The 1908 No Motto Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle ranks among the most iconic U.S. gold coins ever struck, prized equally by bullion buyers for its substantial gold content and by collectors for its place in American numismatic history. Certified MS63 by NGC, this example offers strong eye appeal in a grade that remains attainable for buyers building a serious gold type set.
Key Features:
- Purity & Weight: .900 fine gold, 33.44 grams total weight (0.9675 troy oz pure gold)
- Metal: Gold
- Obverse Design: Full-length Liberty striding forward, torch raised in her right hand, olive branch in her left, sunrise and U.S. Capitol visible behind her
- Reverse Design: Eagle in flight above a rising sun, with “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “TWENTY DOLLARS” arched around the rim
The obverse shows Liberty advancing confidently toward the viewer, her gown caught mid-stride, with rays of sunlight fanning out behind her and the date 1908 at her feet. “LIBERTY” arcs above her head, and 46 stars line the rim, reflecting the number of states in the Union at the time. The reverse pairs a powerfully rendered eagle, wings spread wide in flight, with a radiant sun beneath it, echoing the sunrise motif from the obverse and tying the two sides together visually. This No Motto variety omits “IN GOD WE TRUST,” a phrase President Theodore Roosevelt initially left off the design before Congress mandated its return partway through 1908 production, making No Motto examples a distinct, transitional issue within the series.
This coin carries a Philadelphia mintage of 4,271,551 pieces for the year, a relatively high figure that still left genuine survivors scarce in higher Mint State grades since most large-denomination gold coins of the era saw little deliberate saving. The coin is NGC certified MS63, encapsulated in NGC’s tamper-evident holder with a printed label confirming date, denomination, variety, and grade. Diameter measures 34mm, the standard size for this series.
This is a tangible piece of early 20th-century American gold coinage, combining Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ celebrated design with solid gold weight and third-party certification. Add this NGC MS63 Double Eagle to your collection today.