Operating Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2009
Revenues:
Pawn service charges	$ 48,365	$ 39,424	$ 144,944	$ 118,527
Signature loan fees	34,195	32,296	109,364	102,616
Auto title loan fees	4,675	4,658	16,288	11,716
Other	572	113	978	373
Total revenues	203,152	173,542	635,232	534,877
Signature loan bad debt	10,491	8,917	25,975	22,104
Auto title loan bad debt	536	836	1,820	1,616
Net revenues	122,997	104,804	388,179	327,440
Operations	66,753	57,952	197,302	174,338
Store operating income	56,244	46,852	190,877	153,102
Reconciliation of store operating income with consolidated income before income taxes
Store operating income	56,244	46,852	190,877	153,102
Administrative expenses	14,379	13,576	56,250	39,356
Depreciation and amortization	4,679	3,759	13,324	10,688
(Gain) loss on sale / disposal of assets	169	734	(2)	1,301
Interest income	(21)	(135)	(35)	(151)
Interest expense	586	311	1,186	1,071
Income from investments in unconsolidated affiliates	(4,099)	(2,930)	(12,157)	(7,519)
Other	(103)	(100)	(160)	(103)
Consolidated income before income taxes	40,654	31,637	132,471	108,459
Assets:
Pawn loans	134,633	112,807	134,633	112,807	121,201
Signature loans, net	12,089	8,915	12,089	8,915	10,775
Auto title loans, net	2,348	2,802	2,348	2,802	3,145
Service charges and fees receivable, net	31,256	26,706	31,256	26,706	29,060
Inventory, net	79,031	61,027	79,031	61,027	71,502
Goodwill	167,017	115,570	167,017	115,570	117,305	100,719
Total separately identified recorded segment assets	426,374	327,827	426,374	327,827	352,988
Brokered signature loans outstanding from unaffiliated lenders	20,739	21,670	20,739	21,670	22,940
Brokered auto title loans outstanding from unaffiliated lenders	5,560	5,767	5,560	5,767	6,825
U.S. Pawn Operations [Member]
Revenues:
Merchandise sales	58,168	49,749	196,893	174,060
Jewelry Scrapping sales	46,157	41,423	137,221	112,660
Pawn service charges	43,846	37,014	133,355	112,211
Signature loan fees	691	455	1,607	1,442
Auto title loan fees	352	359	1,092	1,261
Other	161	105	420	365
Total revenues	149,375	129,105	470,588	401,999
Merchandise cost of goods sold	32,911	27,749	112,592	101,713
Jewelry Scrapping cost of goods sold	28,754	27,328	86,979	71,635
Signature loan bad debt	325	159	583	446
Auto title loan bad debt	69	44	110	166
Net revenues	87,316	73,825	270,324	228,039
Operations	44,280	39,148	131,293	119,259
Store operating income	43,036	34,677	139,031	108,780
Reconciliation of store operating income with consolidated income before income taxes
Store operating income	43,036	34,677	139,031	108,780
Assets:
Pawn loans	124,810	107,419	124,810	107,419	113,944
Signature loans, net	1,174	425	1,174	425	456
Auto title loans, net	757	638	757	638	651
Service charges and fees receivable, net	23,169	19,322	23,169	19,322	20,830
Inventory, net	70,320	57,176	70,320	57,176	66,542
Goodwill	159,572	108,606	159,572	108,606	110,255	94,192
Total separately identified recorded segment assets	379,802	293,586	379,802	293,586	312,678
Brokered signature loans outstanding from unaffiliated lenders	168	228	168	228	231
Brokered auto title loans outstanding from unaffiliated lenders	152	210	152	210	236
Empeno Facil [Member]
Revenues:
Merchandise sales	6,401	3,529	17,329	10,142
Jewelry Scrapping sales	4,257	2,181	11,363	4,550
Pawn service charges	4,519	2,410	11,589	6,316
Other	6		34
Total revenues	15,183	8,120	40,315	21,008
Merchandise cost of goods sold	3,767	1,961	10,036	6,342
Jewelry Scrapping cost of goods sold	3,486	1,862	9,201	3,911
Net revenues	7,930	4,297	21,078	10,755
Operations	5,406	2,999	14,533	7,736
Store operating income	2,524	1,298	6,545	3,019
Reconciliation of store operating income with consolidated income before income taxes
Store operating income	2,524	1,298	6,545	3,019
Assets:
Pawn loans	9,823	5,388	9,823	5,388	7,257
Signature loans, net	0	0	0	0	0
Auto title loans, net	0	0	0	0	0
Service charges and fees receivable, net	1,524	813	1,524	813	1,053
Inventory, net	8,400	3,819	8,400	3,819	4,935
Goodwill	7,445	6,964	7,445	6,964	7,050	6,527
Total separately identified recorded segment assets	27,192	16,984	27,192	16,984	20,295
Brokered signature loans outstanding from unaffiliated lenders	0	0	0	0
Brokered auto title loans outstanding from unaffiliated lenders	0	0	0	0
EZMONEY Operations [Member]
Revenues:
Merchandise sales	5		5
Jewelry Scrapping sales	357	169	847	233
Signature loan fees	33,504	31,841	107,757	101,174
Auto title loan fees	4,323	4,299	15,196	10,455
Other	405	8	524	8
Total revenues	38,594	36,317	124,329	111,870
Merchandise cost of goods sold	13		13
Jewelry Scrapping cost of goods sold	197	85	437	116
Signature loan bad debt	10,166	8,758	25,392	21,658
Auto title loan bad debt	467	792	1,710	1,450
Net revenues	27,751	26,682	96,777	88,646
Operations	17,067	15,805	51,476	47,343
Store operating income	10,684	10,877	45,301	41,303
Reconciliation of store operating income with consolidated income before income taxes
Store operating income	10,684	10,877	45,301	41,303
Assets:
Pawn loans	0	0	0	0	0
Signature loans, net	10,915	8,490	10,915	8,490	10,319
Auto title loans, net	1,591	2,164	1,591	2,164	2,494
Service charges and fees receivable, net	6,563	6,571	6,563	6,571	7,177
Inventory, net	311	32	311	32	25
Goodwill	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total separately identified recorded segment assets	19,380	17,257	19,380	17,257	20,015
Brokered signature loans outstanding from unaffiliated lenders	20,571	21,442	20,571	21,442	22,709
Brokered auto title loans outstanding from unaffiliated lenders	$ 5,408	$ 5,557	$ 5,408	$ 5,557	$ 6,589