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1908 $20 St. Gaudens. Motto NGC Proof 67

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:100.00 USD Estimated At:100.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1908 $20 St. Gaudens. Motto NGC Proof 67
<b>1908 &#36;20 St. Gaudens. With motto. NGC graded Proof 67.</b> Pop: 7/2. If you have yet to make an acquaintance with a Matte Proof double eagle, this is an impressive example of the Type. As referred to below in our background description, the 1908 is first year with the matte finish in this large &#36;20 format. The only surface flaws we can detect is a faint hairline on some of the trailing wing feathers: everywhere else the surface is pristine, indeed virtually &#34;as made&#34; and therefore perfect. Thus, the Proof 67 grade of this impressive coin which stands head and shoulders above the few others seen. Do not be afraid of winding up your delivery to a high pitch when throwing your bid or bids at the auctioneer. He won&#39;t stop batting them back to you until yours is the highest and final one, and all the other bidders have bowed out, so accept his challenge, stand firm, and become the coin&#39;s new owner. This coin is housed in NGC holder 1923608-009; only 5 Proof 67 examples certified by NGC as of June 2005, with 1 higher.

The mint struck 101 Proofs of this high denomination gold coin in 1908. All were issued with the IN GOD WE TRUST motto, a result of Congressional response to criticism of the action taken by President Roosevelt who eliminated the motto from the newly designed Saint-Gaudens gold pieces in 1907. Roosevelt was a devoutly religious man. He objected to seeing the name of the deity on coinage, and had the courage to impose his convictions on the mint &#40;and thereby on the American public&#41;. In 1908, there were two sand-blast or matte finishes used, a lighter one of which only 3 are known and the darker finish of the type offered here. This piece very closely resembles the lower denomination Proofs of 1908 which have a coarse-grain finish. Even though the surfaces are deeper in hue than seen on later issues, there is a considerable sparkle of the sandblast finish that is visible when viewed with a loupe.

The 1908 Proof is the first year of the 1908-15 Proof twenties. And though it is true that it is the date most frequently offered among the eight issues in this very rare series, an early writer suggested that an unknown number of Proofs were melted in the mint as unsold on January 2, 1909. Published estimates of the number actually in existence today range from as few as 15 to 25 &#40;Bowers&#41; to as many as 30 to 35 &#40;Akers&#41;. We believe the number may have to be expanded to include between 45 and 60 pieces in all grades known today. NGC alone has graded 69 pieces, according to its latest web site enumeration. We can assume many of these are either resubmissions or so-called cross-overs with more than a little duplication in the active number graded.

SUPERB PROOF 1908 DOUBLE EAGLE <b>&#40;PCGS # 9205&#41;</b> <i>
The Wasatch Collection of United States Proof Gold Coins.</i>

Our item number 117930