CHARLESTON – State Treasurer John Perdue’s office is holding another online unclaimed property auction, this one to run through August 26. All items are abandoned safe deposit box contents from West Virginia banks.
To view the current auction, go to www.wvtreasury.com and look for the rotating banner on the front page. Click on the auction link. That will take one to the third-party auction site specifically set up for the West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office.
This online auction features several lots, or groupings of items, including a collection of silver among the first few lots. Other items of interest include lot 342, featuring a 1934A $10 yellow seal note as well as 1934 blue seal $5 and $10 notes. Lot 348 contains a 14-karat pair of earrings and lot 350 is heavy with Morgan dollars, always a favorite with collectors.
Once the items are auctioned off, the cash assets remain held by the State Treasury in the name of the safe deposit box renter or his or her heirs. Continued attempts are made to find the rightful owners. Anyone who registers with the auction site is eligible to bid on the items.
“We simply don’t have the physical space to keep housing items,” Treasurer Perdue said. “The successful bidder will get the item, but the proceeds will continue to be held in the name of the rightful owner. We urge West Virginians to log-on and bid.”
Additional auctions are scheduled to run as one ends. For instance, the next auction will start on August 25 and run for two weeks.
“We’ve had a lot of success with online auctions over the years,” Treasurer Perdue said. “Now, especially with the coronavirus pandemic, an online auction works well to reduce the number of items we are holding and receive top-dollar for future claimants.”
According to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, approximately 1 in 10 Americans have unclaimed property waiting to be claimed. There is never a charge to search for or claim property. People should visit www.wvtreasury.com to conduct a free unclaimed property search.