Significant Accounting Policies (Summary of Effect of Accounting Change) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Inventory, Net, Total	$ 167,409				$ 161,884				$ 167,409	$ 161,884
Prepaid expenses and other assets	35,605				31,301				35,605	31,301
Pawn loan fees and service charges									300,929	282,197	243,713
Proceeds from disposition of merchandise									703,767	688,884	588,190
Total revenue	491,604	439,694	411,644	457,488	473,957	398,304	345,939	364,864	1,800,430	1,583,064	1,337,050
Disposed merchandise									478,179	447,617	382,467
Total cost of revenue	224,516	191,217	178,036	200,704	225,628	162,850	136,091	148,736	794,473	673,305	564,861
Gross Profit	267,088	248,477	233,608	256,784	248,329	235,454	209,848	216,128	1,005,957	909,759	772,189
Merchandise held for disposition									10,229	(7,150)	(1,869)
Prepaid expenses and other assets									(284)	2,337	4,146
Net cash provided by operating activities									518,281	454,004	359,160
Pawn loans repaid									426,583	408,105	340,267
Principal recovered through dispositions of forfeited pawn loans									336,791	316,651	291,163
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities									(526,654)	(482,044)	(377,065)
Pawn loans forfeited and transferred to merchandise held for disposition									350,122	334,869	297,045
ScenarioPreviouslyReportedMember | Balance Sheet [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Inventory, Net, Total					151,274					151,274
Prepaid expenses and other assets					41,911					41,911
ScenarioPreviouslyReportedMember | Income Statement [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Pawn loan fees and service charges										291,891	253,314
Proceeds from disposition of merchandise										636,728	534,878
Total revenue										1,540,602	1,293,339
Disposed merchandise										405,155	338,756
Total cost of revenue										630,843	521,150
Gross Profit										909,759	772,189
ScenarioPreviouslyReportedMember | Cash Flow [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Merchandise held for disposition										(7,238)	(6,914)
Prepaid expenses and other assets										(2,723)	1,337
Net cash provided by operating activities										448,856	351,306
Pawn loans repaid										453,350	391,440
Principal recovered through dispositions of forfeited pawn loans										275,547	248,850
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities										(477,903)	(368,205)
ScenarioPreviouslyReportedMember | Cash Flow Supplemental [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Pawn loans forfeited and transferred to merchandise held for disposition										$ 299,693	$ 245,872