Operating Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Revenues:
Merchandise sales									$ 387,331	$ 368,766	$ 333,064
Jewelry scrapping sales									96,243	131,702	202,481
Pawn service charges									248,378	251,354	233,538
Consumer loan fees and interest									219,535	219,752	190,746
Other revenues									37,045	8,547	4,673
Total revenues	242,209	232,602	250,682	263,039	227,980	226,696	259,963	265,482	988,532	980,121	964,502
Merchandise cost of goods sold									247,393	218,617	190,637
Jewelry scrapping cost of goods sold									72,836	96,133	130,715
Consumer loan bad debt									53,206	40,667	35,639
Net revenues	142,810	149,951	158,479	163,857	143,699	145,773	166,143	169,089	615,097	624,704	607,511
Operating expenses:
Operations									420,350	389,386	328,793
Administrative									61,819	52,474	47,912
Depreciation									29,801	27,858	21,851
Amortization									5,475	3,485	1,956
(Gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets									(5,629)	1,359	(249)
Interest expense (income), net									22,832	15,168	(1,549)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated affiliates									(5,948)	(11,878)	(17,400)
Restructuring	6,700								6,664	0	0
Impairment of investments			7,900		44,600				7,940	44,598	0
Other income									(907)	(205)	(888)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes									72,700	102,459	227,085
Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues:
Merchandise sales									387,331	368,766	333,064
Jewelry scrapping sales									96,243	131,702	202,481
Pawn service charges									248,378	251,354	233,538
Consumer loan fees and interest									219,535	219,752	190,746
Other revenues									37,045	8,547	4,673
Total revenues									988,532	980,121	964,502
Merchandise cost of goods sold									247,393	218,617	190,637
Jewelry scrapping cost of goods sold									72,836	96,133	130,715
Consumer loan bad debt									53,206	40,667	35,639
Net revenues									615,097	624,704	607,511
Operating expenses:
Operations									420,350	389,386	328,793
Administrative									0	0	0
Depreciation									23,138	21,036	16,394
Amortization									2,403	2,104	1,937
(Gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets									(6,593)	226	(248)
Interest expense (income), net									15,227	11,295	(4,510)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated affiliates									(5,948)	(11,878)	(17,400)
Restructuring									0
Impairment of investments									7,940	44,598
Other income									(2,164)	(68)	(888)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes									160,744	168,005	283,433
Operating Segments [Member] | US & Canada Operations [Member]
Revenues:
Merchandise sales									327,720	310,521	291,497
Jewelry scrapping sales									89,941	123,162	191,905
Pawn service charges									217,891	221,775	210,601
Consumer loan fees and interest									165,397	169,291	163,845
Other revenues									2,082	3,811	3,381
Total revenues									803,031	828,560	861,229
Merchandise cost of goods sold									205,349	183,147	168,133
Jewelry scrapping cost of goods sold									67,029	88,637	122,604
Consumer loan bad debt									46,339	40,780	35,330
Net revenues									484,314	515,996	535,162
Operating expenses:
Operations									335,881	325,795	291,534
Administrative									0	0	0
Depreciation									17,265	15,814	13,075
Amortization									399	393	567
(Gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets									(6,620)	209	(260)
Interest expense (income), net									(16)	16	(3)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated affiliates									0	0	0
Restructuring									0
Impairment of investments									0	0
Other income									(5)	(3)	(647)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes									137,410	173,772	230,896
Operating Segments [Member] | Latin America [Member]
Revenues:
Merchandise sales									59,611	58,245	41,567
Jewelry scrapping sales									6,302	8,540	10,576
Pawn service charges									30,487	29,579	22,937
Consumer loan fees and interest									54,138	50,461	26,901
Other revenues									34,963	3,197	1,292
Total revenues									185,501	150,022	103,273
Merchandise cost of goods sold									42,044	35,470	22,504
Jewelry scrapping cost of goods sold									5,807	7,496	8,111
Consumer loan bad debt									6,867	(113)	309
Net revenues									130,783	107,169	72,349
Operating expenses:
Operations									84,469	62,496	37,259
Administrative									0	0	0
Depreciation									5,873	5,222	3,319
Amortization									2,004	1,711	1,370
(Gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets									27	17	12
Interest expense (income), net									15,243	11,279	(4,507)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated affiliates									0	0	0
Restructuring									0
Impairment of investments									0	0
Other income									(2,274)	(218)	(5)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes									25,441	26,662	34,901
Operating Segments [Member] | Other International [Member]
Revenues:
Merchandise sales									0	0	0
Jewelry scrapping sales									0	0	0
Pawn service charges									0	0	0
Consumer loan fees and interest									0	0	0
Other revenues									0	1,539	0
Total revenues									0	1,539	0
Merchandise cost of goods sold									0	0	0
Jewelry scrapping cost of goods sold									0	0	0
Consumer loan bad debt									0	0	0
Net revenues									0	1,539	0
Operating expenses:
Operations									0	1,095	0
Administrative									0	0	0
Depreciation									0	0	0
Amortization									0	0	0
(Gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets									0	0	0
Interest expense (income), net									0	0	0
Equity in net income of unconsolidated affiliates									(5,948)	(11,878)	(17,400)
Restructuring									0
Impairment of investments									7,940	44,598
Other income									115	153	(236)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes									(2,107)	(32,429)	17,636
Corporate [Member]
Revenues:
Merchandise sales									0	0	0
Jewelry scrapping sales									0	0	0
Pawn service charges									0	0	0
Consumer loan fees and interest									0	0	0
Other revenues									0	0	0
Total revenues									0	0	0
Merchandise cost of goods sold									0	0	0
Jewelry scrapping cost of goods sold									0	0	0
Consumer loan bad debt									0	0	0
Net revenues									0	0	0
Operating expenses:
Operations									0	0	0
Administrative									61,819	52,474	47,912
Depreciation									6,663	6,822	5,457
Amortization									3,072	1,381	19
(Gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets									964	1,133	(1)
Interest expense (income), net									7,605	3,873	2,961
Equity in net income of unconsolidated affiliates									0	0	0
Restructuring									6,664
Impairment of investments									0	0
Other income									1,257	(137)	0
Income from continuing operations before income taxes									$ (88,044)	$ (65,546)	$ (56,348)