PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity Announces Results of Unclaimed Property Auction

More than $468,000 in proceeds will be held in perpetuity for rightful owners to claim

Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced today that Treasury’s spring unclaimed property auction brought in more than $468,000. All proceeds are carefully logged by Treasury and will remain available for the rightful owners to claim no matter how much time passes.

“Treasury’s first goal is always to return items in our vault to the rightful owners,” Treasurer Garrity said. “But eventually we do have to auction items to make room for incoming property. I’m incredibly pleased this was another successful auction, and I encourage everyone to check for unclaimed property at least once a year by visiting our website, patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property.”

More than 5,500 items were sold during the online auction last spring. Items not sold at auction, or those not paid for by a winning bidder, are returned to Treasury to be listed in future auctions.

Treasury partners with Pook & Pook, Inc., of Downingtown for auctioneer and appraisal services.

“It was a pleasure to once again partner with the Pennsylvania Treasury on this important initiative,” said Cindy Hauer, Auctioneer at Pook & Pook, Inc. “The strong results achieved during our March 26th and 27th auctions underscore the continued public interest in these remarkable offerings of unclaimed coins and jewelry. We’re proud to support the Treasury’s mission – not only to reunite unclaimed property with its rightful owners but also to ensure enduring financial benefit when that’s not possible. We look forward to our next collaborative effort, another Coins & Jewelry auction scheduled for October 29th.”

Some of the high-price items sold in the auction include:

• 14K yellow gold chain, 115.90 dwt sold for $7,400;
• 14K gold Knights Templar presentation medal with engraving, 90.6 dwt sold for $5,800;
• 22K yellow gold bangle bracelets, 44.8 dwt sold for $4,600;
• Switzerland Helvetia fine gold proof set including 1 ozt, ½ ozt, ¼ ozt, and 1/10 ozt sold for $4,300; and
• 18K yellow gold jewelry to include two bangle bracelets, 64.7 dwt sold for $4,060.

Treasury expects to receive $402,772.40 after Pook & Pook receives its 14 percent commission. The profits from the auction were more than $32,000 over the high estimate. 

Treasury’s fall 2024 auction generated more than $605,000, breaking a record for the most ever generated by an unclaimed property auction in Pennsylvania.

Prior to any item being auctioned, Treasury searches for the rightful owner for at least three years. Military decorations and memorabilia received as tangible unclaimed property are never auctioned, and Treasury will continue to search for the Veteran who earned them or their family.

More than $5 billion in unclaimed property is available to be claimed. More than one in ten Pennsylvanians is owed unclaimed property, and the average claim is worth more than $1,000.

To learn more about unclaimed property or to search Treasury’s database, visit patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property.