Where does unclaimed luggage go? Report reveals most commonly lost items

A report has revealed the most unusual items abandoned by travellers in 2023.

Two snakes, a medieval battle armour vest and a suitcase full of wigs (and nothing else) were among the 40 most bizarre items left behind by travellers in 2023.

Unclaimed Luggage, an American company that sells lost, unclaimed luggage from US airports, has released its first “Found Report” detailing the most unusual, expensive or common items found in unclaimed suitcases during 2023.

As one can imagine, those travelling around America have left behind some bizarre, confusing and totally inexplicable items.

The report’s “40 most fascinating finds” include some truly unusual and eye-wateringly expensive things.

Some wealthy travellers seemed to be travelling around 2023 and left behind two Hermes Birkin bags (one of which was valued at $39,000), 19 Rolex watches and a diamond tennis necklace worth $58,000.

Odder items included a Halloween card signed by President Nixon from the 1980s, a wooden fertility doll, a funeral casket key and a hand-painted Ostrich egg from South Africa. A jar full of shark teeth and a women’s vaulting pole also made the list.

As for the more popular items, Unclaimed Baggage said the most frequently found item in unclaimed bags were undies.

This makes sense, given the number of pairs of underwear one must pack in a suitcase. This was followed by shoes, tablets/e-readers and T-shirts, with books rounding out the top five. The report noted that there was a “significant” drop in laptops and an increase in tablets, while Colleen Hoover and James Patterson were popular authors.

The most expensive items left unclaimed included a 14-carat gold diamond ring valued at $61,590 as well as a Birkin Bag and Cartier watch, valued at $44,052.

How does Unclaimed Luggage find luggage to sell?

Don’t worry, the American company isn’t hanging around baggage carousels, waiting to snap up your suitcase. Instead, it has purchasing agreements with domestic airlines, which only sell on luggage after trying to reunite it with its owner. This window is typically three months and only happens to 0.03 per cent of all checked luggage, the company claims.