Unclaimed money, property, and lockbox items are sitting in the treasurer’s office in North Carolina worth a whopping $900 million.
“In North Carolina, every abandoned lockbox has to eventually go to the treasurer’s office,” says the state treasurer Dale Folwell. “Plus, you can just imagine what the people used to put in the lockboxes.”
Unclaimed Money and More – Storage for Decades
Moreover, some of the lost items have been in storage for decades. In fact, they are specifically fascinating and unusual.
There are some strange and unique items, too, beyond a safety deposit box. It does contain cash, jewelry, or old watches. Also, there are teeth. Moreover, a toilet seat which is made out of coins.
“Plus, we do have some baby teeth. In addition, to some silver teeth, gold teeth, and false teeth,” said Folwell.
Thus, are too, collectible and sentimental items. It would include marathon models, war medals, and old baseball cards.
We want to find all the owners of these items is what Folwell’s office does. In fact, it is no matter what they are.
“Families have been looking for them for 14 years. We want to be more reverent in that we were able to return some war medals to that family,” said Folwell. “Then last year, there is an actual pocket watch which had a president’s name Woodrow Wilson has been inscribed inside it.”
The owner can’t be found sometimes. The division, for the first time this year, held a small online auction. It did end last week.
“For decades, some of these things have been around,” he said. “Eventually, we have to find the room, you know.”
Tens of Millions of Dollars
There are plenty of distinctive heirlooms and items. In fact, most of what the unclaimed property division returns are money. Last year alone, there were tens of millions of dollars last year alone.
“There were about $74 million dollars to beyond 125,000 individuals, businesses, churches, and the nonprofits,” he said.
He says, this year, they will potentially double that amount of money that is brought in.