China's Panda gold bullion series launched in 1982, making 2022 its fortieth year — an anniversary the People's Bank of China marked with this small-denomination commemorative alongside the standard annual issue. What distinguishes the Panda series historically is the near-annual design change, a deliberate policy that set it apart from bullion programs like the Krugerrand or Maple Leaf and drove speculative collector demand from the outset. The one exception: 2001 and 2002 shared an identical design, a production decision that remains a point of contention among series specialists.
China's Panda gold bullion series launched in 1982, making 2022 its fortieth year — an anniversary the People's Bank of China marked with this small-denomination commemorative alongside the standard annual issue. What distinguishes the Panda series historically is the near-annual design change, a deliberate policy that set it apart from bullion programs like the Krugerrand or Maple Leaf and drove speculative collector demand from the outset. The one exception: 2001 and 2002 shared an identical design, a production decision that remains a point of contention among series specialists.