# 1908 St. Gaudens $20 Gold No Motto, Wells Fargo Discovery Hoard

Lot Details

This exceptional 1908 St. Gaudens $20 gold piece 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 is part of the legendary Wells Fargo Discovery hoard, an unprecedented cache of ultra-high-quality No Motto Saints uncovered in the early 1990s by dealer Ron Gillio. The hoard, comprising approximately 9,900 coins discovered through transactions at a Las Vegas Wells Fargo bank, fundamentally changed the landscape of St. Gaudens collecting and established new benchmarks for quality in this iconic series.

Technical Specifications

The coin is composed of 90% gold and 10% copper, weighing 33.4 grams with a diameter of 34mm and a lettered edge. Designed by the renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, this No Motto variety was produced with a mintage of 4,271,551 pieces. The Wells Fargo hoard distinguished itself by containing thousands of superb gems graded MS66, nearly 1,000 coins at MS67, 101 examples at MS68, and remarkably, 10 virtually perfect specimens graded MS69—the only St. Gaudens eagles ever certified at this elite level by PCGS as of 2009.

Grading and Significance

Certified by NGC with a grade of 70 (Certificate #1003901), this coin represents the pinnacle of quality from one of numismatics' most celebrated discoveries. With 974 coins graded higher and 4,547 total examples certified, this piece exemplifies the extraordinary preservation that characterized the Wells Fargo find. The hoard's emergence provided collectors with an unprecedented opportunity to acquire gem-quality examples of this classic design, transforming the availability and desirability of high-grade No Motto Saints in the modern market.