Line of credit facility maturity description.

No definition available.

Name:	hgbl_LineOfCreditFacilityMaturityDescription
Namespace Prefix:	hgbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line of credit threshold amount to incur interest.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hgbl_LineOfCreditThresholdAmountToIncurInterest
Namespace Prefix:	hgbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the fee for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeeAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of when the fee for available but unused credit capacity is required to be paid (for example, annually, quarterly, or monthly).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityFrequencyOfCommitmentFeePayment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of the interest rate for the amounts borrowed under the credit facility, including the terms and the method for determining the interest rate (for example, fixed or variable, LIBOR plus a percentage, increasing rate, timing of interest rate resets, remarketing provisions).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInterestRateDescription
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash inflow from a long-term borrowing made from related parties where one party can exercise control or significant influence over another party; including affiliates, owners or officers and their immediate families, pension trusts, and so forth. Alternate caption: Proceeds from Advances from Affiliates.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3255-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Financing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Identify the stated interest rate per the agreement, for example, leasing and debt arrangements between related parties.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=us-gaap_AffiliatedEntityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=hgbl_TrustMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_PrimeRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=hgbl_BankPlusTwoPointZeroPercentRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=hgbl_EightPointZeroPercentInterestRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis=hgbl_StreetCapitalLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Period Type:

Debt (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
Debt (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from debt payable to related party	$ 0		$ 404,000
Revolving Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit	$ 0	$ 0		$ 0
Affiliated Entity [Member] \| Revolving Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit aggregate borrowing capacity		1,500,000		$ 1,500,000
Interest rate description	Aggregate loans under the Line of Credit up to $1.0 million incur interest at a variable rate per annum based on the rate charged to the Entity by its bank, plus 2.0%. Amounts outstanding at any time in excess of $1.0 million incur interest at a rate of 8.0% per annum.
Line of credit, annual commitment fee		$ 15,000
Line of credit, commitment fee payment description	monthly basis
Maturity description	The Line of Credit matures at the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the Agreement, (ii) the termination of the Entity’s line of credit with its bank, or (iii) forty-five (45) days following the date the Company closes a new credit facility with a financial institution.
Trust [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Related party loan, Interest rate			10.00%
Proceeds from debt payable to related party			$ 400,000
Related party loan, maturity period			90 days
Wall St. Journal ("WSJ") prime rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate per annum				1.00%
Bank Plus 2.0% [Member] \| Affiliated Entity [Member] \| Revolving Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate per annum		2.00%
Bank Plus 2.0% [Member] \| Affiliated Entity [Member] \| Revolving Line of Credit [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit		$ 1,000,000		$ 1,000,000
8.0% Interest Rate [Member] \| Affiliated Entity [Member] \| Revolving Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Related party loan, Interest rate		8.00%
8.0% Interest Rate [Member] \| Affiliated Entity [Member] \| Revolving Line of Credit [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit		$ 1,000,000		$ 1,000,000
Street Capital Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Related party loan, Interest rate	5.00%			4.75%