Ep 1. Dangerous Cash

In the very first episode of Hardcore Pawn's first season named "Dangerous Cash," we are introduced to the pawnshop located in Detroit called American Jewelry and Loan. The episode follows the daily operations of the shop and the challenging situations its employees face while dealing with customers.

Les Gold, the owner of the pawnshop runs the place with his son Seth Gold, daughter Ashley Broad, and other staff. In the beginning, the episode showcases various customers coming in to sell or pawn their items. One man comes to pawn his guitar, but Les doesn't seem confident enough to recognize the authenticity of the guitar.

Meanwhile, another customer comes in and tries to sell his scrap metal, but Les explains to him that they do not deal with scrap metal. The man, who seems to be high, begins to act aggressively, forcing Les and his security guards to call the police.

Later, a woman enters the shop and attempts to pawn her diamond engagement ring for $15,000. Les examines the ring and offers $4,000, which the woman refuses. Ashley, seeing a potential sale, decides to use her negotiation skills to try and convince the woman to sell it for $7,500. The woman eventually agrees, and Les is glad to have made a solid profit.

As the day goes on, the pawnshop continues to receive visits from several customers. One customer tries to sell Les some electronics, but Les is hesitant to take them because they are missing some essential parts. Another customer tries to pawn his toolset, but Les feels that the price being offered for it is too steep. As the day progresses, they are visited by more interesting characters.

One man comes in to sell a snake, while another tries to pawn his prosthetic leg. The sellers of wild exotic animals are not welcomed by Les, who knows that it is illegal to sell them in Michigan. Similarly, he refuses to buy the prosthetic leg, stating that it is morally and ethically wrong to do so.

Towards the end of the episode, an argument breaks out between a customer and one of the pawnshop's employees. The customer demands that his guitar be returned to him, but the employee says that it has already been sold. The customer becomes increasingly agitated, leading to a physical altercation.

The security guards are quick to intervene, and the man is thrown out of the shop. Later, Les and Seth review the CCTV footage to determine what went wrong. However, they discover that the camera was not working, which could have potentially put American Jewelry and Loan in a compromising situation.

In summary, the first episode of Hardcore Pawn's first season, "Dangerous Cash," revolves around the daily operations of American Jewelry and Loan, a pawnshop in Detroit. The episode highlights the challenges that pawnshops face with their customers and the potential risks that come along with the business. The interactions between the pawnbrokers and customers showcase the different personalities that visit the shop and the unique items that people are willing to pawn or sell.