Chinese Gold Panda

Gold Panda (People's Republic of China)
Edge:	Reeded
Composition:	99.9% fine gold (Au)
Years of Minting:	1980–present
Obverse
Design:	Temple of Heaven
Designer:
Design Date:	1982
Reverse
Design:	Different illustrations of giant pandas.
Designer:
Design Date:	Yearly

The Chinese Gold Panda (Chinese: 熊猫金币; pinyin: xióngmāojīnbì) is a series of gold bullion coins issued by the People's Republic of China. The official mint of the People's Republic of China introduced the Panda gold bullion coins in 1982. The panda design changes every year (with a single exception) and the gold Panda coins come in different sizes and denominations, ranging from 1/20 troy oz. to 1 troy oz. (and larger ones as well).

There is also a Silver Panda series issued with the same designs as the gold Panda coins.

History

China issued its first gold coins picturing an Panda design in 1982, in sizes of 1, 1/2, 1/4, and 1/10 troy oz. of 999 fine gold. Beginning in 1983 another size was added - 1/20 oz. Larger Panda coins were issued in some years, weighing 5 and 12 oz. These popular coins are issued in Prooflike Brilliant Uncirculated quality with a different design each year. A freeze of the design was announced with the 2001 issues—and thus the 2002 Pandas were identical to 2001. But collectors spoke up in behalf of annual changes, and China reverted to their original policy. There are several mints that produce these coins, including but not limited to: Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Shenyang. Unlike coins made by US mints that carry mintmarks to distinguish their origin, Chinese mints usually do not employ mintmarks. In certain years there are minor variations—in the size of the date, style of the temple, etc.—in the coin design that allow the originating mint to be determined.

Description

Obverse: Depiction of the Temple of Heaven in the center with Chinese characters on top saying "Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo" meaning People's Republic of China and the bottom the year of issue. If the issue is a commemorative issue, the theme will be marked here also.

Reverse: Different portraits of panda that changes every year (except for 2001 and 2002, which share the same design).

The official distributor for the gold and silver Panda coins in China is the China Gold Coin Corporation (CGCC); in the United States, Panda America has been an official distributor since 1982.

Denominations

The gold pandas are legal tender in the People's Republic of China, and are currently issued in face value denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50 and 25 Yuan; from 1982 through 2000 they were issued in denominations of 100, 50, 25, and 10 Yuan with the 5 Yuan added in 1983. These correspond with 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/10 and 1/20 Troy ounces of gold, respectively. An exception is 1991, when 1 gram gold pandas were minted, issued in the denomination of 3 yuan.

References

• Krause, Chester L., and Clifford Mishler (2004). 2005 Standard Catalog of World Coins: 1901–Present (32nd ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 0873497945. 

External links

• Website of the China Gold Coin Corporation, official distributor of the Chinese Panda coins in China.
• Gold Panda Coins Coin history and yearly image video.