Peter Anthony: The 1984 1 oz. gold 100 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 oz. gold Pandas this is not a rare coin but it is a popular one. The reported mintage of 25,000 is not much different than the 1983 100 Yuan but it is somewhat scarcer. Like many Chinese coins of this period these coins do not grade well. 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-67. The most common grade is MS-68. MS-69 coins sell for a substantial premium over the price of coins in lesser condition – and deserve to.
The 1983 1 oz. gold Panda is part of three NGC Registry sets: Gold 1 Ounce Panda, 1982-Date, Mint State," "Gold 1 Ounce Panda, 1982-Date, Mint State (Incl. Varieties)," and "Gold 1 Ounce Panda, 1982-Date, Mint State and Proof."