HARRISBURG, PA — Thousands of items from abandoned safe deposit boxes and other unclaimed property will be sold at an online auction later this month as Pennsylvania’s Treasury clears space in its vault while continuing efforts to locate rightful owners.
What This Means for You
- More than 4,000 items, including jewelry, coins, and precious metals, will be auctioned March 25.
- Proceeds from sold items remain available for the rightful owner to claim at any time.
- Pennsylvanians can check if they are owed money or property at patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property.
Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced Tuesday that the next unclaimed property auction will take place online Wednesday, March 25.
The auction will feature items that have remained in the state Treasury’s vault for at least three years while officials attempted to locate the original owners.
Treasury officials say more than 4,000 items will be available for bidding.
Examples include an 18-karat yellow gold wristwatch with diamonds and synthetic rubies, a gold American Waltham pocket watch with a diamond, a yellow gold necklace and bracelet set with lapis stones, and a 1908 twenty-dollar Saint-Gaudens gold coin.
“For the first time ever, we’re sharing an exclusive sneak peek to help spark excitement for our upcoming auction,” Garrity said. “Take a look at just a few of the great items that will be up for auction later this month, which I’m sure will catch someone’s eye.”
How Unclaimed Property Ends Up in State Custody
Unclaimed property includes financial assets such as dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, stocks, and insurance policies that have lost contact with their owners.
Physical items, like the jewelry and coins in the upcoming auction, most often come from the contents of abandoned or forgotten safe deposit boxes.
According to the Treasury Department, any item listed for auction has been held securely for at least three years while officials attempt to locate the rightful owner.
“Any item up for auction has been in Treasury’s care, stored securely in our vault for at least three years while we worked to find the rightful owner,” Garrity said. “We must auction items to make room for new incoming property. All proceeds from sold items are documented by Treasury and available for a rightful owner to claim at any time no matter how much time passes.”
The state partners with Downingtown-based auction house Pook & Pook to conduct the sale. People interested in bidding can register through the company’s website at pookandpook.com.
Treasury officials noted that items listed for the auction could change if questions arise about authenticity, value, or other discrepancies before the event.
Employees of the Treasury Department and their immediate family members are prohibited from bidding.
Billions in Unclaimed Property Still Waiting
The Pennsylvania Treasury currently holds more than $5 billion in unclaimed property belonging to residents, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and local governments.
Officials estimate that more than one in ten Pennsylvanians is owed some form of unclaimed property.
The average claim is worth more than $1,000.
Since Garrity took office, the Treasury has returned more than $1 billion in unclaimed property to rightful owners, including a record $334.1 million returned during 2025.
Residents can search the state’s unclaimed property database at patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property.
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