Lost an autographed photo of Spencer Tracy? A St. Bernard-shaped nutcracker? Treasurer Zweifel has them in his Unclaimed Property vaults

JEFFERSON CITY –State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) put on display some of the most interesting items in his Unclaimed Property vaults in Jefferson City today. The items were found in more than 1,000 new safe deposit boxes that have been turned over by law to Treasurer Zweifel since November. The safe deposit boxes are being opened and catalogued so their contents can be returned to their legal owners or heirs. A signed photo of Spencer Tracy, a St. Bernard-shaped nutcracker, antique tools and four Purple Hearts were among the items on display.

“Each year I receive hundreds of safe deposit boxes and my staff goes through each one to catalog the contents for its owners or their heirs,” Treasurer Zweifel said. “Safe deposit boxes represent less than 1 percent of the $700 million of Unclaimed Property that I protect, but these boxes provide an interesting glimpse in to what is important to people. A lock of hair, family pictures, military medals, a high school diploma from 1928 – these items tell the stories of life in Missouri. I encourage everyone to regularly check www.ShowMeMoney.com for their name and to sign up for email alerts as new Unclaimed Property is added every week.”

Treasurer Zweifel received safe deposit boxes from more than 180 banks this year. Banks are required by state law to turn over safe deposit boxes after five years of no contact with the owners. The property received in safe deposit boxes is sold at auction as needed, with the proceeds held indefinitely for owners. This does not include the 96 military medals currently held by Treasurer Zweifel. In 2010, Treasurer Zweifel successfully championed legislation that ensures no future State Treasurer can sell these pieces of history.

This legislative session, Treasurer Zweifel is working with Representative Vicki Englund on House Bill 702. This bill would allow Treasurer Zweifel to display the name, last known address and a picture of all military medals he holds on his website www.ShowMeMoney.com in an effort to return these medals to the brave men and women who earned them.

“House Bill 702 allows me to go even further in my effort to return the military medals I hold,” Treasurer Zweifel said. “This bill allows me to show pictures of the medals I hold next to the name of the individual who earned them. It also allows me to exchange information with veterans’ organizations, which will help my Unclaimed Property staff as they work to return these medals. I have returned 32 medals to veterans or their families since taking office, and I am hopeful I can return many more”

Treasurer Zweifel also receives Unclaimed Property from financial institutions, insurance companies, public agencies and other business entities if there has been no documented transaction or contact with the owner for five or more years. Most Unclaimed Property consists of cash, stocks and bonds from abandoned accounts. The average account returned is $300 and one in 10 Missourians has Unclaimed Property.

Since taking office in January 2009, Treasurer Zweifel has returned more than $147 million in Unclaimed Property to more than 475,000 account owners.

Following is an overview of the Unclaimed Property found in each region of Missouri:

Kansas City Region (Bates, Carroll, Cass, Clay, Henry, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Platte, Ray): $105.6 million in more than 817,000 accounts.

Mid-Missouri Region (Audrain, Benton, Boone, Callaway, Camden, Cole, Cooper, Dent, Gasconade, Howard, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Montgomery, Morgan, Osage, Pettis, Phelps, Pulaski, Saline): $25.8 million in more than 290,000 accounts.

Northeast Missouri Region (Adair, Chariton, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Linn, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Pike, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan): $7.6 million in more than 77,000 accounts.

Northwest Missouri Region (Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Worth): $9.8 million in more than 98,000 accounts.

Southeast Missouri Region (Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard, Wayne): $15.3 million in more than 185,000 accounts.

Southwest Missouri Region (Barry, Barton, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Hickory, Howell, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Oregon, Ozark, Polk, Shannon, St. Clair, Stone, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Webster, Wright): $36.9 million in more than 418,000 accounts.

St. Louis Region (Crawford, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles, St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Warren, Washington): $215.4 million in more than 1.3 million accounts.

About Treasurer Zweifel’s Unclaimed Property

State law requires financial institutions, insurance companies, public agencies and other business entities to turn over assets to Treasurer Zweifel that belong to a customer, client, employee or other owner if there have been no documented transactions or contact with the owner for five or more years.  Most Unclaimed Property consists of cash from bank accounts, stocks, bonds and contents of safe deposit boxes that have been abandoned. It also can include uncollected insurance policy proceeds, government refunds, utility deposits and wages from past jobs. Treasurer Zweifel does not handle real property such as land and houses or certain types of personal property such as cars and boats. There is $700 million in Unclaimed Property maintained by Treasurer Zweifel. Treasurer Zweifel never charges for the return of Unclaimed Property.