Most states auction off physical unclaimed property and hold the financial proceeds for owners. But California has held onto all property instead, a policy put in place by Controller John Chiang when he took office in 2007, said Jacob Roper, a spokesman for Chiang's office.
These police badges and medal are among some of those items.
Millions of Americans are missing out on billions of dollars in abandoned bank accounts and stock holdings, unclaimed life insurance payouts and forgotten pension benefits.
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