Description
The Proof Gold Chinese Panda is the collector
version of China's official gold bullion coin. Both versions of these
coins reached their height of popularity in the late 1980's.
Design
The main obverse design of the panda never changes.
It features Beijing's famous Temple of Heaven (Tien Tien) along with
the date of issue. Chinese characters rest above the temple's roof.
The design on the reverse changes annually, but it always features
the endangered Giant Panda. The only year the design did not change was
2002; the rotation began again in 2003. The reverse also features the
size, gold fineness, and monetary amount.
In some years, a Proof Mark of 'P' was added to Proof Gold Pandas to signify their proof minting.
Minting Information
Proof Gold Pandas undergo a specific
minting process using special dies. Lustrous coin blanks are fed
manually into the presses where they are struck multiple times to
ensure detailed raised coin images, which appear softly frosted above a
mirror-like background.
| Detailed Coin Information |
| Coin Size* |
Face Value^ |
Purity |
Gross Weight |
Diameter |
Thickness |
| 1-oz. |
500 Yuan |
99.9% |
31.103g |
32.05mm |
2.70mm |
| 1/2-oz. |
200 Yuan |
99.9% |
15.5515g |
27.00mm |
1.85mm |
| 1/4-oz. |
100 Yuan |
99.9%
|
7.7758g |
21.95mm |
1.53mm |
| 1/10-oz. |
50 Yuan |
99.9% |
3.1103g |
17.95mm |
1.05mm |
| 1/20-oz. |
25 Yuan |
99.9%
|
1.5552g |
13.92mm |
0.83mm | |
| Dates: 1982-present (1/10-, '-, '-, 1-oz. sizes); 1983-present (1/20-oz.); 1984, 1986-90 (12-oz.); 1987-88 (5-oz.) |
Mints: Beijing, Shanghai, Shengyang
*
Proof Pandas were also minted in 1-g (1991), 5-oz. (1987-88; 1992-94),
12-oz. (1984; 1986-88; 1990-95), 156-oz. (1991), and 1-kg (1997-99)
sizes.
^ Prior to 2001, Pandas carried the following face values
per size: 1-oz.: 100 Yuan; 1/2-oz.: 50 Yuan; '-oz.: 25 Yuan; 1/10-oz.:
10 Yuan; 1/20-oz.: 5 Yuan |
