Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced an auction of more than 4,200 items from the Treasury’s vault.
According to a press release, some of the items are more than a hundred years old, including baseball cards, jewelry, currency, and more.
The PA Treasury’s vault is the largest working one in the country. That does not, however, mean that there’s unlimited space, which is why two auctions are held every year.
The auctions help get the word out about the department’s unclaimed property program. According to the PA Treasury’s website, hundreds of millions of dollars in items end up with the Treasury every year, usually just because of an incorrectly-addressed envelope or package.
Garrity shared that items are kept for three years while they search for an owner. Even after an item is sold, the owner can still file a claim.
“We track everything very carefully, so that even after an item is sold, the proceeds are always going to be available for the rightful owner. So the rightful owner can come forward months, years, or even decades from now, and that money will still be available for them.”
The auction will take place online at pookandpook.com on Wednesday, October 25th, and Thursday, October 26th. Those interested in bidding can visit the website early to register and look at available items.
If you believe the Treasury may have an item that belongs to you, you can search for it on their website at any time. They are currently working to return more than $4.5 billion in unclaimed property, and they say that one in ten Pennsylvanians are owed items in their possession.
