SPRINGFIELD – An 1827 Bust half dollar coin, vintage 18K yellow gold manual wind Patek Philippe men’s watch, commemorative Olympic coins and sport memorabilia, including cards for Chicago legends Michael Jordan and Frank Thomas, are among the unclaimed property items worth nearly $150,000 to be auctioned on Aug. 21 at the Lincoln Stage during the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.

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“We are excited to visit the state fair and look forward to interacting with collectors for this year’s unclaimed property live auction,” Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs said. “We have more than 15,000 items available including baseball cards, commemorative coins, and vintage jewelry. To get a sneak peak of the auction items, we hope collectors will join us for our preview event on August 2 in Springfield.”

More than 15,000 items, divided into 250 lots, will be auctioned. Collectors can preview the auction items on Aug. 2 in Springfield and on Aug. 21 before the auction begins. All auction items will be on display at the preview event. The preview event is free and open to the public. The auction also is free and open to the public but will require paid entry to the fairgrounds.

Live Auction Preview

August 2, 2021

Office of Illinois State Treasurer

Marine Bank Building

1 East Old State Capitol Plaza

Springfield, IL 62701

Auction Preview: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

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Live Auction

August 21, 2021

Illinois State Fairgrounds | Lincoln Stage

801 East Sangamon Avenue | Springfield, IL

Auction Preview: 9 – 11 a.m.

Auction: 11 a.m.

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 unclaimed property, the items are considered for auction. All auction proceeds are held for the rightful owners in perpetuity.

Click here for a full list of unclaimed property auction items.

About the Treasurer

As Illinois State Treasurer, Frerichs is the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer and actively manages approximately $38 billion. The portfolio includes $17 billion in state funds, $15 billion in retirement and college savings plans and $6 billion on behalf of local and state governments. The investment approach is cautious to ensure the preservation of capital. Frerichs’ office protects consumers by safeguarding more than $3.5 billion in unclaimed property, encouraging savings plans for college or trade school, increasing financial education among all ages, assisting people with disabilities save without losing government benefits, and removing barriers to a secure retirement. The Treasurer’s Office predates Illinois incorporation in 1818. Voters in 1848 chose to make it an elected office.

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