Treasurer McCord: This “Cyber Monday,” PA Treasury Can Be a Destination for Unique Gifts and Forgotten Funds

Items up for bid, extra holiday money await shoppers at www.patreasury.gov

Harrisburg – November 27, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Deals abound on “Cyber Monday,” but today State Treasurer Rob McCord reminded Pennsylvanians to visit Treasury’s online unclaimed property auction for unique gift ideas. He urged shoppers, after they fill their virtual carts, to remain on www.patreasury.gov to find out if they are owed any of the nearly $1.3 million in unclaimed eBay and PayPal rebates and credits his department currently holds.

“Whether it’s our offering of unique gifts in Treasury’s unclaimed property eBay store or our efforts to return $1.3 million in lost or forgotten eBay or PayPal credits, the Pennsylvania Treasury can be a valuable resource this holiday season,” Treasurer McCord said. “This ‘Cyber Monday,’ I hope you’ll visit www.patreasury.gov to search your name and shop our eBay store.”

Each year, Treasury receives millions of dollars in unclaimed property – things such as abandoned bank accounts, uncashed checks, forgotten rebates, and contents of safe deposit boxes. The tangible items – things like jewelry, collectible coins and sports memorabilia – are kept in Treasury’s vault. If attempts to locate the owner prove unsuccessful, the items are evaluated and then auctioned on eBay. Proceeds of the auction are then maintained for the owner to claim.

Holiday shoppers visiting Treasury’s eBay store can select from great gifts at a variety of price points, noted Treasurer McCord, such as 14k and 10k gold jewelry, digital cameras, Lego sets, video gaming consoles, power tools and GPS navigation systems. Visit www.patreasury.gov and drop down the “Unclaimed Property” tab to access the eBay store.

Pennsylvania was the first state to have a continuous eBay unclaimed property auction. To date, Treasury’s eBay auction site has generated nearly $5 million in sales for the Commonwealth since it went live in 2001.

Treasurer McCord also reminded Pennsylvanians who shop the eBay store to search Treasury’s free, searchable database at www.patreasury.gov to see whether they or their loved ones are owed any of the $2.2 billion in total unclaimed property his department currently holds. The Treasurer and his Return Team work hard year round to return unclaimed property, but during the holiday season, someone finding money they didn’t know they had could be particularly helpful.

“Who wouldn’t like some extra money this time of year?” Treasurer McCord said. “We estimate that one in 10 Pennsylvanians has unclaimed property, and with the average claim around $1,200, it is well worth a moment of your time to search www.patreasury.gov this holiday season. Remember to also search names of family and friends as well as organizations you care about!”

To search for unclaimed property or shop Treasury’s eBay store, visit www.patreasury.gov.

Media contact: Elizabeth Foose, 717-787-2991 or