50 Yuan Panda

The 1998 Panda gold series fell during a period of significant adjustment for the Chinese mint program — the People's Bank had been steadily revising mintage ceilings through the mid-to-late 1990s in response to speculative hoarding that had distorted earlier issues. Mintages for the 1/2 oz and fractional gold Pandas tightened noticeably after 1997, making the 1/10 oz issues from this window modestly scarcer than collectors accustomed to earlier years might expect.

Each year's Panda carries a unique design, a policy the People's Bank has maintained almost without interruption since 1982 — the sole exception being 2001 and 2002, which shared a design.