PA unclaimed property totals over $3.4 billion in both cash and actual property. Hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars are collected each year, with $254 million returned last year to its rightful owners. In addition to the cash is also items that go unclaimed. These items are usually from abandoned security deposit boxes that contain a wide array of treasures waiting to be claimed.
PA Unclaimed Property – Wide Range Of Treasures
Each state is unique in the items they collect and Pennsylvania is no different. In a recent article, State Treasurer Joe Torsella opened up the vault to show some of the unique items it has stored. Here is a list of some items the article highlights:
- Various comic books in plastic wrappers including Wonder Woman and Spawn
- Various toys still in their original packaging including WWE wrestler and Lord of The Rings.
- Three Purple Hearts as well as other military medals.
- A signed letter by LBJ on his personal stationary
- A signed letter from Albert Einstein from 1951.
- PA Capitol anniversary brochure from 1981 signed by Pa. Gov. Dick Thornburgh
- Decorative opera glasses and set of pearls
- A metal mesh purse
- Old China Doll
- Dueling pistols
- Commemorative silver certificates.
- A 1934 $1000 bill featuring Grover Cleveland.
- A set of 34 cent ‘Looney Tunes’ stamps from 2001
- Costume Jewelry including some precious gemstones
Each April, the Treasurer adds new property to its vault, so if you are missing actual items, it may take a bit longer to categorize them and list them. The PA unclaimed property division is one of the most extensive of all states. One of the most common ways this property becomes unclaimed is misspelled names. Make sure you try common misspellings of your name or your loved ones names when searching