A VICTORIAN CAST-IRON AND GILT-COPPER PAWNBROKERS SIGN, 19TH CENTURY

Lending money against your goods, already existed in Ancient Greece and Europe and became extremely popular in the 19th century in England. The design for the traditional pawnbroker signs with three golden balls suspended from a bar is commonly associated with the Medici family but also with the patron Saint of pawnbrokers, St Nicholas who, according to legend, saved three young girls from destitution by loaning them each a bag of gold so they could get married.