Missouri Unclaimed Property Auction 2026: New $674K High and How to Search for Money

Missouri’s annual unclaimed property auction generated a record $674,342 in sales after an event held August 27–28, 2026, in Columbia, more than doubling the previous high of $319,712.

State Treasurer Vivek Malek announced the results, saying the auction “exceeded all expectations this year, showing the increasing public interest in the Unclaimed Property program.” He credited his staff’s work cataloging and preparing items as a key reason for the event’s success.

Worth reading: The State By State Guide to Unclaimed Assets
 

How the auction and unclaimed property program work

Each year, Missouri’s Treasurer’s Office inventories contents from about 1,000 safe deposit boxes that financial institutions turn over after roughly five years of inactivity. The items are then sold at public auction, with proceeds held for the original owners or their heirs.

• Money from auction sales stays with the Treasurer’s Office and can be claimed at any time by the rightful owner or an heir through Missouri’s Unclaimed Property program.

• The annual auction helps convert unclaimed physical items into cash while preserving owners’ ability to recover the value later.

Residents can search for unclaimed property and file a claim online at treasurer.mo.gov (also promoted as ShowMeMoney.com by the Treasurer’s Office). State officials say about 1 in 10 Missourians have some form of unclaimed property.

Don't miss: South Carolina Returns Record $52 Million in Unclaimed Property: How to Check if You’re Owed Money
 

Record-setting 2026 auction details

• Event dates: August 27–28, 2026

• Location: Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center, Columbia, MO

• Items offered: Over 2,000 items from safe deposit boxes (a portion of the full inventory)

• Previous record: About $319,000 in 2025, which had been the highest in 15 years

The 2026 result of $674,342 more than doubles last year’s total and sets a new high for the program’s auction proceeds.
 

How to check if you have unclaimed property in Missouri

If you think you might have unclaimed property:

1. Go to treasurer.mo.gov and use the unclaimed property search tool.

2. Search by your name, former names or a business name.

3. If a match appears, follow the online steps to file a claim. The office will verify your identity and relationship to the property before releasing funds or items.

Even if your property was sold at auction, the cash proceeds remain available for you or your heirs to claim.

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