Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ office will auction off hundreds of unclaimed property items this week, including some truly unique pieces of memorabilia.
According to officials, a slew of jewelry and coins will be available in the auction, as will pieces of sports and pop culture memorabilia.
“Everyone is welcome – and encouraged – to explore our online auction. It isn’t meant only for collectors. The online auction is a convenient way for people to add to a personal collection or find a distinctive gift, like a Pez dispenser with Yoda’s head,” Frerichs said in a statement.
According to the office, a total of 200 lots will be auctioned off as part of the sale, which will take place through June 22.
Among the items being auctioned off are an Anakin Skywalker comic book from the “Phantom Menace” film release, along with a Yoda Pez dispenser and multiple certificates of authenticity.
Another lot featured a rookie card featuring Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, along with a card featuring former home run king Hank Aaron, with a minimum bid of $180 as of Monday afternoon.
For baseball lovers, another lot featured two Sammy Sosa cards from his early career stint with the Chicago White Sox, as well as a card featuring Michael Jordan while he was playing baseball in their organization.
Typically, items like the ones being auctioned off were listed as unclaimed property for years, with private entities being unsuccessful in finding their rightful owners. Due to space limitations, the treasurer’s office aims to auction off the items, holding the proceeds for the original owners of the property indefinitely.
More information can be found on the I-CASH website.