Gold & Silver – Highest Prices Paid – 1937

The year is 1937 and we are looking north on the west side of Sixth Avenue.  The Sixth Avenue Elevated in the background will soon be torn down. Sitting out in front of Roxy Jewelers is a man trying to drum up business to “sell your diamonds, pawn tickets, gold, silver, jewelry & antiques for the highest prices paid.”  The Great Depression saw many people selling off whatever valuables they had to pay the rent or just have enough to eat.

Roxy Jewelers (1191 Sixth Avenue, between 46th and 47th Streets) is long gone, replaced by a full block-long commercial skyscraper, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, (a.k.a. Sixth Avenue) whose major tenants include Hess, The National Hockey League and News Corporation.

Photo:© Google Maps

Directly across the street from where Roxy Jewelers once stood, you will find this shop at 1190 Sixth Avenue. Showing that some things never change, our “Great Recession” has had an effect on the economy as pawn shops offering “instant cash” have popped up everywhere, having very similar deals to the ones they had in 1937.