History
A new face every year
The Chinese Gold Panda is one of the most beloved gold investment coins worldwide. What sets it apart from almost every other coin is its annually changing panda design: a different image each year, struck by the China Gold Coin Incorporation on behalf of the People’s Republic of China.
The Chinese Gold Panda first appeared in 1982. The very first coins had no face value yet; only from 1983 did they receive an official value marking. In 1985 the 1 troy ounce Panda of 1983 was voted “Coin of the Year” by the American Numismatic Association.
In 2016 China switched from the troy ounce system to the metric system. The 1 troy ounce coin (31.103 grams) was replaced by a 30 gram version. The gold content and purity remained unchanged.
Each year the reverse shows a new image of the giant panda. The obverse is constant: the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For collectors the early years are especially valuable: the 1982 edition was struck in just 13,532 pieces for the 1 ounce version.
