Notes Receivable, Net - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020	Feb. 29, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Receivables [Abstract]
Outstanding principal balance	$ 1,800		$ 2,700
Additional Notes issued	3,600
Principal payments received	400
Deferred fees and costs	100
Closing amount of revolving credit facility	6,000
Notes receivable balance of certain loans transferred to partner		$ 1,000
Notes receivable balance of certain loans transferred to joint venture		$ 3,000
Allowance for credit losses	$ 0

Closing amount of revolving credit facility.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Deferred Fees and Costs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hgbl_DeferredFeesAndCosts
Namespace Prefix:	hgbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Notes Receivable Balance of Certain Loans Transferred to Joint Venture.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hgbl_NotesReceivableBalanceOfCertainLoansTransferredToJointVenture
Namespace Prefix:	hgbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Notes receivable balance for certain loans was transferred to the partner.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hgbl_NotesReceivableBalanceOfCertainLoansTransferredToPartner
Namespace Prefix:	hgbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of unpaid principal balance of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (a)(4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=d3e5212-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableUnpaidPrincipalBalance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in impaired financing receivables for which there is no related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 14A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953550-111524

+ Details

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

- Definition

The fair value of notes issued in noncash investing and financing activities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4313-108586

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4332-108586

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4304-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NotesIssued1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the sale of a borrowing supported by a written promise to pay an obligation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration