Jewelry, rare collectibles and antiques from abandoned safety deposit boxes are up for auction in Jacksonville on Saturday.
Florida’s annual unclaimed property auction moves to a different city each year, and this time it’s at the Jacksonville Marriott on Salisbury Road.
When people fail to pay their safety deposit box rental fees or they pass away, banks send the unclaimed contents to the Bureau of Unclaimed Property in Tallahassee.
Department of Financial Services Spokeswoman Ashley Carr says the state tries to return the belongings before selling them.
“We have exhausted all of our efforts to try and find the rightful owner or their heir,” Carr said.
She says all 50,000 plus items for sale have been unclaimed for at least five years.
Fisher Auction Company is handling the sale. Its President and CEO Lamar Fisher is the official auctioneer.
“The unique thing about this auction is that the items are so special,” Fisher said. “They’re so unique and so unusual, and it gives the opportunity for someone to find a rare gem.”
These items include ornate jewelry, rare coins, antique silverware, collectable baseball cards and old newspaper articles.
Susan Slavin is an amatuer collector of gold and treasures. She says she traveled all the way from Tampa for the auction.
“We see a lot of these same people at auctions in our area,” Slavin said. “So definitely people are coming from as far south as Miami.”
The auction is open to the public. Registration begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning.
