Unclaimed property auction sells $100K

The first unclaimed property auction of State Treasurer Clint Zweifel's administration, held Sept. 20, sold more than $105,000 worth of goods.

During the eight-hour auction, 923 lots - contents of safe deposit boxes that have gone five years without owner contact - were sold, according to a news release.

Proceeds from unclaimed property auctions are held indefinitely until claimed by the owners or their heirs. Property claims can be made through the Unclaimed Property database.

“Our goal is always to get money and property back into the hands of its owners quickly," Zweifel said in the release. "This is not the state’s money – I want to get it back into the economy."

The highest selling item was a 100-troy-ounce silver bar at $1,900. It sold alongside collectible coins, jewelry, silverware and signed sports memorabilia at Stoney Creek Inn in Columbia, the release said.

About $600 million is held in the treasurer's Unclaimed Property division, representing items from more than 3.5 million accounts. Zweifel has returned approximately $54 million since taking office, according to the release.