10 000 Yuan Panda

The kilogram Panda is among the largest gold coins China has ever produced, and the 2002 issue sits in a series that began in 1982 when the People's Bank of China launched the Panda program partly to generate hard currency through numismatic exports. Mintages on kilogram pieces have never been officially confirmed with precision, but credible dealer records and auction appearances suggest production in the very low hundreds — possibly fewer than two hundred struck.

Each year's Panda carries a new design, a policy introduced deliberately to discourage hoarding and stimulate annual sales. The 2002 kilogram's low survival rate in original capsule condition reflects heavy handling during the authentication process alone.