Homepage / Bullion Coins: Chinese Coins / 1/20 oz. & 1 gram Chinese Gold Panda

---

---

---

Last Updated on 11/10/2024

Chinese Gold Panda
1 gram & (1/20 oz.)
Bullion Coins

1983 - Present

'Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests'

History of the
Chinese Gold Panda Bullion Coin

The Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin is a series of gold bullion coins introduced, in 1982, by the People's Republic of China. 

click to enlarge

The Gold Panda bullion coins were introduced in the following sizes:

• 1 oz.
• 1/2 oz.
• 1/4 oz.
• 1/10th oz. (oz. = troy ounce)
  

The coins are produced with a purity of 999.0 fine gold.

In 1983, the 1/20th oz. Chinese Gold bullion coin was added to the series.

The gold panda bullion coins are issued in Proof-like quality with a different panda design each year.

In 2001, the Chinese government briefly stopped the annual design change on the coin's reverse side, thus the 2001 and 2002 Gold Pandas are identical. (see photos in mintage section below)

However, after much opposition to the change was voiced by bullion investors and collectors, the Chinese reversed their decision and ever since 2003, the Chinese Panda bullion coins have a new panda design every year.

There have been other changes to the Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin, some of which are subtle and others more noticeable, all of which are detailed on this page.

Large & Small Dated
Gold Pandas

When the Chinese Gold Panda Bullion coin series was first introduced, in 1982, the coin was minted at one Chinese mint; the Shanghai Mint.

Then in 1987, China started to mint the bullion coins at another Chinese Mint, the Shenyang Mint.  Between 1987-2000, the two mints produced all Chinese Panda bullion and proof versions of the coins.

So, can a person decipher which Chinese Mint produced the Chinese Panda bullion coins, during this period?  Yes, the Chinese inadvertently made the coin's "year of issue" in different sizes, giving an easy way to decipher where a coin originated.

The Shanghai Mint produced a Large Date with taller, thicker, more compact numbers, while the Shenyang Mint produced a Small Date with skinny, short, numbers that have a wider spacing.

The sizing difference in the coin's "year of issue" ended in 2001.

Obverse Design Changes to
the Chinese Gold Panda
1982 - Present

The obverse design of the 1982 Gold Panda bullion coin has the same features and inscriptions as the current one; however, the coin's layout has changed several times. (click coin photos to enlarge)

The centerpiece of the Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin features the 'Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests,' the largest building in the Temple of Heaven, located in Beijing, China.

The Temple of Heaven was built in the early 15th century during the reign of the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, who also built Beijing's Forbidden City.

Displayed above the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests are these Chinese symbols, "中 華 人 民 共 和 國," which means "People's Republic of China."

1982-1991
Chinese Gold Panda
Obverse

1992-1999
Chinese Gold Panda
Obverse

1982 - 1991

The first design of the Chinese Gold Panda, 1982-1991, depicts the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests spanning the coin from rim to rim.

---

1992 - 1999

Gold Panda bullion coins produced from 1992 to 1999 added a wide border with a raised ring circling the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests: this style lasted through 2000.

---

2000

Frosted and Mirrored finishes

In 2000, the Chinese Panda bullion coin had two obverse sides made for them, each indicating the Mint that produced them.

---

• Chinese Panda bullion coins made from the Shenyang Mint had a 'frosted' finish on the wide border that wrapped around the perimeter of the bullion coin.
• Whereas, the Shanghai Mint produced Chinese Panda bullion coins with a "mirrored" finish on the broad border that encircled the bullion coin's perimeter.

---

---

2001 to Present

Since 2001, the Chinese raised the wide border that wraps around the perimeter of the Gold Panda bullion coin and incorporated the use of incused lettering, giving the inscriptions a deep, sunken-in look.

2000 "Frosted"
(Shenyang Mint)
Chinese Gold Panda
Obverse

---

2000 "Mirrored"
(Shanghai Mint)
Chinese Gold Panda
Obverse

---

2001 to Present
Chinese Gold Panda
Obverse

Reverse Inscriptions Changes to
the Chinese Gold Panda
1983 to 2015

1983 Chinese Gold Panda
Reverse

1983-1991

In 1983, the Chinese changed the reverse inscriptions to show the gold panda bullion coin's weight, metal content and purity in Chinese and in English.

The Chinese also gave the 1/20 oz. Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin the face value of 5元 (5 Yaun).

1986 Chinese Gold Panda
Proof with "P" mint-mark
Reverse

1986

In 1986, the Chinese started to release a proof version of the Gold Panda bullion coin that had a limited mintage, in addition to the bullion version, which had a unlimited mintage. 

The proof versions of the gold coin had a "P" Mint-mark on its reverse side, indicating the coin was a Proof.

1987

In 1987, the Chinese Panda bullion coins featured two unique mint marks: a "Diamond with an "S" inside" for the Shanghai Mint and a "Circle with a "Y" inside" for the Shenyang Mint.

1987 "S" (Shanghai Mint)
1/20 oz. Gold Panda
Reverse

1987 "Y" (Shenyang Mint)
1/20 oz. Gold Panda
Reverse

1987

1992 1/20oz Chinese
Gold Panda Reverse

In 1987, the "S" & "Y" mint marks were only on bullion coins, not proof coins, and they were only on the Chinese Gold Panda bullion coins minted in that year (1987).

1992-2014

In 1992, the Chinese removed the inscriptions that were in the Chinese language for the coin's weight, metal content, purity.  But they kept the Chinese symbol for the face value: Yaun (元).

2001 - Face Value Change

From 1983 thru 2000, the face value of the 1/20oz Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin was 5元 (5 Yaun).  Since 2001, the face value of the 1/20oz gold bullion coin has been 20元 (20 Yaun).

2000 1/20oz. Chinese Gold
Panda 5元 (5 Yaun)
Reverse

2001 1/20oz. Chinese Gold
Panda 20元 (20 Yaun)
Reverse

2001-D

2001-D 1/20oz. Chinese Gold
Panda Bullion Coin "Small D"
Reverse

In an attempt to control imports and exports to and from China, the Chinese used the special "D" mint mark, which stood for "Domestic."

The mint mark indicated that these coins would only be sold to those living in mainland China. However, over the years, the coin has been bought and sold on the secondary market through many auction sites, including eBay. 

2001 was the only year the special "D" mint mark bullion coins were minted, the bullion coins were exclusively produced by Shenzhen National Treasure Mint Co., Ltd. and were made in only gold and silver. (mintage figures are currently unavailable)

click to enlarge

Despite being struck by a single mint, the bullion coins featured two different versions of the special "D" mint mark: one with a Large "D" and one with a Small "D."

The photo to the right displays the two versions.

Special mint mark "D" Chinese Panda source: CHNGC article (translator needed)

2014-2015 - Inscriptions Changed

The 2014 and 2015 Chinese Gold Panda bullion coins both weigh "1oz," both contain "Au" (gold), and both have a gold purity of "999."

2014 1/20oz Chinese Gold
Panda - Reverse

However, the 2014 Chinese Gold Panda was the last Gold Panda bullion coin to have these inscriptions on its reverse side.

In 2015, all silver and gold panda bullion coins had their reverse inscriptions erased except for their face value. (Photo - below right)

The Chinese gave no indication they were going to remove the inscriptions before they did so, and they gave little information regarding the removal, as stated in this 2014 CoinWorld article: 2015 Panda coins lack inscriptions for weight, metal, fineness.

2015 1/20oz Chinese Gold
Panda - Reverse

Removing the inscriptions for the coin's weight, metal content, and purity put many dealers and investors on edge because it made it easier for counterfeiters to reproduce the coin.

Gold and silver Chinese panda bullion coins are among the most counterfeited bullion coins in the world.

The changes to the 2015 Chinese Panda bullion coins lasted for only one year because the Chinese planned for bigger changes to come to the bullion coins in 2016.

Reverse Inscriptions:
Ounces to Grams - 2016 to Present

2016

In 2016, the Chinese Gold Coin Corporation (CHNGC) changed the weight of all their precious metal bullion coins, including the Chinese Panda, from troy ounces to grams.

The Chinese government made the change from ounces to grams to make it easier for the average Chinese citizen to purchase the bullion coins; as explained in the excerpt below, taken from a Chinese Gold Coin Corporation article:

2016 1-gram Chinese Gold Panda - Reverse

"...especially for the Chinese people who are not professional collectors, replacing "ounces" with "grams" is undoubtedly applauded"

"Ounce" is a very obscure word in the eyes of the Chinese people, such as 1/3 ounce, 1/10 ounce and 1/20 ounce gold and silver coins, and if the value is calculated according to the market price of gold and silver, these are very vague in the eyes of the common people, even if the relationship between ounces and grams is finally understood, it is still necessary to go through a complex conversion and calculation to get the result."

Source: Chinese Gold Coin Corporation (CHNGC) - Analysis Edition Panda gold and silver commemorative coins 2016 outlook

It has been said that the Chinese Gold Coin Corporation, the Chinese Government entity that produces all of the country's bullion coins, likes to fulfill the requests of its customers, the weight change for the Panda Bullion Coins is an example of this fulfillment.

2016 1-gram Face Value Change

The 1-gram Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin was the only coin in the series to change its "face value" when the coins were converted from ounces to grams.

The face value of the 1-gram gold bullion coin has been reduced from 20元 (20 Yaun) to 10元 (10 Yaun).

2015 1/20oz. Chinese Gold
Panda 20元 (20 Yaun)
Reverse

2016 1-gram Chinese Gold
Panda 10元 (10 Yaun)
Reverse

Coin Information
1/20 oz. Chinese Gold Panda
1983 - 2015

In 2015, the bullion coin was minted with the same weight and size as the 2014 gold panda bullion coin, despite the removal of the size and weight inscription.

Design of the
1-gram Chinese Gold Panda
2016 - Present

Obverse

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

Displayed in the center of the Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the largest building in the Temple of Heaven, located in Beijing, China.

Inscriptions:

• 中 華 人 民 共 和 國  (People's Republic of China)
• Year of Issue
  

The edge of the bullion coin is reeded.

Coin Photo provided courtesy of the Chinese Gold Coin Corporation

Obverse

Every year, all Chinese Panda bullion coins receive a new design of a Chinese Panda.

The reverse side of the 2025 Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin depicts a mother panda with her cubs.

Inscriptions:

• 1g
• Au
• .999
• 10元 - (10 Yuan)

Coin Photo provided courtesy of the Chinese Gold Coin Corporation.

Coin Information
1 gram Chinese Gold Panda
2016 - Present

---

Purchase Chinese Gold Panda Bullion Coins

from the Reputable Bullion Dealers below.

The Links below will take you directly to the page described.

Chinese Gold Panda

Free Shipping on Orders $199+

4.8 star Customer Reviews

---

Chinese Gold Pandas

Free Shipping on Orders $199+

5.0 star Customer Reviews

Chinese Gold Pandas

Free Shipping on Orders $199+

4.8 star Customer Reviews

---

Chinese Gold Pandas

Shipping prices vary by item

|

|

---

Notice

• This site receives a commission when you purchase from the merchants above.
  
• No Personal Information is Obtained by this guide when you visit or order from any of the merchants above.
• See this guide's Affiliate Disclosure page for more information: here)
  

1/20 oz. & 1 gram
Chinese Gold Panda Bullion Coin
Mintage Figures

Year    Mintage

1983....75,454

1984....77,869

1985....210,175

1986....79,194

1987....133,088

1988....468,683

1989....268,738

1990....348,246

1991....206,254

1992....216,305

1993....158,364

1994....133,226

1995....97,910

1996....145,347

1997....54,853

1998....27,483

1999....37,171

2000....41,837

2001....200,000

2002....74,601

2003....117,000

2004....101,000

2005....89,500

2006....62,000

2007....200,000

2008....200,000

2009....200,000

2010....120,000

2011....200,000

2012....800,000

2013....800,000

2014....800,000

2015....800,000

1 gram

2016....600,000

2017....1,000,000

2018....1,000,000

2019....1,000,000

2020....1,000,000

2021....1,000,000

2022....500,000

2023....500,000

2024....500,000

2025....500,000

Other Pages You May Like...

Gold Buying Guide Gold Price Charts Gold Sovereign Bullion Coins

Home Page with Bullion Market News 1/20th oz. Canadian Maple Leaf Bullion Coin Vault Storage Brokerages

1/20 oz. Australian Gold  Lunar Bullion Coin Fractional Sized Gold Libertads Silver Bullion Buying Guide / Dealers Austrian Mint & Austrian Bullion Coins

Gold Buying Guide 1/10 oz. Austrian Gold Philharmonic Bullion Coin Queen's Beast Gold Bullion Coins Home Safes Buying Guide

Chinese Gold Panda

Visit  the  Chinese Bullion page

OR

For Bullion Market News...

Visit the Homepage

Free-Bullion-Investment-Guide "Search" search engine by freefind advanced

ShareFacebookXPinterestTumblrRedditWhatsApp