Treasurer Stacy Garrity Announces New Record for Unclaimed Property Auction Proceeds

Harrisburg, PA - Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced today that Treasury’s fall unclaimed property auction brought in more than $605,000, the most ever generated by such an auction in Pennsylvania. The previous record , $298,000, was set in October 2023.

“This is absolutely amazing, and I’m thrilled to break another record with this auction. Our top goal is always to find the rightful owners of every item that comes into Treasury’s unclaimed property vault, eventually we do have to auction items to make room for new incoming property. I encourage everyone to check for unclaimed property at least once a year by visiting our website, patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property .”

Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity

More than 5,736 items were sold during the online auction on October 30, 31 and November 1, 2024. The auction proceeds will remain available for a rightful owner to claim at any time, regardless of whether that takes weeks, months, or even years.

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

“Pook & Pook Inc. Auctioneers and Appraisers is eager to partner up with Treasury’s Bureau of Unclaimed Property for our first Coins and Jewelry auction of 2025. After teaming up with the PA Treasury this past fall for the biggest and most successful Coins and Jewelry auction in our 40-year history, we’re more excited than ever to dive into this year’s batches of unclaimed property. All bidding for this auction will be online only on Bidsquare and PookLive, but prospective bidders are welcome to attend the gallery exhibition in Downingtown prior to the auction. Go to www.pookandpook.com for more information.”

President of Pook & Pook Deidre Pook Magarelli

Some of the high-price items sold in the record-breaking fall 2024 auction include:

• 18K yellow gold chain and pendant, 99.5 dwt sold for $8,000;
• 14K gold and platinum ring with two Old European Cut diamonds, color I, clarity SI1, 1.5 ct and 1.54 ct, and a synthetic sapphire, size 6, 4.2 dwt sold for $8,000;
• 14K yellow gold chain, 122.3 dwt sold for $7,000;
• 14K yellow gold “Chief” pendant with round brilliant cut diamonds, 2.00 ctw, color G, clarity I1, 97.0 dwt sold for $5,500; and
• Multiple sets of British gold sovereigns sold for a combined total of $40,500.

Treasury expects to net $520,450.50 after Pook & Pook receives its 14 percent commission. The profits from the auction were more than $140,000 over the high estimate.

Items not sold at auction, or those not paid for by a winning bidder, are returned to Treasury to be listed in future auctions.

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 $4.5 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 about $1,600.

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