Florida Unclaimed Property Goes On Auction Block

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Tampa Bay area bargain hunters who don’t mind making a bit of a drive to uncover unique finds might want to set a course for Fort Lauderdale this weekend. That’s where the state intends to hold the first of two 2017 Florida Unclaimed Property Auctions this summer.

According to Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, items up for grabs include some rather unusual pieces, such as a 12-pound silver bar from the wreck of the Atocha, which sank off the Florida Keys back in the 1622. Buyers will also find a pair of 4.3-carat diamond earrings, a vintage Wilt Chamberlain basketball card, Rolex watches and other distinct pieces available to the highest bidders.

"There’s some fun stuff in this auction," said state spokeswoman Ashley Carr.

As for the unusual piece from the Atocha, Carr said items from the ill-fated Spanish ship crop up in auctions from time to time.

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All told, the state says about 50,000 items will go up for auction on Saturday, July 29. The total estimated value of items up for grabs tops $630,000.

“The unclaimed property auction features items from safe deposit boxes that have gone unclaimed for years despite exhaustive efforts to return them to their owners,” a Tuesday statement from Patronis’ office said. “Proceeds from the auction are deposited into the state’s education fund where they work to support Florida’s public school system. Should a property owner discover that he or she owned an item that was auctioned; however, the proceeds from the sale can be claimed any time at no cost.”

Shoppers who want to get a preview of the items will find one open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at the Sheraton Suites Cypress Creek, 555 N.W. 62nd St., in Fort Lauderdale. The auction will take place at the same location on July 29 with registration starting at 8 a.m. Bidding on items will begin at 10 a.m., the state said.

See also: Unclaimed Property: $313 Million Returned To Floridians

Auction winners will find only specific forms of payment are accepted. They include cash, traveler’s checks, cashier’s checks and most bank debit cards. Winning bidders cannot pay for purchases with credit cards.

The second auction is set to take place at the end of August in Orlando. For more information about the Fort Lauderdale auction, visit the state Division of Unclaimed Property online.

The division returned about $313 million in unclaimed funds to Floridians during the 2016-17 fiscal year. The number of claims paid out last year represented a double-digit rise over last, Patronis reported earlier this month. The total dollar amount paid out in 2016-17 topped any year in the program’s 56-year history, he added.

Patronis estimates one out of five Floridians has an unclaimed account in their name. Floridians can search unclaimed property by going online to www.FLTreasureHunt.org.

Photo courtesy of the state of Florida