Prima casă de amanet din România, o instituție bancară. Cât era dobânda? Activele băncii, pierdute la Moscova • Newsweek România

The first pawn shop in Romania was actually a bank established in 1905, aimed at helping the financially needy. Initially a charitable initiative, it evolved into a profitable business after 1990. The bank, known as 'Muntele de Pietate', provided loans against pawned items, but high interest rates made it difficult for borrowers to reclaim their possessions. The institution's assets were lost during World War I when the state treasury was sent to Moscow and never recovered. Today, pawn shops operate as private businesses, regulated as non-banking financial institutions, with interest rates determined by market conditions.