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The Pennsylvania Treasury Department is conducting an online auction this week to sell over 6,000 items of unclaimed property. The auction, which began on Wednesday (October 29) and continues today (October 30), features a variety of items including jewelry, coins, and collectibles that were previously stored in the state treasury vault.
Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced the auction, expressing excitement for Pennsylvanians to see the unique items up for grabs. The auction is conducted in partnership with the Pook & Pook auction house, located in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Interested bidders can view and register for the auction on the Pook & Pook website.
The Pennsylvania Treasury Department has a process in place to locate the rightful owners of unclaimed property for at least three years before items are auctioned. Despite the auction, proceeds from sold items remain available for the rightful owner to claim at any time. The department is working to return over $5 billion in unclaimed property owed to about one in 10 Pennsylvanians, with the average claim being worth more than $1,000.
The auction includes a range of items from diamond rings and gold bracelets to unique collectibles like a Gucci leather wristwatch and a turquoise stone bolo tie. However, military decorations and memorabilia are never auctioned, as the treasury continues to search for the veterans or their families who earned them.
Since taking office, Treasurer Garrity has returned more than $1 billion in unclaimed property to Pennsylvanians, businesses, nonprofits, and local government agencies. For more information or to search for unclaimed property, visit the Pennsylvania Treasury's website.