A Pennsylvania official is using the excitement around the Philadelphia Eagles' trip to Super Bowl LII in a bid to reunite many pieces of team memorabilia in state custody with their rightful owners.
The memorabilia – everything from trading cards and posters to ticket stubs and newspaper clippings – is held by the Pennsylvania Treasury Bureau of Unclaimed Property in Harrisburg. A ticket stub from Game 1 of 2009 NFL Preseason – Eagles vs. Patriots – is among the property sitting in a Treasury vault awaiting its rightful owner.
Pennsylvania Treasurer Joe Torsella is seeking to return as much of the memorabilia before the Eagles take on the New England Patriots on Sunday.
“This is an exciting time for Philadelphia Eagles fans,” Torsella said in a statement. “For 85 years, fans have collected, cherished, and passed down Eagles memorabilia. Over the past year, Treasury has stepped up our efforts to get unclaimed property back where it belongs: in your hands, not ours. As the team prepares to head to the Super Bowl, see if you or someone in your family is the rightful owner to unclaimed Eagles property.”
Unclaimed property is any financial asset that has gone unclaimed for a period of time, usually three years. Under Pennsylvania law, businesses are required to report such property to the Treasury. Each year, the department takes custody of millions of dollars in unclaimed property, including abandoned bank accounts, forgotten stocks, uncashed checks and contents of safety deposit boxes. Property can be claimed by their legal owners or their heirs in perpetuity.
Potential claimants may search Treasury’s website for unclaimed property, or Treasury’s Bureau of Unclaimed Property is also available toll-free at 1-800-222-2046, to help conduct a thorough search for unclaimed property.