He's a lucky lad.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31He's my baby. Oh, I can't wait.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33- I hope he enjoys it, then. - Thank you.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35- Ta-da, my love.- Thanks.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Despite emptying her savings account,
0:06:39 > 0:06:41money is the least of her worries.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44I've got no money now in the Post Office,
0:06:44 > 0:06:46so I can't go and get a drink.
0:06:48 > 0:06:49I'm an alcoholic.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54It's painful.
0:06:55 > 0:06:56Very painful.
0:07:03 > 0:07:09All night, last night in bed, I knew my money was in the Post Office...
0:07:13 > 0:07:18..and I thought I've gotta do it, cos if I didn't do it,
0:07:18 > 0:07:22I'd be going up the road every five minutes for a bottle of sherry, you know.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27I'm proud of myself, even though I say it myself.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30It's not drink, I ain't bought a drink.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39What matters now to Jeanette is the look on her son's face
0:07:39 > 0:07:42when she finally hands over his present.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45That is absolutely fantastic.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47My little lad.
0:07:47 > 0:07:4921, but he's 23!
0:07:54 > 0:07:58Oh, I can't wait to see him Friday, I can't wait.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02While Jeanette waits for Friday,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Faye's already arrived at her daughter's.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11- Nanny, Nanny, Nanny!- Hello!
0:08:11 > 0:08:14Hello, are you all right?
0:08:14 > 0:08:16- Everything OK?- Yeah.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19- I've got £120.- Wow, that's good.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22So those lovely £20 smackers, lovely smackeroos!
0:08:22 > 0:08:26Thank you. I'll be definitely using that.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28And my price was between 30 to £50,
0:08:28 > 0:08:33so when I was told it's 120 I could get for it, it's like my heart,
0:08:33 > 0:08:37my liver, my lungs and everything was dancing inside of me.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Oh, you're funny!
0:08:39 > 0:08:42And without money, you can't do anything.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45You know, it is hard. We just do what we have to do.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49But the only problem with that is that survival is short-lived,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52because the money runs out within a couple of days.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Last weekend, I was cooking,
0:08:55 > 0:08:59had some gas in there, the emergency was on, I was cooking my meats,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02within time I was ready to do the rice, the gas was gone.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06You know, it's hard for a lot of people out there.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10But thanks to Grandma's gold, the meter is up and running again.
0:09:10 > 0:09:11Nanny's being good.
0:09:11 > 0:09:16So she will have gold and silver and red and green.
0:09:16 > 0:09:17And it's all for what?
0:09:17 > 0:09:21- Being good!- OK.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23My favourite, favourite lovely Nan.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28Yeah! Thank you.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Back at the shop, Karl's mum Mavis is holding the fort.
0:09:33 > 0:09:39I don't really like to be on my own because if I'm not sure of anything,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42then, you know, I start to panic a little bit. I like to be sure.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44- BELL RINGS - Ooh!
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Hello. What can I do for you?
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Er, I want to sell my...
0:09:52 > 0:09:54- You want to sell it?- Yeah. - OK, let's have a look.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Have you pawned with us before or anything?
0:09:57 > 0:10:01Dhan has run short of cash and needs to sell his gold wedding ring.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04For the time being, I'm not working.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08No money in my pocket, so I sell the ring.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10It is my country ring,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13- Mauritius.- Mauritius?- Yeah.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19Well, you get 120 for that.
0:10:19 > 0:10:20Better sell it.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24OK. Well, you need some ID, so I'd like you to come back.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26- OK.- Bye-bye, then.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33Dhan moved to the UK nine years ago,
0:10:33 > 0:10:37but since losing his job, he's been struggling to make ends meet.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40Selling the ring will help, but there's a big problem.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43He's not told the missus.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46I don't want to tell her because she will be angry.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Truly said, she will be angry.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51She will not say to me anything because I don't rob her.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53It's my ring.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56Karl, this gentleman just came in.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00- His ring is from Mauritius, so he tells me, 18 carat.- Yeah.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02He wants to sell it, so have you weighed it up?
0:11:02 > 0:11:06Yeah. Can't remember what I told him! Oh, God, I'm going funny!
0:11:06 > 0:11:08- Right, 7.8.- 18, I did.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Did ya? Well, you've offered him top money.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16What you've gotta do is, really, take the onyx price out of there.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19- Right. - Cos that onyx is not 18 carat gold,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22so what you've actually done is offer him the full amount on the weight.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Well, here he is anyway. You see to him.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Mavis is having a bad day and can't remember offering Dhan 120 quid.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31How much did I say to you?
0:11:31 > 0:11:33- 110?- 110! Oh, my God.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Luckily for her, neither can he.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37God, this is a good start, isn't it?
0:11:37 > 0:11:40We'll do it at 110 for you, then, OK?
0:11:40 > 0:11:43She's made a complete shemozzle about everything.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46But she's able to do that cos she's 62.
0:11:46 > 0:11:47- Oh.- I'm 61!
0:11:49 > 0:11:52She's only learning. She's only been with me since 1988,
0:11:52 > 0:11:53so I have to show her the ropes.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56She has to learn the ropes, she doesn't know it very good, you know.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00I have no idea what she's doing here, really.
0:12:01 > 0:12:02You're joking me!
0:12:03 > 0:12:084, 6, 8, 100, 110.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Thank you very much.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13If money come in, maybe I'll buy another ring,
0:12:13 > 0:12:17more better, better ring, yeah? You never know.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21Good luck with the wife on that one, Dhan(!)
0:12:25 > 0:12:27More and more of us are selling gold
0:12:27 > 0:12:29and, as the family's golden boy,
0:12:29 > 0:12:34there's not a lot Karl doesn't know about this precious metal.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37When anybody's selling gold, there's a few things to remember.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Firstly, clean the item.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Put it in some Fairy Liquid, a little toothbrush, clean it up,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45making the item look more appealing.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Secondary, know what carat gold you've got,
0:12:48 > 0:12:51by looking for the hallmark.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53If it's nine carat, it will be stamped 375.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56If it's 18 carat, it'll be stamped 750.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00If it's 22 carat, it will be stamped 916.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04And if it's 24 carat, which is nearer pure,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06it'll be stamped point 999.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09Once then you know exactly how much that weighs,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11and what carat gold it is, you can then research,
0:13:11 > 0:13:16go on the internet, find out how gold's trading before you actually sell it.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18It's a pleasure doing business with you.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20You take care.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22But Karl's not the only gold expert.
0:13:24 > 0:13:25Meet Steve.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29When he inherited some money as a teenager, he put it all in gold.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Now, rather than have a bank account,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35he prefers to wear his savings.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38I've always, like, imagined a nice big cross and chain,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41and a nice big chunky bangle and a nice big ring.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44And, you know, my wish has come true. I've got what I want.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48I think bank's a waste of time. You don't get no interest or nothing on it.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50You could have thousands and thousands.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54And when he wants to check the value of his investments,
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Steve gets them weighed at the pawnbrokers.
0:13:59 > 0:14:05OK, mate, just find out what I get for this if I sold it, my big chain.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07- The big boy.- Yeah.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09That's the big one I had off ya.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Feels like an anchor chain for the Titanic, you know!
0:14:16 > 0:14:19On scrap, what, £3,300?
0:14:19 > 0:14:21The gold's going up all the time,
0:14:21 > 0:14:23so if I wait another couple more years,
0:14:23 > 0:14:26it might go through the roof, I might get more.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28I might get double, I might get treble.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33And what about these bangles cos I've never had these priced up here? Give us a price on them.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37- About £2,600 there. - That's about right, yeah.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40- Just don't go swimming in 'em, Steve. - I know, I'll probably sink.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43It's like that magician's trick there with the three rings, innit?
0:14:43 > 0:14:47A recent back injury has left Steve relying on benefits, so he now needs a spot of extra dosh.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50I've done my deals and that's it, that's how I make my money.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53A lot of people owe me a few quid here and there.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55Let's see what I get for these.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59- Couple of little boxing gloves.- Yeah, the ones I've had...- I remember those.- ..for years, I know.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05About 220 there.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08- Er, go on, then, I'll take it, then. - Do you want to do it?- Yeah, yeah.
0:15:08 > 0:15:13- Will they get melted down if you don't sell them?- Unfortunately, they probably would, yeah.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17With the recession, there's no money out there for nobody and a lot of people are selling gold.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20I had to sell him two boxing gloves today and, obviously,
0:15:20 > 0:15:24it's really hurt me but times are hard and money goes on bills, mainly gas and electric.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28But I think I'm a bit better off compared to other people, cos I've got my gold.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Okey-dokey, then. See you a bit later, mate.
0:15:31 > 0:15:32All right, mate.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37I'd rather see him coming in buying stuff of us. He's going through hard times at the moment.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41£10 pound on that one, please. £14 on that, please, mate.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45- £14, yeah?- £5 TV license. £7.13, please, mate.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46- Anything else, Steve? - That's it, mate.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50Life's hard out there at the moment so maybe, maybe he'll come in and
0:15:50 > 0:15:53he'll be a bit happier next time, you never know.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55It's peaks and troughs, innit?
0:15:55 > 0:15:57We tend to see the people at the bottom.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04People will cash in just about anything to make ends meet,
0:16:04 > 0:16:09and for many there's a stigma attached to using pawnbrokers.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13But there may be a solution.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Gez is entering a world in which he's an expert...
0:16:18 > 0:16:20online pawn.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23This is the future of pawnbroking.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26So long as I can get my hands on it, then I'll do a loan with them.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Instead of bringing your goods in person,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31you send them in for a valuation,
0:16:31 > 0:16:35and the cash can be in your account by the end of the day,
0:16:35 > 0:16:37Like this 1978 Gibson Les Paul...
0:16:37 > 0:16:38Ah!
0:16:38 > 0:16:41..whose owner thinks it's worth three grand.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45HE PLAYS BADLY
0:16:48 > 0:16:50No, that's, that's wrong.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54It's, it's been a few years since I've played the guitar.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Before Gez can do the pawn, he needs an expert opinion.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03- Nice. TV yellow.- Yeah.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07- In good condition for '78, really. - OK.
0:17:07 > 0:17:08It was called TV yellow because,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11in the '50s when Gibson started making these guitars,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15it showed up really well on the first black and white TV.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Very popular in the '70s with rock bands
0:17:17 > 0:17:21because they were relatively cheap compared to other guitars.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Show-off! GEZ LAUGHS
0:17:50 > 0:17:51So it works.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54It works really well, yeah. Plays good, too, sounds good, plays nice,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Everything does what it should do. Great guitar, really.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00What kind of value do you think you'd put on there?
0:18:00 > 0:18:01With its original case,
0:18:01 > 0:18:05you're probably looking at round about 1,500 to 1,800 maximum,
0:18:05 > 0:18:06I would think.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09It's like music to my ears, really.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12IMITATES GUITAR
0:18:12 > 0:18:15What he was doing with his guitar was fantastic, wasn't it?
0:18:15 > 0:18:19Oh, I'd love to be able to play the guitar like that. Maybe one day.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21HE SIGHS
0:18:21 > 0:18:23Well, thanks for sending us your guitar.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25We received it this morning.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Your idea of how much it was worth at £3,000 I think was
0:18:28 > 0:18:32a little bit, a little bit more than it actually is.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35It's actually worth around about £1,500 to £1,800.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38No offence, I thought it was worth a little bit more than that.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40You know, it's not as if it's been passed around.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44I've got to go off the value that I've just been given.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47Based on that, I'd be able to lend you about £1,200.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51Right. I'm...I'm more than happy for the price you've offered me, anyway.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54OK, I can get the money into your account first thing in the morning, yeah?
0:18:54 > 0:18:57- OK, then. Thank you very much, then, Gerry.- OK, bye-bye.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01So there you go. He seems like a happy customer.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09Birmingham is one of the most vibrant multicultural cities in the country,
0:19:09 > 0:19:13with the Asian community making up a fifth of the population,
0:19:13 > 0:19:19and the pawnbrokers are seeing more and more Asian gold crossing their counters.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22Lots of gold there, isn't there? Let's have a little weigh up for you.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25And Asian gold is particularly valuable.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- Comes out to about five and a half. - 5,500?- Yeah.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32- That'll pay a few bills off, won't it?- Yeah, definitely.
0:19:32 > 0:19:37What sets it apart is that it's nearly always made from 22 carat gold.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41Makes my bracelet look a bit pale, insignificant,
0:19:41 > 0:19:45when you look at the difference between the nine carat and a 22 carat.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48It makes that... The nine carat doesn't even look as if it's gold.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57Traditionally, Asian jewellery is given as a marriage gift.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Two years ago, Tariq had to pawn his wedding gold
0:20:00 > 0:20:04so his wife could return to Pakistan to care for her sick mother.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08We've been given this jewellery by our family, by my parents,
0:20:08 > 0:20:10by my wife's parents.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12And it is very important,
0:20:12 > 0:20:16because that's one of the main things of our marriage.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20It's more important to us than money or anything else.
0:20:21 > 0:20:27Despite a job in the car industry, Tariq is struggling to keep up the payments on the pawned jewellery.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29I've lost one or two pieces,
0:20:29 > 0:20:33and I'm in a situation where I'm still paying for it,
0:20:33 > 0:20:35and I still haven't got it back.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38'I'm trying to work as much as I can.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42'Sometimes I'm doing seven nights a week to make ends meet,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45'but even that is not enough.'
0:20:45 > 0:20:47SHE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:20:47 > 0:20:52She's constantly thinking about what's going to happen next,
0:20:52 > 0:20:56where it will put us in a worser situation,
0:20:56 > 0:20:58cos if anything else does come on top,
0:20:58 > 0:21:01we don't know what we're going to do.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05This is Tariq's gold. There's four different pawns here.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09If you put all the loans together, it's just over £2,200.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13Scrap value at the moment is probably about £5,500.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17If Tariq sold some of his gold, he could clear all of his debt,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19but he won't part with any of it.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23What did you want to do, did you want to take 'em out or...?
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Um, how much is this one here to renew?
0:21:25 > 0:21:28To renew, this one here... 451, that one.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33For now, Tariq can only afford to pay off the interest.
0:21:34 > 0:21:39I've just paid £451 to renew that for another six months,
0:21:39 > 0:21:44but I've got another item which I've got to renew next month again.
0:21:44 > 0:21:50And the third item is in February, and I've got one in March.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54It's put me in a cycle where I'm here every month,
0:21:54 > 0:21:57paying interest on each item,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00and it's like it's become a vicious circle.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04I've already paid £4,000 in two years.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07I only take home 1,200 a month.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09It kills you, man. It's just a heart-breaker.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13It's a heart-breaker cos you can't get it back, you know what I mean?
0:22:13 > 0:22:17Sometimes I've said to people, "You're paying the interest, are you ever going to get it back?
0:22:17 > 0:22:21"If not, you might as well bite the bullet and say, 'Let it go.' "
0:22:21 > 0:22:24That was a gift for my wedding and when you lose something like that,
0:22:24 > 0:22:28you are going to replace it, that ain't a problem, but it's not the same thing.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30It's sentimental value that matters at the end of the day.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33It's not about the money, you know what I mean?
0:22:35 > 0:22:39Tariq may not be selling but, these days, plenty of the punters are,
0:22:39 > 0:22:44and the pawnbrokers need to keep the cash coming in themselves.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47The only option is to liquidate their assets.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57Yeah, some of it's pawn stuff that was taken off of pawn,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00and the rest of it is purchases and stuff like that.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05But all that glitters is not gold.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07It's the 'Puff Daddy look'.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10They all want the white gold with the bling stones in,
0:23:10 > 0:23:14and the problem is there's more stones in it than what there is gold.
0:23:18 > 0:23:19Yeah, there we go.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22That'll do. I'm sweating a bit now!
0:23:22 > 0:23:25It's the hardest work I've had to do all day.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29There's about 1,500 grams there, one and a half kilos of nine carat.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32Looks scary when you look at it sometimes.
0:23:32 > 0:23:33There's 20 grand there.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36- Yep. 20 grand of odd earrings... - Yeah.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- ..unfashionable bracelets and broken items.- Yeah.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44Most of the country's gold goes through Birmingham.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47At the heart of the city's precious metal trade,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50is the historic Jewellery Quarter.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53And after looting all his shops for gold,
0:23:53 > 0:23:57Karl's come here to oversee it being melted down,
0:23:57 > 0:23:58back into cold, hard cash.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Doing the honours is bullion room head honcho, Eamonn.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07So what have we got, then? We got three kilos, 33.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09- Yep.- Lovely.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12Have you got it nice and hot, John?
0:24:24 > 0:24:25It's smoking!
0:24:25 > 0:24:29To be honest, that smoke there, a lot of that will just be from human hair,
0:24:29 > 0:24:31the oils out of your skin and that kind of stuff.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35That's why you get a weight loss because a lot of that gets burned off on the...
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Certainly on the older gear, like that looks to be.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41And it is quite hot. It's about 1,200 degrees at the minute.
0:24:41 > 0:24:42Whoa, that is hot!
0:24:42 > 0:24:46So, you been doing plenty of melts today?
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Flat out. I mean, the volume that's coming through is just phenomenal.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52And how many kilos have you done today, then?
0:24:52 > 0:24:53240 kilos.
0:24:55 > 0:25:00We're currently running anywhere between 1.2, 1.5 tonnes a week.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04That's 20 million pounds of melted gold every week.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Gold at the moment is valued higher than it's ever been,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11simply because it's used as a hedge against economic instability.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13People have lost faith in the banks,
0:25:13 > 0:25:15so they are looking for alternative investments
0:25:15 > 0:25:19and demand for the gold in electronics is increasing as well.
0:25:27 > 0:25:28That's nice.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Into that bar is all that scrap that we got.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40- Yep, it doesn't look like 40 grand, does it?- Nope.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43But this is just the nine carat cheap stuff.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47We'll split that metal down into fine gold.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50We sell fine gold in fine gold bullion bars,
0:25:50 > 0:25:54so there's a small example there which is worth £1,040.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58The price is ridiculous for something that is just over the size of a pound coin.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00That's the full circle.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02Yes, on one hand, shame that we're melting it.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06On the other hand, I've gotta get my money back some time or other.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17It's been a week since Jeanette bought her son a £230 gold chain
0:26:17 > 0:26:19as a 21st birthday present.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21Oh, I can't wait.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25Today, with Paul and his brother Danny coming to visit, she can finally hand over the gift.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30What's this, Bon? What's this? Are you going to give this to Paul?
0:26:34 > 0:26:36Mother. Good to see you.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40Hiya, Paulie. God, she always smacks my...
0:26:40 > 0:26:42Hello, Bonnie, girl, hello.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Give us a banger!
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Love you.
0:26:46 > 0:26:47All right, you look nice.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50- Happy birthday, son.- Thank you.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54It's 'I spy with my little eye'. You've gotta find it.
0:26:54 > 0:26:55Go on.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Is it that box on the shelf that isn't usually there?
0:26:58 > 0:27:00- Is this it, then?- Yeah.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03I'm wonder if I can see from the size of the box.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08- Cheers, Mum.- I love you, son.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10I love you, too.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13- So you like that? - Mum, I love it. Seriously.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15- Happy birthday.- Thank you, Mum.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17- Love you.- Thanks.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19I wonder what I'm going to get.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23I would never expect her to pay for a necklace for me, but that's exactly what I wanted.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27'She doesn't earn much money herself. She was struggling to get by on her own.'
0:27:27 > 0:27:30That she put it together and got it me as a surprise...
0:27:30 > 0:27:31I'll never forget it. It's my 21st.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35'I'll always have it, keep it, that's it.'
0:27:35 > 0:27:38'I can feel it in me heart how happy he is.'
0:27:38 > 0:27:41It was in here, truly,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43and money can't buy that.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48Every time he sees that necklace, it's me and him.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56Next time, one punter pins his hopes of a glittering business career
0:27:56 > 0:27:58on some very bling jewellery...
0:27:58 > 0:28:01You are the last alternative. I've tried everything, man -
0:28:01 > 0:28:04the banks, government. No help, no help.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06..an unpaid loan puts Karl and Gez on the ropes.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09- I hope to God we can get our money back on these.- I'm nervous now.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12..and a job loss leaves one couple on the verge of losing it all.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16It's just all the hassle and everything you have to go through.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd