2026 Silver Eagle FDI 1ST

Description

# 1908 $20 Saint Gaudens Gold Coin, No Motto, Wells Fargo Discovery. A Legendary Rarity from the Finest Hoard of Saint Gaudens Double Eagles Ever Discovered. This exceptional 1908 $20 Saint Gaudens double eagle represents one of the most significant numismatic discoveries of the modern era. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint without the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST," this coin originates from the legendary Wells Fargo Discovery hoard, an extraordinary cache of approximately 9,900 pristine examples found in the early 1990s. This hoard fundamentally altered the collecting landscape for Saint Gaudens coinage, introducing thousands of museum-quality gems that had been unknown to the market for nearly a century. The Wells Fargo Discovery is particularly renowned for its concentration of ultra-high-grade specimens. The hoard yielded thousands of coins graded MS66, nearly 1,000 examples certified MS67, over 100 coins graded MS68, and an unprecedented ten coins graded MS69—the only Saint Gaudens double eagles ever certified at this pinnacle grade by PCGS. The discovery of these ten MS69 specimens was revolutionary, as they represented virtually flawless examples of this iconic Augustus Saint-Gaudens design. Despite intensive efforts by graders to identify a single MS70 specimen, even the finest three coins fell just short of perfection, underscoring the extraordinary rarity of achieving absolute technical perfection in this series. Technical Details: The coin displays the characteristic design of the No Motto variety, featuring Saint Gaudens' magnificent Liberty figure on the obverse and an eagle in flight on the reverse. Composed of 90% gold and 10% copper, the coin weighs 33.4 grams with a diameter of 34mm and features a lettered edge. The mintage of 4,271,551 pieces ensures reasonable availability in circulated grades, yet gems of this caliber remain exceedingly scarce. This lot represents not merely a premium-grade gold coin, but a piece of numismatic history—a tangible connection to one of the hobby's most celebrated discoveries and a testament to the remarkable preservation of these artistic treasures.