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5 Yuan Panda
| Issuer | People's Republic of China |
|---|---|
| Year | 1985 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 5 Yuan (5元, 伍圓) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is depicted clinging playfully to bamboo branches that extend across the upper field, with leafy bamboo stalks framing both sides of the composition. The denomination 5元 appears in the upper left field in Chinese characters. A lower arc inscription in Chinese characters reads 1/20盎司纯金 (1/20 oz. pure gold), followed by the fineness designation 金纯999, positioned along the lower right periphery. |
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| Reverse lettering | 5元 1/20盎司纯金 金纯999 |
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| Additional information |
China's Panda gold series launched in 1982, but the 1985 issues hold particular interest for a design reason: unlike most world bullion programs, the Chinese Mint changed the panda design annually from the outset, a deliberate policy that transformed what was otherwise a straightforward bullion coin into a de facto collectible series. The decision was unusual enough that Western dealers initially underestimated secondary market demand.
The 1/20 oz denomination was among the smallest in the series, produced for the international gift and investment market rather than domestic use — gold ownership by Chinese citizens remained heavily restricted through the 1980s.