Unclaimed treasures find new homes at Oklahoma auction

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Bids were hot Wednesday as the state auctioned off more than 300 abandoned safe deposit boxes.

As most people know, things move fast in an auction. The bids come in and the price rises fast. If you hesitate, you might miss your chance to participate. The crowd Wednesday morning was bidding on about 350 abandoned safe deposit boxes from the state treasury.

"It's just so intriguing and interesting,” President and owner of Dakil Auctioneers Inc. Louis Dakil said.

You can find a bunch of different things inside them. Everything from watches to jewelry and coins to trading cards.

After someone dies without a will or trust and no heirs are located, the boxes go to the state’s unclaimed property division. When storage runs out, some get sold. That’s were Dakil and his employees come in.

"This is my fifth auction for the treasury,” he said.

Dakil said he’s seen everything from a $1,000 bill to old Woodstock tickets. Others though, bid for more specific things.

"So just some old coins, old U.S. silver dollars,” William Pratt said while showing us what he bid for and got.

Pratt is a finance teacher and coin collector, which he uses for class.

"The history,” he said. “It tells so much about our country and other countries, how they've evolved and how they've fallen."

Others, like a woman by the name of Cindy, were all about jewelry.

"I hang on to it until the price goes up and then I sell it,” she said.

To each their own in the auction room and may the highest bidder win.

"I like these two dollar bills,” a man named Tiamba Omowale said while showing us what he bid for and got. “I got a grand boy. He's saving those."

Lots of the boxes were selling into the thousands of dollars. The auction began around 9 a.m. and wrapped up Wednesday afternoon.