SPRINGFIELD – A 1926 British Sovereign gold coin bearing the image of King George V, three Egyptian leather jewelry boxes, and baseball cards of Chicago legends Ryne Sandberg and Frank Thomas are among the treasures available at the online I-CASH auction September 25-October 4.
“Our online auction offers a variety of distinctive, memorable items you can buy for yourself, a friend, or a loved one,” said Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, whose office oversees unclaimed property in Illinois. “If there’s a collector in your life, or a certain someone who’s hard to shop for, you can find great gifts like vintage jewelry, collectible coins, and classic baseball cards of outstanding players.”
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Other auction items include:
- A 1986 American Eagle gold coin
- A 14-karat yellow gold pendant with an opal
- A 10-karat yellow gold ring with pearls
- An Engelhard 10-ounce .999 fine silver bar
- Baseball cards of Hall of Famers Ernie Banks, Greg Maddux, Stan Musial, Nolan Ryan and others
- $1 silver certificates from 1935 and 1957
- Morgan silver dollars from the late 1800s and early 1900s
A total of 100 lots will be auctioned, with some lots consisting of multiple items. You can view all auction items in the catalog on the HiBid website.
Prospective bidders first must sign up on HiBid and create an account. There are a couple of ways to do this. One is to go to hibid.com/ and click on “Create Account” and fill in your information. Another is to go to the catalog, scroll down, and click on “Register to Bid.” For questions, call 217.557.8567.
The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is the custodian of unclaimed property, including lost bank accounts, insurance policy proceeds, unpaid rebate cards, and the contents of safe deposit boxes. Items are surrendered to the Treasurer’s Office after private entities have tried to locate the owner for several years.
The Treasurer’s Office conducts online auctions of unclaimed property periodically throughout the year because it does not have the physical space to store the items indefinitely. The
Treasurer’s Office also holds an annual in-person auction of unclaimed property during the Illinois State Fair in August. The 2026 in-person auction generated total sales of $397,475. The item that sold for the highest amount — $26,000 — was a gold bracelet with 12 gold coins.
Items considered for auction typically have not been touched by their owners for 10 years. All auction proceeds will be held for the rightful owners, no matter how long it takes.
An estimated one-in-four adults in Illinois who search the state’s unclaimed property website, also known as I-CASH, find missing money that should be returned to them. Visit the I-CASH website at https://icash.illinoistreasurer.gov/ to find out if any missing money is waiting for you.
About the 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 $60 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 with money to loan to farmers, small business owners, and qualified individuals at below-market rates because better jobs create stronger communities. The office operates the state’s largest consumer-protection initiative, the missing money ICash program, which has returned a record-breaking $2.65 billion since Frerichs was elected.
For more news about the State Treasurer’s Office, please sign up for our newsletter and follow Treasurer Frerichs on YouTube at @TreasurerMichaelFrerichs, Instagram at IL Treasurer, Threads @iltreasurer, LinkedIn and on Facebook at Invested in You – Treasurer Michael Frerichs.
