Just east of Los Angeles, nestled in the San Gabriel Valley, lies the city of El Monte. History buffs are familiar with this town, or at least what it represents. El Monte is the end of the Santa Fe Trail, a 19th century trade route that connected the settled areas of Franklin, Missouri, and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
From 1821 until 1880, this route was absolutely vital to the transportation of goods to the western parts of the United States. A railroad introduced in 1880 negated the need for such a treacherous caravan of would-be traders. Before then, the area was vital to the development of the Manifest Destiny philosophy that drove 19th century exploration. El Monte has now evolved into a century old city that claims 113,475 residents as of the 2010 census. While not one of the 50 most populous cities in California, it is still large enough to be considered a metropolis. Plus, its proximity to Los Angeles sustains its viability for residents.
While not quite large enough to have a huge precious metals trade industry, El Monte still has a thriving marketplace for those willing to expand beyond the city boundaries.
Covina Coin & Jewelry
(626) 915-0033
204 South Citrus Avenue
Covina, CA 91723
A self-professed "local leader in buying and selling gold, silver and even platinum bullion," Covina Coin & Jewelry is a family owned and operated establishment that has been in business for over 40 years. Their owner, Leroy Lenhart, has been a coin collector since the 1960s, which establishes them as experienced professionals in the industry.
Dan Goldman's Cash for Gold
(866) 337-8950
11858 E Carson St Unit A
Hawaiian Gardens, CA 90716
This pawn broker is located about 20 minutes away from the outskirts of El Monte, which makes them one of the closest options to the city.
Northridge Gold Mine
(818) 294-4724
18473 Devonshire St E
Northridge, CA 91325
The sign in the picture to the right says everything. This establishment focuses upon gold to the point of obsession. Founded in 1977, they have been one of the leading bullion enterprises in southern California for decades now. They were also located in El Monte for most of their existence, but they have recently relocated to Northridge, which is a telling comment about the state of bullion sales in El Monte.
Pegasus Metals LLC
(213) 627-3358
640 South Hill Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014
One of the few companies that actively targets citizens of El Monte, Pegasus Metals LLC is known for its hearty stock of scrap. Their smelting technique does not require large amounts of product, meaning that they will accept virtually any amount of precious metal, no matter how insignificant..