§116B-65. Public sale of abandoned property

(a)        Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Treasurer, within three years after the receipt of abandoned property, shall sell it to the highest bidder at public sale at a location in the State which in the judgment of the Treasurer affords the most favorable market for the property. The Treasurer may decline the highest bid and reoffer the property for sale if the Treasurer considers the bid to be insufficient. The Treasurer need not offer the property for sale if the Treasurer considers that the probable cost of sale will exceed the proceeds of the sale. The Treasurer shall give reasonable notice of the sale as he or she deems appropriate and cost-effective, but, at a minimum, notice must be published at least two times a year in a major newspaper in the State's major media markets. The Treasurer is not required to sell money unless it is a collector's species having value greater than the face value of the money as cash.

(b)        Securities listed on an established stock exchange must be sold at prices prevailing on the exchange at the time of sale. Other securities may be sold over the counter at prices prevailing at the time of sale or by any reasonable method selected by the Treasurer. If securities are sold by the Treasurer before the expiration of three years after their delivery to the Treasurer, a person making a claim under this Chapter before the end of the three-year period is entitled to the proceeds of the sale of the securities or the market value of the securities at the time the claim is made, whichever is greater, less any deduction for expenses of sale. A person making a claim under this Chapter after the expiration of the three-year period is entitled to receive the securities delivered to the Treasurer by the holder, if they still remain in the custody of the Treasurer, or the net proceeds received from sale, and is not entitled to receive any appreciation in the value of the property occurring after delivery to the Treasurer, except in a case of intentional misconduct by the Treasurer.

(c)        A purchaser of property at a sale conducted by the Treasurer pursuant to this Chapter takes the property free of all claims of the owner or previous holder and of all persons claiming through or under them. The Treasurer shall execute all documents necessary to complete the transfer of ownership.

(1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1311, s. 1; 1999-460, s. 6; 2011-230, s. 5.)