Since the early days of the automobile, manufacturers have tailored cars to market in specific regions of the country. One example is the RAM 1500 Lone Star Edition, sold only in Texas. It’s essentially just a Big Horn-trim level truck with unique badging, but buyers appreciate the exclusivity. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen some “Arizona Edition” Cadillacs with cactus pinstriping, too.
In the late 1960s, the Ford Mustang was similarly offered in unique variants based on specific regional target markets. Among them were the California Special (sold in the West Coast), the High Country Special (sold in Colorado) and the Golden Nugget (sold in Oregon and Washington). Now is a perfect time to look a little more closely at that last one.
Featured on AutoHunter is this 1968 Ford Mustang Golden Nugget Special. The car is being sold by a private seller and the auction will end Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. (PDT).
A wealth of information (only some of which appears to cite source data) abounds on the Golden Nugget, but from what I was able to gather, Ford’s Seattle sales district made a request for a special edition Mustang, and Ford delivered one in 1968—called the Golden Nugget. Only 481 such cars were produced, and all were directed toward dealerships in Oregon and Washington. Exclusive features included Sunlit Gold paint with black hood stripes (code Y5), black striping, a black vinyl top, and some gold features on the interior. There even was a dash placard featuring the original owner’s name.
This car was assembled at Ford’s San Jose, California, assembly plant on January 16, 1968, and was originally delivered to a dealership called Smith & Gandy Inc. in Seattle. The Marti Report says its features included the Visibility Group, whitewall tires, wheel covers, console, power steering, AM radio and deluxe seat belts. The original owner took delivery on September 26, 1968. The steelies have been ditched for 16-inch American Racing wheels, and the audio system is upgraded to a Bluetooth setup, but the car is otherwise original to many of its build specifications.
Power comes from a rebuilt, period-correct 302-4V V8 mated to the car’s reportedly original C4 three-speed automatic transmission. The seller says that the car has been driven just 395 miles since the engine rebuild, and upgrades include a Summit Racing four-barrel carburetor, an aluminum radiator, and shorty headers. The odometer says 71,275, but the title reads mileage-exempt.
Various people have tried tracking the surviving Golden Nugget Mustangs over the years. Today, the “official” record/registry is apparently a Facebook group managed by Bill Gorman with just 32 members in it. Bill indicates that there used to be a website that served as a repository for the information, but the information was lost when the page was corrupted.
So, what better way to start with helping the community to rebuild the most current data than by becoming a member of the Golden Nugget Mustang family yourself? You’ve made your lucky strike on the search for rare metal.
The auction for this 1968 Ford Mustang Golden Nugget Special ends Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. (PDT).
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery
