SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — This month’s unclaimed property auction by the State Treasurer’s Office features a variety of items, including a Ryne Sandberg rookie baseball card, Star Wars comic books, vintage coins, and stamp collections.
The auction is conducted online and includes 200 lots, some with multiple items, from the Treasurer’s Office’s stockpile of unclaimed property. These items have been left untouched by their owners for over a decade, despite efforts to contact them, and are now being auctioned to clear storage space.
The proceeds from the auction, however, will be held by the Treasurer’s Office until the owners can be located, no matter how long it takes.
“Our online auction is open to everyone and not just for collectors,” said State Treasurer Michael Frerichs. “This is a great opportunity for anyone to add to a personal collection or find a unique gift, like a Pez dispenser with Yoda’s head.”
The auction also includes other sports cards of icons like Ernie Banks, Bob Gibson, Johnny Bench, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe. Vintage pocket watches and jewelry, currency notes from various countries, sheets of uncut U.S. currency and fine silver bars and rounds are also available.
The auction is open through June 22 on the website HiBid. Lots can be viewed by anyone, but people will need to create an account in order to place a bid. In addition, there will be an in-person auction during this year’s State Fair, scheduled for Aug. 16.
It’s estimated that one in four Illinois adults find money that belongs to them on the state’s unclaimed property website, also known as I-CASH.
