The state will post additional items in 100-item lots every other day throughout the auction.
James F. Roy III, manager of the unclaimed property division of the state treasurer's office, holds a silver brandy warmer made in London in 1707, one of the items bound for an unclaimed property eBay auction beginning Saturday and on display in the lobby of the State Office Building on Dwight Street in Springfield Thursday.
SPRINGFIELD – Steven M. Sinclair, of Auburn, and Dino S. Zabean, of Lenox, have their eyes of several items they will bid on beginning Saturday when the state auctions $435,000 in unclaimed property.
Some 200 selected items, a sampling of the eBay auction that begins at noon Saturday and runs through Dec. 22, were on display at the State Office Building here Thursday.
“This is a representative sample giving people an idea of how to identify items they may want to bid during the auction process,” said James F. Roy III, manager of the state treasury’s unclaimed property division.
The auction will begin with 100 items and another 100 will be added every other day until a total of 500 are on display, Roy explained. In all, a total of 2,000 lots, either single or in groups of similar items, will appear at the eBay auction by Dec. 22, he said.
Last year’s auction of 1,000 items of unclaimed property brought the state more than $434,000 to its general fund. This year’s auction is expected to generate more than $500,000, state Treasurer Steven Grossman said this week.
Agawam’s Barbara Santaniello also came to view the display but said she will not participate in the auction. “I came to what is available but only for the education aspect,” she said.
Sinclair said he hopes to add to his 40-year collection of silver and gold and he plans to also submit a bid on a 305-year-old Queen Anne brandy warmer. Numerous gold, silver, copper and steel coins were on display at the State Office Building.
Zabean, a jeweler and collector, called the display a collection of “very interesting pieces. He checked out several pieces of diamond jewelry along with coins and paper currency.
A diamond ring in a gold setting valued at $17,000 is one of the items bound for an unclaimed property eBay auction.
“The coins and currency are a personal interest,” he said. Zabean will be part of the bidding Saturday but he said “auctions are hit or miss. Sometimes it is very worthwhile.”
Sinclair picked up a few silver and gold bars in last year’s eBay auction. He said “sometimes people bidding lose sight of the actual price of an item. I like to hold out for the sleepers.”
Of the 1,000 items auctioned on eBay last year, a total of 960 were sold, according to Roy.
Roy reminded residents that if they recognize an item that is up for auction and can provide proof of their or family ownership those items will be returned. If already sold, the owner will receive the purchased price.
The public can call the treasury at 888-344-6277 to check of unclaimed property or search a list at www.findmassmoney.com.