State will auction unclaimed property

Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2004 | 9:33 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- An auction of unclaimed property, that includes such things as sports cards, gold Krugerrands, jewelry and Silver Eagle dollars, will be held tonight in Las Vegas, state Treasurer Brian Krolicki said Tuesday.

The state is selling items that have been recovered from abandoned or forgotten safe deposit boxes. By law the contents must be sold if not claimed within one year, Krolicki said.

The auction will be a 6 p.m. at the Sawyer State Office Building. The treasurer said no checks or credit cards will be accepted. The proceeds will go into the state's general fund.

The auction will be conducted by TNT Auction, which is under contract to the state.

"This is the perfect time of year to get some great deals on holiday gifts," said Krolicki. "Items up for bid include jewelry and pocket and wristwatches, as well as sports memorabilia.

"We have far more coins at this auction than at any other, including uncirculated U.S. Mint proof sets and an 1896 Morgan dollar," he said.

Krolicki said there are thousands of items and that doesn't lend itself to putting them on eBay for sale. But he said his office will be using eBay early next year to sell the "more interesting and valuable items."

He said the eBay auction last year was very successful.

Krolicki said the auction today will be strictly cash because that's the rule of the auctioneer.

Those who want to bid can preview the items available and register with the auctioneer between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. today. The entire auction catalog also can be downloaded or searched at the state treasurer's Web site, NevadaTreasurer.gov.