Chinese Pandas: Three for the Show

How old is old for a coin series? The Standing Liberty quarter lasted just 14 years, while the Walking Liberty half was minted for 31 years. The British Sovereign, on the other hand, has been minted for two hundred years. China is an ancient land, but the People’s Republic began just 68 years ago. For more than half of that time span, Panda coins have been struck to the delight of collectors and investors around the world.

Outstanding designs continue to be a key to the Pandas' numismatic popularity. From the very start the China Mint was determined to make this series into the world’s finest coins with the finest designs. To help reach that goal, Pandas became the first bullion-based series to change designs each year. So it is fitting that China Gold Coin, the successor to the China Mint, celebrates the 35th Anniversary of the Panda series with three intriguing, innovative coins.

The one that has made the biggest splash so far is a hefty bimetallic 500 Yuan issue. The design, by the young Shanghai Mint artist Zhu Xihua, places a handsome Panda portrait inside the golden central core of the coin. Around these 30 grams of pure gold is a 12 gram silver ring. Placed like hour marks on a clock, small scenes of Pandas frolicking amid bamboo decorate the outer silver circle.

Denver will play host to the 2017 World’s Fair of Money from August 1-5. The three coins (and four designs) of the 2017 35th anniversary Panda set: Top row - 15 gram silver 5 Yuan that contains two images on one face; Middle row - a hologram 80 Yuan gold Panda; Bottom row - bimetallic 500 Yuan with 30 grams of gold and 12 grams of silver

Besides the attractive design, there are a couple of reasons that this extremely attractive coin has found an audience. The low mintage immediately stands out. Plus, this is the first bi-metallic Panda coin since 2002. With only 6,000 minted, the 2017 is almost guaranteed to become scarce like the 2002 20th anniversary bimetallic coin. That coin, too, had a mintage of 6,000. In China lines formed in coin stores to buy the new issue on June 14, the release date. Since then its price has climbed from 18,000 to 23,000 RMB. In the US it was briefly available at $3,300, but quickly popped to $4,000+.

The other two 35th anniversary coins are each dramatic in their own right. The 50 Yuan 5 gram gold stands out for its multicolored hologram design. Holograms have been applied to coins for some time now, but the multicolored effect on this Panda is quite new for a coin so small. In the past this could only be applied to much larger coins. The coin glitters like a jewel and may well become a popular gift or jewelry item. Mintage is 50,000.

My first reaction to the 5 Yuan silver 35th anniversary Panda was that it resembles a topographic map. But there is more to this coin than immediately meets the eye. The little seated Panda in the central area glimmers with a lenticular effect like a children’s toy. Viewed from straight on one Panda looks out at you, but if the coin is tilted the image changes and another cuddly bruin reveals itself. It’s a delightful optical trick and a first among Panda coins. The wavy lines that surround the bear contain tiny dates to represent the years of the Panda series. 200,000 of the innovative coins were minted.

Where to see and buy them? Come on out to a coin show. There is no better place to look, buy and chat about coins. Same as in 1982 when the Panda series took the numismatic world by storm. As the saying goes, opportunity is not a lengthy visitor and the supplies of the anniversary Pandas are limited. The ANA World’s Fair of Money is in Denver from August 1-5, the Hong Kong Coin Show runs from August 18-20 and the Hong Kong International Coin Convention will be held from August 25-27. NGC will have tables at all the shows and I hope to see you there.

Peter Anthony is an expert on Chinese modern coins with a particular focus on Panda coins. He is an analyst for the NGC Chinese Modern Coin Price Guide as well as a consultant on Chinese modern coins.