- Chinese Silver Panda
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Size of 2011 one-ounce Silver Panda bullion coin, compared to bottle cap
The Chinese Silver Panda is a series of silver bullion coins issued by the People's Republic of China. The design of the panda is changed every year, and these are minted in different sizes and denominations, ranging from 0.5 troy oz. to 1 kilogram.
There is also a Gold Panda series issued featuring the same designs as the silver Panda coins.
Face Value Nominal Silver Weight Fine Weight Total Weight Diameter Thickness 300 Yuan 1 kilogram 999.9775g 100 Yuan 12 Troy ounces 373.2360g 50 Yuan 5 Troy ounces 155.5000g 10 Yuan 1 Troy ounce 31.1035g 31.22g 39.0mm 5 Yuan ½ Troy ounce 3 Yuan ¼ Troy ounce 25mm The first silver Panda coins—issued in 1983, 1984 and 1985—were Proof quality, with a precious metal content of 27 gm. of .900 fine silver, and a diameter of 38.6 mm. Mintages were only 10,000 for each year. No silver Pandas were issued in 1986. The 1987 silver Panda coins were minted in Proof quality from 1 troy oz. of sterling (.925 fine) silver, with a diameter of 40 mm. There are several mints that produced silver Panda coins over the years, including but not limited to: Shenzhen, Shanghai and Shenyang. Unlike coins made by US mints that carry mintmarks to distinguish their origin, Chinese mints generally do not carry mintmarks. In certain years there are minor variations in the coin design—such as the size of the date, temple, etc.--that allow the originating mint to be determined. An example is 1996 where different mints produced coins with minor variations in the font size of the date on the obverse side of the coins.
- Obverse
Depiction of the Temple of Heaven in the center with Chinese characters on top saying "中華人民共和國" 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).
There are many varieties on the types of coins issued as follows:
- Uncirculated
- Proof
- Gold Plated / Gilded (either side or both)
- Colored (only obverse side known)
- Privy marked for different distribution such as 2001 D (for domestic market)
- Privy marked for commemorative issue, which can also be gold plated
The official distributor in China for the silver and gold Panda coins is the China Gold Coin Corporation (CGCC), and since 1982 Panda America has been an official distributor in the United States.
Minting History of One Ounce Silver Pandas
Year Bulk Uncirculated Coins Proof and Other Special Coins % Silver Total Weight Silver Weight Diameter 1983 0 10,000 (proof and frosted proof) .900 27g 24.3g 38.6mm 1984 0 10,000 (proof) .900 27g 24.3g 38.6mm 1985 0 10,000 (proof) .900 27g 24.3g 38.6mm 1986 No silver pandas in 1986 but many collect 1/2 oz silver Panda coins in their place No silver pandas in 1986 N/A N/A N/A N/A 1987 0 31,000 (proof) .925 31.1g 40mm (possibly 38.6mm) 1988 No 1oz silver pandas in 1988 No 1oz silver pandas in 1988 N/A N/A N/A N/A 1989 250,000 25,000 (proof) .999 31.1g 40mm 1990 200,000 20,000 (proof) .999 31.1g 40mm 1991 100,000 20,000 (proof) .999 31.1g 40mm 1992 100,000 5,202 (proof) .999 31.1g 40mm 1993 120,000 ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 1994 60,000 small date and 60,000 large date 20,000 (proof) .999 31.1g 40mm 1995 168,000 ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 1996 ????? ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 1997 50,000 80,000 (proof and proof with gold insert) .999 31.22g 40mm 1998 100,000 ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 1999 ????? ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 2000 ????? ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 2001 500,000 (Unknown number of D mark local version) ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 2002 500,000 ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 2003 600,000 ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 2004 600,000 ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 2005 600,000 ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 2006 600,000 ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 2007 600,000 ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 2008 600,000 ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 2009 600,000 ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 2010 1,500,000 ????? .999 31.1g 40mm 2011 The Scheduled Mintage was originally supposed to be 3,000,000.... The actual Mintage was 6,000,000 ????? .999 31.1g 40mm In 2006, a flood of counterfeit 1-ounce silver pandas came onto the market, and were frequently encountered on eBay through sellers located in China, both BU and proof versions. Many of these were easily distinguishable from the real thing by the lack of a denomination, which all authentic legal tender silver Panda coins have. Although these counterfeits did not contain a significant amount of silver, they were marked with '1 oz Ag .999'. Also, some do include the denomination, and are difficult to distinguish from a real one without weighing them, or comparing them to a known genuine coin.[citation needed]
References
- Krause, Chester L. and Clifford Mishler (2004). 2005 Standard Catalog of World Coins: 1901–Present (32nd ed. ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 0873497945.
External links
- Website of the China Gold Coin Corporation, official distributor of the Chinese Panda coins in China.
- Chinese Commemorative Silver Panda Coins Mintage
Categories:- Coins of China
- Silver coins
- Coin stubs
- China stubs
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