SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs will host an auction of unclaimed property items.
Items worth nearly $15,000 will be up for bids at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Lincoln State of the Illinois State Fair. Prospective bidders can start previewing the items at 9 a.m.
An 1827 Bust half dollar coin, a vintage 18K yellow gold manual wind Patek Philippe men’s watch, and commemorative Olympic coins and sport memorabilia, including Michael Jordan and Frank Thomas cards, are among the items to be auctioned.
“The state doesn’t take possession of this, we don’t take the money,” Frerichs said. “We safeguard it and hold it forever for the rightful owners or their heirs.”
The treasurer’s office works hard to return valuables to their rightful owners. After at least 10 years of private and public attempts to locate the owners of the unclaimed property, the items are considered for auction.
“We start running out of space in our vault and we need to clear space,” Frerichs said.
