Do you have possibly have unclaimed cash or items? Click here to visit the Illinois ICash web site.
(WGEM) - How would you like an extra $20-30 dollars in your pocket? How about $100 or more?
There's a chance the state of Illinois has your money or maybe a family heirloom in its possession, just waiting to return it to you.
The Illinois Treasurer's Office returned $129 million in unclaimed property in 2012 and the great treasure hunt continues.
The vault beneath the Illinois State Capitol now contains almost $2 billion in unclaimed property. The state vault can hold up to 100,000 items in unclaimed property, but Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford says it's close to being at maximum capacity.
"There's gold coins, gold bars, five pounds of solid silver, costume jewelry, real diamonds, real rubies, so there's considerable property like that," Rutherford said.
To items of sentimental value.
"There are ashes in urns, locks of hair, junior's first haircut, first teeth put in a lockbox, now in my custody," Rutherford said.
There are even 16 Purple Heart awards that Rutherford desperately wants to see returned.
"(The Purple Heart) is probably the most valuable item I have in this vault," he said.
So how does so much money and so many valuable items get forgotten?
"There are reasons beyond what we can think of why the property would be unclaimed," Rutherford said. "I know I have it and I want to put it back in people's hands."
You can find your unclaimed property by visiting the Illinois I-Cash web site. Enter your name and cities where you've lived in Illinois.
"Don't just look up your name, look up a maiden name or a relative that's passed away," Rutherford said.
You can also find unclaimed property at the WGEM Home and Living Show. The mobile I-Cash program will be on hand to help reunite you with your long lost money or property.
