Peter Anthony: The 1984 1/2 oz. gold 50 Yuan is the third Panda to be designed by Mr. Chen Jian of the Shanghai Mint. His characteristic elegant lines convey life to the charming bear rolling around with a bamboo branch. Like most 1/2 oz. gold Pandas the 1984 50 Yuan is significantly scarcer than the larger 100 Yuan coin. Many Chinese coins of this period these coins do not grade well and the gold 1984 50 Yuan Panda is no exception. The open fields of the design emphasize any flaws in the coin’s condition. Problems in the Mint’s production process marred many coins. Many were also treated by buyers as bullion objects and mishandled. The average grade is MS-68. Bu the most common grade is MS-69. MS-69 coins sell for a decent but not extraordinary premium over the price of coins in lesser condition.
The 1984 1/2 oz. gold Panda Panda is part of three NGC Registry sets: “Gold 1/2 Ounce Panda, 1982-Date, Mint State," "Gold 1/2 Ounce Panda, 1982-Date, Mint State (Incl. Varieties)," and "Gold 1/2 Ounce Panda, 1982-Date, Mint State and Proof"