The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has released two new commemorative Panda coins to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone. These two new Panda coins are struck from 99.9% pure gold or silver and were authorized for release beginning on November 21, 2011.
According to the release from the People’s Bank, the commemorative Xiamen Gold Panda Coins will be struck to a maximum mintage of only 5,000. The commemorative Xiamen Silver Panda Coins will see a larger maximum mintage of 20,000. Both are legal tender of the People’s Republic with face values of 100 Yuan and 10 Yuan, respectively.
The Xiamen Special Economic Zone was established in October of 1980 to encompass approximately 2.5 square kilometers of Xiamen City. In 1984, the zone was expanded to cover the entire Xiamen Island which is approximately 131 square kilometers. The zone was created to foster foreign investments in the region by establishing local laws leaning more towards a free market atmosphere.
Gold Panda Coin Specifications and Designs
Each gold Panda coin is struck from 1/4 ounce of .999 fine gold. The strike features a diameter of 22 millimeters with the aforementioned mintage cap of 5,000 coins.
Shown on the obverse of the 100 yuan coin is an image of Qinian Dian (Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest), which is perhaps the best known structure found in the Temple of Heaven complex in Beijing, China. Obverse inscriptions include the mintage date of "2011" along with the Chinese characters for "People’s Republic of China" and "Xiamen Special Economic Zone 30th Anniversary."
The reverse of the coin features the images of a mother panda and cub. Reverse inscriptions on the gold coin are in English and state "30th Anniversary of Xiamen Special Economic Zone" and "1/4oz Au .999."
Silver Panda Coin Specifications and Designs
The silver Panda coin includes both obverse and reverse imagery similar to the aforementioned gold coins. This includes and obverse image of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest and a reverse containing a mother panda and her cub.
Obverse inscriptions on the silver coins are the same as found on the gold versions. However, the reverse contains an inscription of "1oz Ag .999," indicating the coin’s fineness.
The 10 yuan coin is struck from .999 fine silver to a diameter of 40 millimeters.
Both commemorative coins should soon be available from world coin dealers.
Chinese panda coins are popular with both collectors and investors. Coins featuring a new panda design have been issued annually for many years in various bullion sizes. Learn about these bullion Panda gold and Panda silver coins.
Considering how much the Chinese government allows its people to make and sell counterfeit coins, I wouldn’t buy their garbage out of principle. Why waste money on Chinese coins when there are so many products from the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia that you can buy.
If I want useless Chinese junk I will go to Wal-Mart.
Panda coins are nice, but considering that China is counterfeit central now, with Pandas at the top of the list of coins that are extensively counterfeited, wouldn’t touch these even if sealed and encapsulated by the Chinese mint. It’s very suspect when the Chinese Communist party is the state run totalitarian government, yet allows piracy and counterfeiting activity to run rampant within their borders. Until they clean up their act, it’s good policy not to buy any Panda coins and risk getting ripped off. Buy American. All the cheap plastic garbage from China should be banned as it can possibly… Read more »