Montana Auction Will Feature Unclaimed Safe Deposit Boxes

The Montana Department of Revenue is auctioning off the contents of unclaimed safe deposit boxes.

How does the saying go? Curiosity killed the cat? Honestly, how cool would it be to find rare coins, antique watches, and other relics of Montana's past?

Those are examples of the unclaimed contents of safe deposit boxes that will be included in the Montana Department of Revenue auction.

Items from about 90 Montana safe deposit boxes, including gold and silver coins, stamp collections, knives, jewelry, and a 10-ounce bar of silver, are now slated for the online auction. There's even a silver half-dollar from 1871 up for auction!

When the rent is unpaid on a safe deposit box or the lease is expired for five years, the unclaimed contents are turned over to the Department of Revenue, which holds the items for three more years before going to auction.

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.

The original owners of the unclaimed items retain the right to the proceeds, minus the costs of the sales and any bank fees. New items will be posted every other Thursday until they are sold.

Since 1963, the Department of Revenue has returned more than $48 million in assets to thousands of individuals.

If you want to place a bid on any of the unclaimed contents of Montana safe deposit boxes, you can find a link to the auction and check if you are an owner of unclaimed property held by the Department of Revenue, here.