Consolidated Balance Sheet - USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014
Assets, Current [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 19,811,000	$ 53,042,000	$ 19,291,000
Pawn loans	257,241,000	252,168,000	264,612,000
Merchandise held for disposition, net	234,227,000	212,849,000	215,263,000
Pawn loan fees and service charges receivable	53,470,000	53,648,000	54,501,000
Consumer loans, net	30,648,000	44,853,000	44,531,000
Income taxes receivable	1,476,000	8,881,000	0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	24,078,000	21,377,000	34,562,000
Deferred tax assets	0	0	9,562,000
Investment in equity securities	66,354,000	131,584,000	0
Current assets of discontinued operations	0	0	447,187,000
Total current assets	687,305,000	778,402,000	1,089,509,000
Property and equipment, net	174,572,000	201,054,000	209,784,000
Goodwill	487,569,000	487,569,000	488,700,000
Intangible assets, net	40,916,000	45,828,000	47,472,000
Other assets	9,497,000	9,594,000	10,560,000
Noncurrent assets of discontinued operations	0	0	267,689,000
Total assets	1,399,859,000	1,522,447,000	2,113,714,000
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	72,981,000	74,331,000	69,410,000
Customer deposits	21,302,000	17,314,000	19,271,000
Income taxes currently payable	0	0	1,414,000
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Current	4,967,000	27,820,000	0
Liabilities of Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Current	0	0	85,295,000
Total current liabilities	99,250,000	119,465,000	175,390,000
Deferred tax liabilities	69,454,000	72,432,000	64,968,000
Other liabilities	747,000	878,000	1,019,000
Liabilities of Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Noncurrent	0	0	539,782,000
Long-term debt	206,239,000	196,470,000	206,022,000
Total liabilities	375,690,000	389,245,000	987,181,000
Stockholders Equity [Abstract]
Common stock, $0.10 par value per share, 80,000,000 shares authorized, 30,235,164 shares issued	3,024,000	3,024,000	3,024,000
Additional paid-in capital	85,475,000	86,388,000	87,718,000
Retained earnings	1,041,218,000	1,030,387,000	1,091,629,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income	30,060,000	71,959,000	2,073,000
Treasury shares, at cost (4,604,936 shares, 1,379,345 shares and 1,428,495 shares as of September 30, 2015 and 2014, and as of December 31, 2014, respectively)	(135,608,000)	(58,556,000)	(57,911,000)
Total equity	1,024,169,000	1,133,202,000	1,126,533,000
Total liabilities and equity	$ 1,399,859,000	$ 1,522,447,000	$ 2,113,714,000