HELENA — Rare coins, antique watches, and other relics of Montana’s past are now up for auction, as the Montana Department of Revenue disposes of the unclaimed contents of safe deposit boxes.
By law, the Department of Revenue holds certain property, such as old paychecks, rebates, bank balances – and items left in safe deposit boxes – that is unclaimed by its owners.
Items from about 90 Montana safe deposit boxes are slated for auction online through Lone Star Auctioneers.
Items include:
- Rare gold and silver coins,
- Stamp collections,
- Knives,
- Jewelry, and
- A 10-ounce bar of silver.
When the rent is unpaid or the lease is expired for five years, the unclaimed contents of safe deposit boxes are turned over to the Department of Revenue, which holds the items for three more years before going to auction.
New items will be posted every other Thursday until they are sold.
The original owners of the unclaimed items retain the right to the proceeds, minus the costs of the sales and any bank fees.
Since 1963, the Department of Revenue has returned more than $48 million in assets to thousands of individuals.
To see if you are an owner of unclaimed property held by the Department of Revenue, visit the TransAction Portal.
