Chinese Silver Panda


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 minted in different sizes and denominations, ranging from 0.5 troy oz. to 1 kilogram. Starting in 2016, Pandas switched to metric sizes. The 1 troy ounce coin was reduced to 30 grams, while the 5 troy ounce coin was reduced to 150 grams. There is also a Gold Panda series issued featuring the same designs as the Silver Panda coins.

History

The first Silver Panda coins—issued in 1983, 1984, and 1985—were proof quality, with a precious metal content of 27 grams of 0.900 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 silver, with a diameter of 40 mm. There are several mints that produced Silver Panda coins over the years, including: Shanghai, Shenyang, and Shenzhen. Unlike coins made by US and German 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, and temple. That allows 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. In 2015 the Gold and Silver Panda coins were not labeled with metal fineness and weight. This information returned in 2016 when the 1 troy ounce coin was replaced by the 30-gram coin.
The official distributor in China for the Silver and Gold Panda coins is the China Gold Coin Incorporation.
As of 2020, the highest-priced coin is a perfect 1983 proof panda worth $16,430. The highest-priced, non-proof coin is a perfect large-date 1991 panda worth $3,100.

Specifications

Design

The center of the obverse is a depiction of The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests located in the Temple of Heaven complex in Beijing. The Hall was built between 1406 to 1420. Chinese characters on top say "中华人民共和国", meaning the 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. The reverse shows portraits of the giant panda that changes every year.

Minting history

There are many varieties of types of coins issued:
  1. Bulk Uncirculated
  2. Proof
  3. Gilding
  4. Colored
  5. Privy marked for a commemorative issue
  6. Extra wording of a special event. For example, where the coins will be sold, such as a coin show or to commemorate an event or place.
YearTypeDescriptionMintage
1983ProofBoth proof and frosted proof10,000
1984Proof10,000
1985Proof10,000
1986Proof0
1987Proof30,000
19880
1989Proof8,000
1989Bulk255,000
1990Proof20,000
1990BulkBoth large and small dates200,000
1991Proof20,000
1991BulkBoth large and small dates100,000
1992Proof20,000
1992BulkBoth large and small dates100,000
1993Proof20,000
1993BulkBoth large and small dates120,000
1994Proof20,000
1994BulkBoth large and small dates120,000
1995Proof10,000
1995BulkBoth large and small dates200,000
1996ProofBoth narrow and wide bottom16,000
1996BulkLarge, small and micro dates120,000
1996BulkBeijing Stamp and Coin Expo25,000
1997ProofColorized100,000
1997Bulk50,000
1997BulkLarge and small dates50,000
1997BulkYear of Tourism50,000
1997BulkChongqing Municipality50,000
1997BulkBeijing Stamp and Coin Expo30,000
1998ProofColorized100,000
1998BulkLarge, small and micro dates250,000
1998BulkChina Aviation Expo50,000
1998BulkBeijing Coin Expo30,000
1999ProofColorized100,000
1999Bulk70,000
1999BulkBeijing Stamp and Coin Expo40,000
2000BulkBoth frosted and mirrored finishes70,000
2000BulkGuangzhou Stamp and Coin Expo40,000
2001Bulk250,000
2001BulkLarge and small "D". Domestic only sales250,000
2002Bulk500,000
2003BulkBoth frosted and satin finishes600,000
2004Bulk600,000
2004Bulk50th Anniversary of China Construction Bank170,000
2004Bulk20th Anniversary of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China120,000
2004BulkBeijing Stamp and Coin Expo30,000
2005Bulk600,000
2005BulkFoundation of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China100,000
2005Bulk10th Anniversary Bank of Shanghai50,000
2005BulkBeijing Stamp and Coin Expo30,000
2006Bulk600,000
2006Bulk10th Anniversary China Minsheng Bank70,000
2006Bulk10th Anniversary Bank of Beijing50,000
2006BulkShenyang Horticulture Expo30,000
2006Bulk10th Anniversary Jinan City Bank20,000
2006BulkBeijing Stamp and Coin Expo30,000
2007Bulk600,000
2007BulkXi'an City Bank100,000
2007Bulk20th Anniversary of China CITIC Bank100,000
2008Bulk600,000
2008Bulk100th Anniversary of Beijing Banknote100,000
2008Bulk100th Anniversary of Bank of Communications100,000
2009Bulk600,000
2009Bulk30th Anniversary of Chinese modern precious metal coins300,000
2009BulkFounding of Agricultural Bank of China100,000
2009BulkChiNext Inauguration30,000
2010Bulk800,000
2010BulkAnniversary of listing of Agricultural Bank of China70,000
2010Bulk20th Anniversary of opening China's capital markets40,000
2010Bulk90th Anniversary Shanghai Mint20,000
2011Bulk6,000,000
2011BulkRunning of Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway30,000
2011Bulk60th Anniv. of National Committee of China's Financial Union30,000
2011Bulk10th Anniversary of Shanghai Gold Exchange30,000
2011Bulk30th Anniv. of the Founding of Xiamen Special Economic Zone20,000
2011Bulk60th Anniversary of the Rural Credit Cooperatives20,000
2011Bulk60th Anniversary of the Aviation Industry20,000
2011BulkWorld Horticultural Expo 2011 in Xian20,000
2012Bulk8,000,000
2012Bulk100th Anniversary of Bank of China260,000
2012Bulk20th Anniversary of the founding of Huaxia Bank50,000
2012Bulk10th Anniversary of Listing of China Merchants Bank30,000
2013Bulk8,000,000
2013Bulk25th Anniversary of Shanghai Pudong Development Bank80,000
2013Bulk30th Anniversary of China Everbright Bank80,000
2013Bulk10th Anniversary of China-Asean Expo80,000
2014Bulk8,000,000
2014Bulk60th Anniversary of China Construction Bank420,000
2014Bulk20th Anniv. of the Agricultural Development Bank of China85,000
2014BulkQingdao World Horticulture Expo40,000
2014BulkSingapur International Coin Fair2,014
2015Bulk8,000,000
2015Bulk20th Anniversary of Bank of Shanghai60,000
2015BulkThe Year of China in South Africa10,000
2016Bulk8,000,000
2016Bulk20th Anniversary of Bank of Beijing50,000
2016Bulk120th Anniversary of Shenyang Mint30,000
2016Bulk60th Anniversary of All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese20,000
2017Bulk10,000,000
2017BulkChina International Collection Expo50,000
2018Bulk10,000,000
2018Bulk30th Anniversary of China Ping An Insurance Group50,000
2018Bulk30th Anniversary of Industrial Bank30,000
2019Bulk10,000,000
2019BulkChina International Import Expo20,000
2019BulkWorld Stamp Exhibition20,000
2019Bulk40th Anniversary of State Administration of Foreign Exchange10,000