March 23--The Illinois treasurer's office took in almost $92,653 in an auction of lost items last week, 53 percent more than the expected amount of $60,425.
There were also 545 new bidders in last week's online auction compared with previous sales, according to Greg Rivara, spokesman for the treasurer's office.
The top item out of the 16,200 commemorative coins, jewelry, baseball cards and comic books auctioned March 16 through March 20 was an 1894 Morgan silver dollar, which sold for $4,550.
Other high-rolling lots included one with a $50 liberty eagle 1-ounce gold piece, which sold for $2,775, and one with a Rookwood Pottery vase that went for $1,075.
A lot with a Chicago Cubs 1965 Ernie Banks baseball card and a Chicago White Sox Frank Thomas signed rookie card sold for $685.
Historically, some of the items that have brought the highest bids were 383 Roosevelt dimes that went for $10,520 in 2012 and five 1947 Mexican pesos that went for $10,050 in 2013.
The items are appraised by an outside vendor and grouped together to increase interest, according to the treasurer's office. The money raised at auction is set aside in case someone wants to collect it, Rivara said, and the interest is used to pay bills for the state.
All of the items that were auctioned had been untouched for at least 10 years -- five years in a bank's dormant account and five years at the treasurer's office, according to Treasurer Michael Frerichs.
The office continues to encourage Illinois residents to look up lost items by clicking on the I-Cash button at illinoistreasurer.org, Rivara said. The office holds more than $2.1 billion in unclaimed cash and property, which includes unclaimed safe deposit box items, lost payroll checks and lost bank accounts.
"Items are added each year," Rivara said. "We are encouraging individuals to make sure to check one to two times a year at minimum."
mmrodriguez@tribune.com
