Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) has certified the Great Montana Collection.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Great Falls, Montana businessman Zollie Kelman purchased U.S. silver dollars in official 1,000-coin government bags. He made a deal with an armored car company to drop off the bags at his home on the company’s regular route from Minnesota to Montana. Once he had the bags home, he carefully spread the coins out on his kitchen table where the entire family searched through the pile cherry picking coins for their luster, eye appeal, dates and quality. He later stored the coins in a concrete bomb shelter on his property.

In the 1970s, thanks to Kelman’s gift of gab, the word got out about his valuable hoard. One day, Kelman answered a knock on his door only to find three men in masks barge into his home! They held his family hostage and prepared to tear the home apart in search of the prized coins. Luckily, one family member managed to stay hidden and was able to phone the police. Within minutes, the house was surrounded by law enforcement officers. They freed the family and arrested the robbers. Had the attempted robbery been successful, there may never have been a Great Montana Collection!

High grade NGC MS 63.