The growth of evaporated Au and Ag films on air- and vacuum-cleaved natural galena is studied in situ by RHEED, LEED, and with conventional electron microscopy after removal from the PbS substrates. Au was observed to grow with two equivalent (110) orientations. This predominant orientation occurs over the entire substrate temperature range studied (25 °–400 °C). Ag forms with a (111)-one deg orientation at 25 °C; (100)-oriented Ag becomes evident at 100 °C and increases with temperature to nearly perfect epitaxy at 200 °C. The orientation of both Au and Ag is the same on air- and vacuum-cleaved surfaces and is not influenced by electron irradiation.