Auction catalog available here.
Collectible baseball cards of Hall of Famers Ryne Sandberg, Nolan Ryan and Ken Griffey Jr., a gold ingot, and an 1868 French coin bearing the image of Napoleon III are just a few of the notable items available at the online ICash auction April 24-May 3.
“Our online auction offers something unique and memorable for everyone,” said Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, whose office oversees unclaimed property in Illinois. “You’ll discover treasures, such as classic baseball cards and distinctive currency, along with vintage jewelry and other items made of gold, which will intrigue anyone who’s been tracking the rising price of that precious metal.”
Some of the other auction items include:
- A 1981 gold commemorative medal bearing the image of Mark Twain
- Two gold cameo rings
- A 1917 U.S. Standing Liberty quarter
- Silver bars and rounds, including two honoring movie legend John Wayne and Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton
- Two 1899 $1 silver certificates, featuring the “Black Eagle” engraving
- A 1921 Peace silver dollar and postage stamp set
- Four pocket watches: Hamilton, Longville, Elgin, and Columbus Watch Co.
- Three pairs of 14-karat gold earrings with stones
A total of 150 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 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 for several years to locate the owner.
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. Each year, the Treasurer’s Office also holds an in-person auction of unclaimed property during the Illinois State Fair in August. The 2025 in-person auction set two new records: for the auction sales total of $374,582 and for the auction sales amount of a single item, a 10-ounce gold bar that sold for $33,500.
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 ICash, find missing money that should be returned to them. Visit the ICash website at https://icash.illinoistreasurer.gov/ to find out if any missing money is waiting for you.
***Courtesy of The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office***
