WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | Unclaimed property up for auction in Richmond
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Treasure hunters listen up. Next week the state will auction off more than 1,000 items, from diamonds to a picture of Dale Earnhardt.
The division of unclaimed property in Virginia's Treasury Department goes to great lengths to protect things Virginians forget about.
"We have very strict procedures as to who can you know operate, you know who can touch the items, who can handle them," said Brook Bredel, with the division of unclaimed property.
If you forgot to pay rent on a safe-deposit box at a bank or someone leaves you something you never claimed, this is where it ends up.
Some of it also comes from police evidence rooms.
The division tries to get in touch with the owners, but if they can't, after one year, it's auctioned off.
David Staples has been the auctioneer at the state sale for more than a decade.
Next week more than a thousand items will fill tables. And for the first time ever, you don't have to be in Richmond to make a bid.
Instead, you can do it online. Pictures and descriptions help guide you, but buyers beware.
"When it comes to fine or precious jewelry, you're going to see 'gold tone ring, clear stone.' And that may actually be the description of a three karat diamond," said Staples.
Items will be auctioned in two sessions. Miscellaneous things: gaming systems, collectibles and power tools on Tuesday. Coins, currency and jewelry on Wednesday.
Online bidding ends at 6 p.m. the day before each auction.
What happens if the items auctioned belong to you?
"If [it's] sold in an auction, we'll give them 100% of the auction sale proceeds," said Bredel.
Online bidding is now open.
If you want to shop or place a bid, click here.
If you are interested in seeing if the state is holding any unclaimed property that belongs to you, click here.
