Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 214,730	$ 202,398	$ 430,425	$ 406,568
Net revenues	127,690	120,257	257,739	242,346
Segment and corporate expenses (income):
Operations	88,243	82,180	177,029	165,826
Administrative	16,487	13,341	31,742	26,420
Depreciation and amortization	7,012	6,451	13,860	12,174
(Gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets and other	(823)	100	3,619	139
Interest expense	8,589	5,829	17,380	11,676
Interest income	(3,126)	(4,268)	(6,465)	(8,538)
Equity in net (income) loss of unconsolidated affiliates	(431)	(876)	688	(2,326)
Impairment of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	6,451	0	19,725	0
Other expense (income)	269	(4)	(117)	(186)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	5,019	17,504	278	37,161
Segments
Revenues:
Total revenues	214,730	202,398	430,425	406,568
Net revenues	127,690	120,257	257,739	242,346
Segment and corporate expenses (income):
Operations	88,243	82,180	177,029	165,826
Administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	4,554	4,494	9,052	8,185
(Gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets and other	(823)	102	3,619	128
Interest expense	182	2	283	3
Interest income	(431)	(763)	(850)	(1,400)
Equity in net (income) loss of unconsolidated affiliates	(431)	(876)	688	(2,326)
Impairment of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	6,451		19,725
Other expense (income)	291	(35)	187	(7)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	29,654	35,153	48,006	71,937
Segments | U.S. Pawn
Revenues:
Total revenues	166,389	162,033	332,317	321,743
Net revenues	98,890	96,984	200,160	193,764
Segment and corporate expenses (income):
Operations	67,475	65,190	135,435	131,378
Administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	2,982	3,531	6,017	6,330
(Gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets and other	0	107	2,852	123
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Interest income	0	0	0	0
Equity in net (income) loss of unconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0
Impairment of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	0		0
Other expense (income)	0	1	0	(3)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	28,433	28,155	55,856	55,936
Segments | Latin America Pawn
Revenues:
Total revenues	47,118	38,718	95,104	81,074
Net revenues	27,984	21,973	55,466	45,755
Segment and corporate expenses (income):
Operations	18,223	15,015	36,419	29,850
Administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	1,495	916	2,917	1,761
(Gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets and other	(839)	(5)	751	5
Interest expense	50	2	79	3
Interest income	(431)	(763)	(850)	(1,400)
Equity in net (income) loss of unconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0
Impairment of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	0		0
Other expense (income)	29	(1)	(97)	114
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	9,457	6,809	16,247	15,422
Segments | Other International
Revenues:
Total revenues	1,223	1,647	3,004	3,751
Net revenues	816	1,300	2,113	2,827
Segment and corporate expenses (income):
Operations	2,545	1,975	5,175	4,598
Administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	77	47	118	94
(Gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets and other	16	0	16	0
Interest expense	132	0	204	0
Interest income	0	0	0	0
Equity in net (income) loss of unconsolidated affiliates	(431)	(876)	688	(2,326)
Impairment of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	6,451		19,725
Other expense (income)	262	(35)	284	(118)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	(8,236)	189	(24,097)	579
Corporate Items
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Net revenues	0	0	0	0
Segment and corporate expenses (income):
Operations	0	0	0	0
Administrative	16,487	13,341	31,742	26,420
Depreciation and amortization	2,458	1,957	4,808	3,989
(Gain) loss on sale or disposal of assets and other	0	(2)	0	11
Interest expense	8,407	5,827	17,097	11,673
Interest income	(2,695)	(3,505)	(5,615)	(7,138)
Equity in net (income) loss of unconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0
Impairment of investment in unconsolidated affiliates	0		0
Other expense (income)	(22)	31	(304)	(179)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	(24,635)	(17,649)	(47,728)	(34,776)
Merchandise
Revenues:
Total revenues	121,260	114,945	242,284	228,533
Cost of revenues	77,800	72,220	154,912	143,387
Merchandise | Segments
Revenues:
Total revenues	121,260	114,945	242,284	228,533
Cost of revenues	77,800	72,220	154,912	143,387
Merchandise | Segments | U.S. Pawn
Revenues:
Total revenues	96,632	94,753	191,735	186,247
Cost of revenues	60,928	58,537	120,076	114,625
Merchandise | Segments | Latin America Pawn
Revenues:
Total revenues	24,628	20,192	50,549	42,286
Cost of revenues	16,872	13,683	34,836	28,762
Merchandise | Segments | Other International
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Merchandise | Corporate Items
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Jewelry scrapping
Revenues:
Total revenues	10,380	11,525	19,661	23,738
Cost of revenues	8,833	9,574	16,883	19,911
Jewelry scrapping | Segments
Revenues:
Total revenues	10,380	11,525	19,661	23,738
Cost of revenues	8,833	9,574	16,883	19,911
Jewelry scrapping | Segments | U.S. Pawn
Revenues:
Total revenues	7,916	8,177	14,468	16,702
Cost of revenues	6,571	6,512	12,081	13,354
Jewelry scrapping | Segments | Latin America Pawn
Revenues:
Total revenues	2,464	3,348	5,193	7,036
Cost of revenues	2,262	3,062	4,802	6,557
Jewelry scrapping | Segments | Other International
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Jewelry scrapping | Corporate Items
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Pawn service
Revenues:
Total revenues	81,799	74,031	165,318	150,053
Pawn service | Segments
Revenues:
Total revenues	81,799	74,031	165,318	150,053
Pawn service | Segments | U.S. Pawn
Revenues:
Total revenues	61,798	59,027	126,023	118,644
Pawn service | Segments | Latin America Pawn
Revenues:
Total revenues	20,001	15,004	39,295	31,409
Pawn service | Segments | Other International
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Pawn service | Corporate Items
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Other
Revenues:
Total revenues	1,291	1,897	3,162	4,244
Cost of revenues	407	347	891	924
Other | Segments
Revenues:
Total revenues	1,291	1,897	3,162	4,244
Cost of revenues	407	347	891	924
Other | Segments | U.S. Pawn
Revenues:
Total revenues	43	76	91	150
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Other | Segments | Latin America Pawn
Revenues:
Total revenues	25	174	67	343
Cost of revenues	0	0	0	0
Other | Segments | Other International
Revenues:
Total revenues	1,223	1,647	3,004	3,751
Cost of revenues	407	347	891	924
Other | Corporate Items
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of revenues	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0