The 1994 Kuan Yin gold series occupied an awkward commercial position for the People's Bank of China — priced above the bullion market but below the prestige of the Panda issues, it sold poorly in Western markets and was quietly discontinued after a short run. That limited distribution, rather than low mintage alone, accounts for the difficulty in finding examples today outside of Asian auction houses.
The 1994 Kuan Yin gold series occupied an awkward commercial position for the People's Bank of China — priced above the bullion market but below the prestige of the Panda issues, it sold poorly in Western markets and was quietly discontinued after a short run. That limited distribution, rather than low mintage alone, accounts for the difficulty in finding examples today outside of Asian auction houses.