HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Treasury's latest unclaimed property auction will go underway on Wednesday, with more than 4,000 items previously stored in the Treasury's vault up for bidding.
The two-day online event features baseball cards that are more than a century old jewelry, currency and more.
“Each unclaimed property auction showcases some unique and fascinating pieces that find their way to Treasury,” Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity said in a press release. “These auctions are a great way to get the word out about our unclaimed property program and to help make room for incoming inventory in our vault.
"We have the largest working vault in the country, but it can still fill up! Even if you don’t want to place a bid, you should visit our website to search to see if some of the $4.5 billion in unclaimed property we’re working to return belongs to you.”
Pook & Pook, Inc., in Downingtown, is the Treasury’s partner for appraisal and auctioneer services.
The auction takes place completely online at pookandpook.com. Interested bidders can visit the website to register and preview items.
Some of the valuable and interesting items in the upcoming auction include:
- A single lot of 25 early baseball tobacco cards, including Cy Young and other Hall of Famers;
- 14K white gold solitaire ring with a 3.6 carat pear-shaped diamond;
- 14K gold bracelet;
- 14K gold necklace with two diamonds totaling 2.27 carats;
- 18K gold, diamond and sapphire bangle bracelet;
- 1908 St. Gaudens $20 coin;
- Mexico 50 pesos gold coin from 1947;
- Vietnamese gold bars; and
- Various collectibles, including an Oscar Mayer Weinermobile whistle.
When an item is sold, the proceeds are closely documented by Treasury and remain available for a rightful owner to claim no matter how much time passes.
Any item listed in the auction is subject to change at any time prior to the sale in the case of new information regarding an item’s authenticity, estimated value, quality or other determining factor. Treasury is notified of these changes.
Treasury employees and their immediate family are prohibited from bidding.
Treasury looks for the rightful owners of all tangible unclaimed property for at least three years before it is auctioned, Garrity's office said. Military decorations and memorabilia are never auctioned and will remain in Treasury’s care until the veteran who earned them or their family is found.
The Treasury is working to return more than $4.5 billion in unclaimed property owed to about one in 10 Pennsylvanians. The average claim is worth around $1,600.
Search for unclaimed property anytime by visiting patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property.
