Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Revenues:
Merchandise sales	$ 114,945	$ 110,238	$ 228,533	$ 221,751
Jewelry scrapping sales	11,525	10,219	23,738	20,017
Pawn service charges	74,367	67,092	150,727	136,105
Other revenues	1,897	2,079	4,244	4,379
Total revenues	202,734	189,628	407,242	382,252
Merchandise cost of goods sold	72,220	70,493	143,387	142,225
Jewelry scrapping cost of goods sold	9,574	8,841	19,911	17,185
Other cost of revenues	347	397	924	980
Net revenues	120,593	109,897	243,020	221,862
Segment and corporate expenses (income):
Operations	82,160	74,460	165,770	152,106
Administrative	13,341	13,283	26,659	27,210
Depreciation and amortization	6,451	6,030	12,174	12,403
Loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets	100	71	139	(6)
Interest expense	5,829	5,628	11,676	11,193
Interest income	(4,268)	(2,240)	(8,538)	(4,856)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated affiliate	(876)	(1,243)	(2,326)	(2,721)
Other (income) expense	(4)	228	(186)	(195)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	17,860	13,680	37,652	26,728
Segments
Revenues:
Merchandise sales	114,945	110,238	228,533	221,751
Jewelry scrapping sales	11,525	10,219	23,738	20,017
Pawn service charges	74,367	67,092	150,727	136,105
Other revenues	1,897	2,079	4,244	4,379
Total revenues	202,734	189,628	407,242	382,252
Merchandise cost of goods sold	72,220	70,493	143,387	142,225
Jewelry scrapping cost of goods sold	9,574	8,841	19,911	17,185
Other cost of revenues	347	397	924	980
Net revenues	120,593	109,897	243,020	221,862
Segment and corporate expenses (income):
Operations	82,160	74,460	165,770	152,106
Administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	4,494	3,370	8,185	6,668
Loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets	102	71	128	(6)
Interest expense	2	3	3	5
Interest income	(763)	(342)	(1,400)	(409)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated affiliate	(876)	(1,243)	(2,326)	(2,721)
Other (income) expense	(35)	(11)	(7)	(6)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	35,509	33,589	72,667	66,225
Segments | U.S. Pawn
Revenues:
Merchandise sales	94,753	95,550	186,247	190,411
Jewelry scrapping sales	8,177	9,056	16,702	17,901
Pawn service charges	59,114	59,661	118,819	120,706
Other revenues	76	56	150	107
Total revenues	162,120	164,323	321,918	329,125
Merchandise cost of goods sold	58,537	60,499	114,625	120,747
Jewelry scrapping cost of goods sold	6,512	7,890	13,354	15,440
Other cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Net revenues	97,071	95,934	193,939	192,938
Segment and corporate expenses (income):
Operations	65,191	63,556	131,491	130,906
Administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	3,531	2,660	6,330	5,277
Loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets	107	(3)	123	(74)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Interest income	0	0	0	0
Equity in net income of unconsolidated affiliate	0	0	0	0
Other (income) expense	1	(4)	(3)	(9)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	28,241	29,725	55,998	56,838
Segments | Latin America Pawn
Revenues:
Merchandise sales	20,192	14,688	42,286	31,340
Jewelry scrapping sales	3,348	1,163	7,036	2,116
Pawn service charges	15,253	7,431	31,908	15,399
Other revenues	174	147	343	278
Total revenues	38,967	23,429	81,573	49,133
Merchandise cost of goods sold	13,683	9,994	28,762	21,478
Jewelry scrapping cost of goods sold	3,062	951	6,557	1,745
Other cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Net revenues	22,222	12,484	46,254	25,910
Segment and corporate expenses (income):
Operations	14,994	8,901	29,681	17,541
Administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	916	660	1,761	1,291
Loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets	(5)	74	5	68
Interest expense	2	3	3	5
Interest income	(763)	(342)	(1,400)	(409)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated affiliate	0	0	0	0
Other (income) expense	(1)	(48)	114	(37)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	7,079	3,236	16,090	7,451
Segments | Other International
Revenues:
Merchandise sales	0	0	0	0
Jewelry scrapping sales	0	0	0	0
Pawn service charges	0	0	0	0
Other revenues	1,647	1,876	3,751	3,994
Total revenues	1,647	1,876	3,751	3,994
Merchandise cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Jewelry scrapping cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Other cost of revenues	347	397	924	980
Net revenues	1,300	1,479	2,827	3,014
Segment and corporate expenses (income):
Operations	1,975	2,003	4,598	3,659
Administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	47	50	94	100
Loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Interest income	0	0	0	0
Equity in net income of unconsolidated affiliate	(876)	(1,243)	(2,326)	(2,721)
Other (income) expense	(35)	41	(118)	40
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	189	628	579	1,936
Corporate, Non-Segment
Revenues:
Merchandise sales	0	0	0	0
Jewelry scrapping sales	0	0	0	0
Pawn service charges	0	0	0	0
Other revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Merchandise cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Jewelry scrapping cost of goods sold	0	0	0	0
Other cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Segment and corporate expenses (income):
Operations	0	0	0	0
Administrative	13,341	13,283	26,659	27,210
Depreciation and amortization	1,957	2,660	3,989	5,735
Loss (gain) on sale or disposal of assets	(2)	0	11	0
Interest expense	5,827	5,625	11,673	11,188
Interest income	(3,505)	(1,898)	(7,138)	(4,447)
Equity in net income of unconsolidated affiliate	0	0	0	0
Other (income) expense	31	239	(179)	(189)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	$ (17,649)	$ (19,909)	$ (35,015)	$ (39,497)