Homepage / Bullion Coins: Chinese Bullion / 30 gram & (1 oz.) - Chinese Gold Panda

Updated 11/17/23

Chinese Gold Panda
Bullion Coin

30 gram & (1 oz.)

1982 - Present

Originally designed by Shanghai artist Chen Jian, the Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin's reverse side depicts a panda or pandas in their native land, and the obverse side has always featured the "Temple of Heaven" in Beijing.

The Chinese gold bullion coin series has been a favorite of investors and collectors; the coins often sell on the secondary market for premiums several times their original value.

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History of the
Chinese Gold Panda Bullion Coin

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The Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin is a series of gold bullion coins introduced, in 1982, by the People's Republic of China.

The Gold Panda bullion coins were introduced in the following sizes:

• 1 ozt.
• 1/2 ozt.
• 1/4 ozt.
• 1/10th ozt.

The coins are produced with a purity of .999 gold.  (ozt. = troy ounce)

In 1983, the 1/20th oz. Chinese Gold bullion coin was added to the series.

The gold panda bullion coins are issued in Proof-like quality with a different panda design each year.

In 2001, the Chinese government decided to stop changing the design every year and thus the 2001 and 2002 Gold Pandas are identical. (see photos in mintage section below)

However, after opposition to the change was voiced by bullion investors and collectors, China quickly changed their policy in 2003 and reverted back to their original policy of a new panda image every year.

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Large & Small Dated
Gold Pandas

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When the Chinese Gold Panda Bullion coin series was first introduced, in 1982, the coin was minted at one Chinese mint; the Shanghai Mint.

Then in 1987, China started to mint the gold bullion coins at another Chinese Mint, the Shenyang Mint.

Mint Marks were inscribed on the gold pandas so buyers could tell where the coin was minted. 

An "S" mint-mark indicated the coin was minted at the Shanghai Mint and a "Y" mint-mark indicated it was minted at the Shenyang Mint.

Unfortunately, the mint-marks weren't minted on all the coins.

However, the Chinese mint's inadvertently made the numbers for the coin's year of issue in different sizes, giving holders of these coins another way to decipher where a coin originated.

The photos below show the differences between the large and small dates of the two Chinese mints.

On the left, you can see that the larger, thicker numbers produced by the Shanghai Mint, show some contrast in the spacing and size of the numbers from the Shenyang Mint's Gold Panda bullion coin, on the right.

The sizing difference in the coin's date or 'year of issue' ended in 2001.

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The Different Facades
of the Gold Panda

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The 1982 obverse design of the Gold Panda has the same elements as the current Gold Panda bullion coins, however, the 'field' of the bullion coin's obverse side has changed several times.

The obverse side of the Gold Panda bullion coin displays the 'Temple of Heaven' in the center of the coin, under the temple is the date or the year of issue and above it are the Chinese Symbols for "Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo" meaning "People's Republic of China."

The Temple of Heaven was constructed in the early 15th century, during the reign of the Yongle Emperor, who was also known for building the Forbidden City in Beijing.

To learn more about the Temple of Heaven, click here.

The first design (1982-1991), had the same design on the obverse side of the proof version of the gold panda coin. 

The proof versions of the gold coin were minted in smaller numbers than the bullion version, and it had a "P" Mint-mark, indicating the coin was a Proof.

Gold Panda bullion coins produced from 1992 to 1999 added an outer raised border ring-line to the obverse side; this style lasted until 2000.

Then in 2000, the Chinese 'frosted' the ring around the perimeter of the bullion coin and raised the Chinese Symbols and date.

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Since 2001, the current design of the Gold Panda's obverse side incorporates the use of incused lettering, giving the symbols and numbers, of the outer field, a sunken-in or stamped look.

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Reverse Inscriptions
Weight & Purity
1982 to 2015

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1982 - 2015

Since the Chinese Government started producing the Gold Panda Bullion coin, in 1982, they had always inscribed, on its reverse side, the coin's weight in troy ounces - '1oz', metal content - 'Au' (gold), and the purity of '.999.'

In late 2014, it was rumored that in 2015 the Chinese were going to change the panda series of coins weight from ounces to grams.

In 2015, the reverse inscriptions on the gold and silver panda bullion coins were changed, so much so that the weight, content and purity of the coin were removed completely.  (See photo below)

The removal of the inscribed information about the coin put many bullion dealers and bullion investors on edge because it made it easier for counterfeiters to reproduce the coin.

Of all the bullion coins produced in the world, the Gold and Silver Chinese panda bullion coins are the most counterfeited, many in the precious metals industry expressed concern and hope that the inscriptions would return.

The coin's weight did not change in 2015, but it was changed in 2016.

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Reverse Inscriptions
Weight & Purity
2016 to Present

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2016

As expected, in 2016, the Chinese Gold Coin Corporation changed the weight of the all their bullion coins from troy ounces to grams.

The 1 oz. Gold Panda bullion coin was changed to the '30gram' Gold Panda. 

A troy ounce is equal to 31.10 grams and in the short excerpt, below, the convergence from ounces to grams is easier for those who commonly use the metric system to purchase and or trade the bullion coins.

The following excerpt, taken from a CHNGC article, is about the change from troy ounces to grams...(a translator will be needed if you click the "a CHNGC article" link)

"This version of Panda coins weighing unit all from "ounce" to "G", can be described as a very bold attempt, after all, "ounces" is the common international gold unit of measurement for broader, better integration the global market, "g" changes to foreign investment Jicang's recognition of the fact there are unknown risks"

"But for Chinese people, especially for the non-specialist collection of Chinese people, the order "g" instead of "ounce" is undoubtedly applaud favor."

"Ounce" in the eyes of the Chinese people is a very obscure word, such as 1/3 oz, 1/10 oz 1/20 ounce gold coin actually has multiple, if the value of the market price of gold and silver to calculate what is How much, these people seem very vague, even if the final figure out the relationship between ounces and grams, must have been some complex conversion and calculations in order to obtain results."

Source: CHNGC - Analysis Edition Panda gold and silver commemorative coins 2016 outlook

It is often said that the Chinese Gold Coin Corporation, the Chinese Government entity that produces all of the country's bullion coins, likes to fulfill the requests of its customers, the weight change for the Panda Bullion Coins is an example of this fulfillment.

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Design & Photos of the
1982 to 2014
1oz. Chinese Gold Panda

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Obverse

The centerpiece on the obverse side of the Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin is the Temple of Heaven, located in Beijing, China.

The Chinese characters across the top of the bullion coin say "Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo" meaning "People's Republic of China."

At the bottom of the Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin is its 'year of issue.'

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Reverse

The Reverse features a different portrait of panda(s) every year, except for 2001 and 2002, these years shared the same reverse design.

The 1 oz. gold coin has the face value of 500 Yuan, this is displayed above the Chinese pandas.

Pre-2015, Chinese Gold Panda bullion coins had inscriptions of its weight in troy ounces - 1oz, content - Au (gold), and purity of .999, along the bottom of the coin, under the pandas.

The Edge of the gold coin is Reeded.

1982 - 2015
1 oz. Gold Panda
Coin Information:

Gold Content..........1 Troy oz.

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2015 Chinese Gold Panda

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As mentioned above, in 2015, the Chinese Government removed the weight inscription from the reverse side of the gold bullion coin. 

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Although the inscription of the coin's size and weight were removed, in 2015, the bullion coin was minted in the same weight and size as the 2014 gold panda bullion coin.

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Design & Photos of the
2016 to Present
30g Chinese Gold Panda

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Obverse

Across the top of the gold panda bullion coin are these Chinese characters "中 華 人 民 共 和 國" which translate into the "People's Republic of China."

Displayed in the center of the gold bullion coin is the Temple of Heaven, located in Beijing, China.

The year of issue is inscribed along the bottom of the gold bullion coin.

The edge of the gold panda coin is Reeded.

Obverse Coin Photo Provided by the People's Bank of China.

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Reverse

The reverse side of the 2024 30 gram Chinese Gold Panda bullion coin depicts a mother panda with her cub.

Inscribed along the top of the bullion coin is the coin's weight of "30g" (30gram) , content "Au" (gold) and purity of ".999".

The 'Face Value' of the 30 gram gold bullion coin is '500 Yuan.'

Reverse Coin Photo Provided by the People's Bank of China

2016 to Present
30 gram Gold Panda
Coin Information:

Gold Content..........30 grams (0.9645 troy oz)

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1oz. & 30 gram
Chinese Gold Panda
Bullion Coins and Mintage Figures:

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Year      Mintage

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1982....13,532

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1983....25,363

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1984....25,183

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1985....55,539

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1986....107,132

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1987....156,178

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1988....289,055

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1989....115,187

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1990....53,898

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1991....36,367

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1992....41,120

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1993....40,449

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1994....24,438

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1995....17,412

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1996....22,009

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1997....30,457

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1998....20,507

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1999....32,439

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2000....29,011

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2001....41,411

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2002....28,345

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2003....120,000

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2004....120,000

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2005....150,000

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2006....150,000

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2007....150,000

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2008....60,000

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2009....160,000

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2010....300,000

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2011....500,000

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2012....600,000

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2013....600,000

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2014....1,000,000

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2015....1,000,000

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2016....600,000

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2017....700,000

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2018....700,000

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2019....1,000,000

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2020....1,000,000

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2021....1,000,000

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2022....1,000,000

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2023....1,000,000

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2024....1,000,000

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