From gold to diamonds, electronics to automobiles, American Gold Mine is a gem in the collateral loan business.

We have a 5,000 square-goot showroom that is styled as a mini department store, which is well lit, impeccably clean and meticulously organized, with almost everything imaginable fore sale. Our main products, which we give loans on and sell, are jewelry, guns, electronics, musical instruments, tools and a huge selection of VHS videos, DVDs and CDs.

We also do a huge business in electronic games such as Nintendo, Playstation, X Box, Game Cube, etc. We sell and loan on the game discs and cartridges. Also ask about our scratch-free guarantee on our discs.

American Gold Mine is the only pawn store in St. Joseph with a full time in-house jeweler capable of doing the simplest sizing to full-blown creations, with one day sizings available. We are also a licensed Missouri car dealer, always offering huge savings on late model pre-owned vehicles, motorcycles and trailers.

We were the first in town to be computerized and now carry the top grade software made strictly for pawn stores, along with a 12-terminal Unix system.

Other features at American Gold Mine are a drive-up window, fax service, money orders, money grams and payroll and government check cashing services.

The concern, which began business in 1981, has been at 2102 S. Belt Highway since July of 1985. As a business, we did our first pawn loan May 1, 1981, as "The Gold Mine". In 1983 we purchased American Loan & Jewelry, which was located at 514 Edmond. It was June of 1985 when we combined both locations into one at our present address. American Gold Mine has always been a leader in the industry.

We offer complimentary extensions of loans, courtesy reminder notices of past due loans, layaway and certified jewelry items with independent grading accuracy and appraisal prices, so you can always see what a deal you are getting.

The store is a charter member of The Missouri Pawnbrokers Association, which was established in 1990. We have always held a seat on its board of directors since its inception, with six of those years served as President. We are also members of the National Pawnbrokers Association and have held a seat on its board for a total of seven years, with a current seat on the Board of Trustees.

Co-owners of the business are Dave, Dennis, Rosie and Cindy Kovac. The store currently has 19 employees.