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                                                      COMMISSION FILE NO. 1-9733
                                    FORM 8-A

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D. C.  20549


               FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
                    PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


                        CASH AMERICA INTERNATIONAL, INC.
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)


              TEXAS                                       75-2018239
      (STATE OF INCORPORATION)                (IRS EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)


1600 WEST 7TH STREET, FORT WORTH, TEXAS                    76102
(ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)                (ZIP CODE)


       SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:



            TITLE OF EACH CLASS                                       NAME OF EACH EXCHANGE ON WHICH
            TO BE SO REGISTERED                                       EACH CLASS IS TO BE REGISTERED
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                   NONE                                                            NONE


         IF THIS FORM RELATES TO THE REGISTRATION OF A CLASS OF DEBT SECURITIES
AND IS EFFECTIVE UPON FILING PURSUANT TO GENERAL INSTRUCTION A.(c)(1), PLEASE
CHECK THE FOLLOWING BOX.  [  ]

         IF THIS FORM RELATES TO THE REGISTRATION OF A CLASS OF DEBT SECURITIES
AND IS TO BECOME EFFECTIVE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A
CONCURRENT REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 PURSUANT TO
GENERAL INSTRUCTION A.(c)(2), PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING BOX.   [  ]

       SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:

                               RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
                                  COMMON STOCK
                                (TITLE OF CLASS)

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ITEM 1.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED

         On August 5, 1997, the Board of Directors of Cash America
International, Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one
Right for each outstanding share of the Company's common stock, $0.10 par value
(the "Common Stock"), to shareholders of record at the close of business on
August 19, 1997.  Each Right entitles the registered holder to initially
purchase from the Company one share of Common Stock at a Purchase Price of
$37.00 per share, subject to adjustment.  The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the
Company and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., as Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agent").

         Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock
certificates representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights
Certificates will be distributed.  The Rights will separate from the Common
Stock upon the earlier of (i) ten (10) business days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) ten (10) business days (or such
later date as the Board of Directors shall determine) following the
commencement of a tender or exchange offer that would result in a person or
group beneficially owning fifteen percent (15%) or more of such outstanding
shares of Common Stock.  The date the Rights separate is referred to as the
"Distribution Date."

         Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the
Common Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such
Common Stock certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after
August 19, 1997, will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by
reference, and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common
Stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated
with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.  Pursuant to the Rights
Agreement, the Company is not required to issue fractions of shares of Common
Stock upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence
fractional shares of Common Stock.  Further, pursuant to the Rights Agreement,
the Company reserves the right to require, prior to the occurrence of a
Triggering Event (defined below), that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number
of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Common Stock would be
issued.

         The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will
expire at the close of business on August 5, 2007, unless earlier redeemed by
the Company as described below.

         As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates will represent the Rights.  Except in connection with shares of
Common Stock issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options under any
employee plan or arrangements, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of
securities hereafter issued by the Company, or as otherwise determined by the
Board of Directors, only shares of Common Stock issued prior to the
Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.

         In the event that (i) the Company is the surviving corporation in a
merger or other business combination with an Acquiring Person (or any associate
or affiliate thereof) and its Common Stock remains outstanding and unchanged,
(ii) any person shall acquire beneficial ownership of more than





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fifteen percent (15%) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (except
pursuant to (A) certain consolidations or mergers involving the Company or
sales or transfers of the combined assets, cash flow or earning power of the
Company and its subsidiaries or (B) an offer for all outstanding shares of
Common Stock at a price and upon terms and conditions which a majority of the
Disinterested Directors (as defined below) determines to be in the best
interests of the Company and its shareholders), or (iii) there occurs a
reclassification of securities, a recapitalization of the Company or any of
certain business combinations or other transactions (other than certain
consolidations and mergers involving the Company and sales or transfers of the
combined assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its
subsidiaries) involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries which has the
effect of increasing by more than one percent (1%) the proportionate share of
any class of the outstanding equity securities of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person (or any associate or
affiliate thereof), each holder of a Right (other than the Acquiring Person and
certain related parties) will thereafter have the right to receive, upon
exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash, property or other
securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times the Purchase Price
of the Right.  However, Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of
either of the events described above until such time as the Rights are no
longer redeemable by the Company as described below.  Notwithstanding any of
the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the events described in this
paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in
the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will be
null and void.

         For example, if the purchase price for the Common Stock associated
with a Right is $37.00, then the holder of a Right would be entitled to
purchase $74.00 worth of Common Stock for $37.00.  If the Common Stock had a
market value of $18.50 per share at that time, then the holder of each Right
would be entitled to purchase four shares of Common Stock for $37.00.

         In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date,
(i) the Company shall enter into a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the Company is not the surviving corporation, (ii) the
Company is the surviving corporation in a consolidation, merger or similar
transaction pursuant to which all or part of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock are changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
person or cash or any other property or (iii) more than 50% of the combined
assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries is sold
or transferred (in each case other than certain consolidations with, mergers
with and into, or sales of assets, cash flow or earning power by or to
subsidiaries of the Company as specified in the Rights Agreement), each holder
of a Right (except Rights which previously have been voided as set forth above)
shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise, common stock of the
acquiring company having a value equal to two times the Purchase Price of the
Right.  The events described in this paragraph and in the second preceding
paragraph are referred to as the "Triggering Events."

         The Purchase Price payable, the number and kind of shares covered by
each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from
time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a
subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Common Stock, (ii) if
holders of the Common Stock are granted certain rights, options or warrants to
subscribe for Common Stock or securities convertible into Common Stock at less
than the current market price of the Common Stock, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Common Stock of evidences of indebtedness, cash
(excluding regular quarterly cash dividends), assets (other than dividends
payable





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in Common Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred
to in (ii) immediately above).

         With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least one percent (1%) of
the Purchase Price.  No fractional shares of Common Stock are required to be
issued) and, in lieu thereof, the Company may make an adjustment in cash based
on the market price of the Common Stock on the trading date immediately prior
to the date of exercise.

         At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and
prior to the acquisition by such person or group of fifty percent (50%) or more
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the
Company may, without payment of the Purchase Price by the holder, exchange the
Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group, which will become
void), in whole or in part, for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of
one-half (1/2) the number of shares of Common Stock for which a Right is
exercisable immediately prior to the time of the Company's decision to exchange
the Rights (subject to adjustment).

         At any time until ten (10) business days following the Stock
Acquisition Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part,
at a price of $0.01 per Right (payable in cash, shares of Common Stock or other
consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors).  Immediately upon
the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the
Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive the $0.01 redemption price.

         The term "Disinterested Director" means any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company who was a member of the Board prior to the date of the
Rights Agreement, and any person who is subsequently elected to the Board if
such person is recommended or approved by a majority of the Disinterested
Directors, but shall not include an Acquiring Person, or an affiliate or
associate of an Acquiring Person, or any representative of the foregoing
entities.

         Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends.  While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to shareholders or to the Company, shareholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that
the Rights become exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the
Company or for common stock of an acquiring company as set forth above or in
the event that the Rights are redeemed.

         Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms
of the Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by
the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date; provided,
that any amendments after the Stock Acquisition Date must be approved by a
majority of the Disinterested Directors.  After the Distribution Date, the
provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board in order to cure
any ambiguity, inconsistency or defect, to make changes which do not adversely
affect the interest of holders of Rights (excluding the interest of any
Acquiring Person) or to shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights
Agreement; provided, however, that no amendment to adjust the time period
governing redemption shall be made at such time as the Rights are not
redeemable; and, provided, that any amendments after the Stock Acquisition Date
must be approved by a majority of the Disinterested Directors.





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         A copy of the Rights Agreement specifying the terms of the Rights,
including, as Exhibit A to the Agreement, the form of Rights Certificate, and
the Company's press release announcing the declaration of the Rights were filed
as Exhibits to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated August 5, 1997
and are incorporated in this Registration Statement by reference. A copy of the
Rights Agreement is also available free of charge from the Rights Agent. The
foregoing description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement.

ITEM 2.   EXHIBITS

1.       Rights Agreement, dated as of August 5, 1997, between Cash America
         International, Inc. and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., as
         Rights Agent, including exhibits thereto.  (Incorporated by reference
         to Exhibit 4 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated August
         5, 1997).

2.       Form of Rights Certificate (attached as Exhibit A to the Rights
         Agreement filed as Exhibit 1 hereto).

3.       Press Release announcing the declaration of Rights.  (Incorporated by
         reference to Exhibit 99 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K
         dated August 5,1997).





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                                   SIGNATURES


Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this registration statement to
be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                                        CASH AMERICA INTERNATIONAL, INC.


August 5, 1997                          By: /s/ HUGH A. SIMPSON
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                                            Hugh A. Simpson
                                            Senior Vice President,
                                            General Counsel and Secretary





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