SPRINGFIELD – A 14-karat white gold woman’s double halo-style ring, a $500 bill from 1934
and collectible basketball cards featuring seven Hall of Famers are some of the unclaimed
property items to be auctioned live August 19 at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. State
Treasurer Michael Frerichs oversees the auction, which will take place on the Lincoln Stage at
the fairgrounds in Springfield.
“We are pleased to host the unclaimed property auction at the State Fair and to give people the
opportunity to bid on valuable and distinctive items,” said Frerichs, whose office manages
Illinois’ unclaimed property program.
Other items in the live auction will include an 1818/7 NGC-graded MS 64 Bust half-dollar,
historic political memorabilia, a 1988 American Eagle gold bullion coins proof set, and a set of
eight gold coins featuring the likenesses of writers Mark Twain and John Steinbeck, architect
Frank Lloyd Wright, musician Louis Armstrong and actress Helen Hayes.
The unclaimed property has been divided into 250 lots for the auction, with some lots consisting
of a single item and other lots consisting of multiple items. Prospective bidders may preview the
auction items on August 19 at the fairgrounds before the auction begins.
In Illinois, one of the responsibilities of the State Treasurer is to safeguard unclaimed property,
which can include unpaid life insurance benefits, overlooked bank accounts and the contents of
forgotten safe deposit boxes. The Treasurer’s Office works hard to return unclaimed property to
the rightful owners. After 10 years of private and public attempts to locate the owners of
unclaimed property, the unclaimed items are put up for auction, and all auction proceeds are held
for the rightful owners in perpetuity.
For a full list of unclaimed property auction items, go to http://www.cokerauction.com/upcoming
About the Illinois Treasurer
The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is a powerful economic engine that invests in people to
drive prosperity, development and growth throughout the state. As State Treasurer, Michael
Frerichs (FRAIR’-iks) is the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer and actively manages
approximately $55 billion. The investments help families pay for college and trade school;
workers save for a dignified retirement; and local governments process bill payments more
efficiently so they can pass along the savings to taxpayers. The office provides financial
institutions money to loan to farmers, small business owners, and qualified individuals at belowmarket rates because better jobs create stronger communities. The office operates the state’s
largest consumer-protection initiative, the unclaimed property I-Cash program, which has
returned a record-breaking $1.8 billion since Frerichs was elected.
For more news about the State Treasurer’s Office, please follow Treasurer Frerichs on Twitter at
@ILTreasurer, Instagram at ILTreasurer, at Linkedin and on Facebook at Invested in You –
Treasurer Michael Frerichs.