Largest Gold Bar Ever Cast 1889, Helena Montana

Largest Gold Bar Ever Cast 1889, Helena Montana

Largest Gold Bar In The World (1889) 434 Pounds
Sept. 3rd, 1889 The largest Gold bar in the world was poured in Helena Montana.
The U.S. Assay Office, Helena Montana poured the bar.
U.S. Assay Office funding approved by congress of 1874. Broke ground in 1875.
U.S. Assay Office Helena opened in 1877 and closed in1934.
Bar was poured for Colonel Charles A. Broadwater and the Montana National Bank.

Was poured to promote Montana and the rich mineral resources that were being mined here.
Also to bring attention to real estate, the future Fort Harrison, hospitality, railroad, banking and the many opportunities in this new state.
Montana became a State in 1889.

Colonel Broadwater had just opened his Broadwater Hotel & Natatorium 8 - days before this gold bar was poured.

Bar was engraved with “Montana” on the front and shipped to the Minneapolis Industrial Exposition for display, then to the Chase National Bank in New York City.

Believed bar was melted down by Nov. of 1889 to be sold off in more manageable sizes. Not confirmed but likely in they NYC Assay Office. (many articles referencing the melting and the money coming back to the Montana National Bank; but not confirmed where melted) Montana National Bank got its money transferred back to them from the value of the gold bar. This money transfer happened the end of Oct. 1889.
Bar at the time was worth over $ 100,000.00 +
Bar currently would be worth over 18 - Million Dollars. Bar weighed 434 Pounds or 6,945 ounces.
See Museum for details:
https://www.whyhelenamt.com/gold-bar-museum

Pictures of Gold Pour from Homestake Mine.
homestake.sdsmt.edu from the 1900’s.

Picture of: Helena Assay Office from 1875 when completed.
Library of Congress

Pictures of: “ Montana Mineral Monument” & “ Engraving Gold”. From the Gold Bar Museum.

Historic Helena Book for the picture of the Drum Lummon Bullion.
Historic Helena An Early Day Photographic History of Montana's Scenic Capital City
Thurber Printing Company 1964 & 1970
Building and Loan Association, Helena Montana

Historic Mining History for the Picture of the Drum Lummon mine.
Western Mining History. Westernmininghistory.com

https://www.whyhelenamt.com/gold-bar-museum
See museum for details on the largest gold bar in the world. Many good articles from 1889 and a timeline of the bars journey.

I would like to thank: Helena As She Was
helenahistory.org
Kennon Baird Collection and all involved in the above History and website.
This treasure in so very valuable and allows me to do these historic videos.
Newspaper articles from Library of Congress and Newspapers.com

Thanks for Watching!
Come and visit Helena!

Why Helena MT.com
Why Helena Montana .com
https://www.whyhelenamt.com/
https://www.whyhelenamt.com/gold-bar-museum