State auction brings in more than $39,000

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ About 300 bargain hunters and serious collectors attended a state auction Friday of items left unclaimed in safety deposit boxes across the state. <br/><br/>The approximately 150 bags

Saturday, April 16th 2005, 11:44 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ About 300 bargain hunters and serious collectors attended a state auction Friday of items left unclaimed in safety deposit boxes across the state.

The approximately 150 bags of items _ mostly coins, currency and jewelry _ are proof that ``you can't take it with you,'' auctioneer Louis Dakil told the crowd.

Each bag contained the contents of a safe deposit box that was unclaimed by owners for more than five years after the rental period ended. Under state law, they are considered unclaimed property and are held by state Treasurer Robert Butkin's office for at least another three years until they can be auctioned.

About 225 people registered to bid on the items, including a Nolan Ryan rookie baseball card, which sold for $375; five X-Men comic books that went for $120; and a book with wedding photos of Princess Diana and Prince Charles that sold for $90.

The auction brought in $39,871. A similar auction of unclaimed property in 2000 raised about $24,000.

Money raised will be held for perpetuity in the unclaimed property fund. The state earns interest on the fund.

Several items were pulled from the auction after claims were made by some who saw last week's publicity of the auction, said Tim Allen, a spokesman with the treasurer's office. Most of the items claimed were jewelry, currency and coins.

A bag of coins, including several silver dollars, brought the most money, selling for $3,050.

Heathar Primas of Oklahoma City, who bought that bag and several other bags of coins and silverware, said this was the first auction she attended. She bought the coins for her father, who collects coins, she said.

``It's a lot of fun,'' she said.

Asked if she thought she made some good deals, she said, ``I have no idea, but don't really care.''