# Chinese Silver Panda

The Chinese Silver Panda (Chinese: 熊猫银币; pinyin: xióngmāo yínbì) 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 10 yuan Panda bullion 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 (.925 fine) 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 (one troy ounce is approximately 31.1 grams).
The official distributor in China for the Silver and Gold Panda coins is the China Gold Coin Incorporation (CGCI).
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

Specifications :
| Weight | Face value | Diameter | Thickness |
| 1 kilogram | 300 yuan | 100 mm | 13 mm |
| 12 troy oz | 100 yuan | | 14 mm |
| 5 troy oz | 50 yuan | 70 mm | 6 mm |
| 150 grams | 50 yuan | 70 mm | |
| 1 troy ounce | 10 yuan | 40 mm | |
| 30 grams | 10 yuan | 40 mm | |
| 1⁄2 troy oz | 5 yuan | 33 mm | 2.2 mm |
| 1⁄4 troy oz | 3 yuan | 25 mm | |

### Thickness

Taking the 1-ounce silver coin as an example, the authentic coin has a thickness of only about 2.6 millimeters, while the thickness of the counterfeit coin exceeds 3 millimeters. If they are of the same thickness, the counterfeit coin will not weigh 31.1 grams.

### Reeding

The diagonal reeding was first introduced in the 2001 D (Domestic) Gold Panda Coins. This feature was introduced to other Chinese Panda Coins in 2002.

## 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 and 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 (except for 2001 and 2002, which share the same design).

## Minting history

There are many varieties of types of coins issued:
* Bulk Uncirculated
* Proof
* Gilding (either side, or both)
* Colored (only obverse side known)
* Privy marked for a commemorative issue
* 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.
| Year | Type | Description | Mintage |
| 1983 | Proof | Both proof and frosted proof | 10,000 |
| 1984 | Proof | | 10,000 |
| 1985 | Proof | | 10,000 |
| 1986 | Proof | | 0 |
| 1987 | Proof | | 30,000 |
| 1988 | | | 0 |
| 1989 | Proof | | 8,000 |
| 1989 | Bulk | | 255,000 |
| 1990 | Proof | | 20,000 |
| 1990 | Bulk | Both large and small dates | 200,000 |
| 1991 | Proof | | 20,000 |
| 1991 | Bulk | Both large and small dates | 100,000 |
| 1992 | Proof | | 20,000 |
| 1992 | Bulk | Both large and small dates | 100,000 |
| 1993 | Proof | | 20,000 |
| 1993 | Bulk | Both large and small dates | 120,000 |
| 1994 | Proof | | 20,000 |
| 1994 | Bulk | Both large and small dates | 120,000 |
| 1995 | Proof | | 10,000 |
| 1995 | Bulk | Both large and small dates | 200,000 |
| 1996 | Proof | Both narrow and wide bottom | 16,000 |
| 1996 | Bulk | Large, small and micro dates | 120,000 |
| 1996 | Bulk | Beijing Stamp and Coin Expo | 25,000 |
| 1997 | Proof | Colorized | 100,000 |
| 1997 | Bulk | | 50,000 |
| 1997 | Bulk | Large and small dates | 50,000 |
| 1997 | Bulk | Year of Tourism | 50,000 |
| 1997 | Bulk | Chongqing Municipality | 50,000 |
| 1997 | Bulk | Beijing Stamp and Coin Expo | 30,000 |
| 1998 | Proof | Colorized | 100,000 |
| 1998 | Bulk | Large, small and micro dates | 250,000 |
| 1998 | Bulk | China Aviation Expo | 50,000 |
| 1998 | Bulk | Beijing Coin Expo | 30,000 |
| 1999 | Proof | Colorized | 100,000 |
| 1999 | Bulk | | 70,000 |
| 1999 | Bulk | Beijing Stamp and Coin Expo | 40,000 |
| 2000 | Bulk | Both frosted and mirrored finishes | 70,000 |
| 2000 | Bulk | Guangzhou Stamp and Coin Expo | 40,000 |
| 2001 | Bulk | | 250,000 |
| 2001 | Bulk | Large and small "D". Domestic only sales | 250,000 |
| 2002 | Bulk | | 500,000 |
| 2003 | Bulk | Both frosted and satin finishes | 600,000 |
| 2004 | Bulk | | 600,000 |
| 2004 | Bulk | 50th Anniversary of China Construction Bank | 170,000 |
| 2004 | Bulk | 20th Anniversary of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China | 120,000 |
| 2004 | Bulk | Beijing Stamp and Coin Expo | 30,000 |
| 2005 | Bulk | | 600,000 |
| 2005 | Bulk | Foundation of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China | 100,000 |
| 2005 | Bulk | 10th Anniversary Bank of Shanghai | 50,000 |
| 2005 | Bulk | Beijing Stamp and Coin Expo | 30,000 |
| 2006 | Bulk | | 600,000 |
| 2006 | Bulk | 10th Anniversary China Minsheng Bank | 70,000 |
| 2006 | Bulk | 10th Anniversary Bank of Beijing | 50,000 |
| 2006 | Bulk | Shenyang Horticulture Expo | 30,000 |
| 2006 | Bulk | 10th Anniversary Jinan City Bank | 20,000 |
| 2006 | Bulk | Beijing Stamp and Coin Expo | 30,000 |
| 2007 | Bulk | | 600,000 |
| 2007 | Bulk | Xi'an City Bank | 100,000 |
| 2007 | Bulk | 20th Anniversary of China CITIC Bank | 100,000 |
| 2008 | Bulk | | 600,000 |
| 2008 | Bulk | 100th Anniversary of Beijing Banknote | 100,000 |
| 2008 | Bulk | 100th Anniversary of Bank of Communications | 100,000 |
| 2009 | Bulk | | 600,000 |
| 2009 | Bulk | 30th Anniversary of Chinese modern precious metal coins | 300,000 |
| 2009 | Bulk | Founding of Agricultural Bank of China | 100,000 |
| 2009 | Bulk | ChiNext Inauguration | 30,000 |
| 2010 | Bulk | | 800,000 |
| 2010 | Bulk | Anniversary of listing of Agricultural Bank of China | 70,000 |
| 2010 | Bulk | 20th Anniversary of opening China's capital markets | 40,000 |
| 2010 | Bulk | 90th Anniversary Shanghai Mint | 20,000 |
| 2011 | Bulk | | 6,000,000 |
| 2011 | Bulk | Running of Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway | 30,000 |
| 2011 | Bulk | 60th Anniv. of National Committee of China's Financial Union | 30,000 |
| 2011 | Bulk | 10th Anniversary of Shanghai Gold Exchange | 30,000 |
| 2011 | Bulk | 30th Anniv. of the Founding of Xiamen Special Economic Zone | 20,000 |
| 2011 | Bulk | 60th Anniversary of the Rural Credit Cooperatives | 20,000 |
| 2011 | Bulk | 60th Anniversary of the Aviation Industry | 20,000 |
| 2011 | Bulk | World Horticultural Expo 2011 in Xian | 20,000 |
| 2012 | Bulk | | 8,000,000 |
| 2012 | Bulk | 100th Anniversary of Bank of China | 260,000 |
| 2012 | Bulk | 20th Anniversary of the founding of Huaxia Bank | 50,000 |
| 2012 | Bulk | 10th Anniversary of Listing of China Merchants Bank | 30,000 |
| 2013 | Bulk | | 8,000,000 |
| 2013 | Bulk | 25th Anniversary of Shanghai Pudong Development Bank | 80,000 |
| 2013 | Bulk | 30th Anniversary of China Everbright Bank | 80,000 |
| 2013 | Bulk | 10th Anniversary of China-Asean Expo | 80,000 |
| 2014 | Bulk | | 8,000,000 |
| 2014 | Bulk | 60th Anniversary of China Construction Bank | 420,000 |
| 2014 | Bulk | 20th Anniv. of the Agricultural Development Bank of China | 85,000 |
| 2014 | Bulk | Qingdao World Horticulture Expo | 40,000 |
| 2014 | Bulk | Singapur International Coin Fair | 2,014 |
| 2015 | Bulk | | 8,000,000 |
| 2015 | Bulk | 20th Anniversary of Bank of Shanghai | 60,000 |
| 2015 | Bulk | The Year of China in South Africa | 10,000 |
| 2016 | Bulk | | 8,000,000 |
| 2016 | Bulk | 20th Anniversary of Bank of Beijing | 50,000 |
| 2016 | Bulk | 120th Anniversary of Shenyang Mint | 30,000 |
| 2016 | Bulk | 60th Anniversary of All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese | 20,000 |
| 2017 | Bulk | | 10,000,000 |
| 2017 | Bulk | China International Collection Expo | 50,000 |
| 2018 | Bulk | | 10,000,000 |
| 2018 | Bulk | 30th Anniversary of China Ping An Insurance Group | 50,000 |
| 2018 | Bulk | 30th Anniversary of Industrial Bank | 30,000 |
| 2019 | Bulk | | 10,000,000 |
| 2019 | Bulk | China International Import Expo | 20,000 |
| 2019 | Bulk | World Stamp Exhibition | 20,000 |
| 2019 | Bulk | 40th Anniversary of State Administration of Foreign Exchange | 10,000 |