Gold Pandas: A Beginner’s Guide

As the U.S. dollar price of gold breaks record after record, many people may be asking, “what is the best way to invest in the yellow metal? Should I buy bars or coins?” Modern bars are simple. They are lumps of gold that are valued by their weight and fineness. Coins, on the other hand, are legal tender issued by governments. Their weight and fineness are guaranteed by the governments that issue them.

Several countries strike gold coins including Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. All their coins are accepted forms of bullion with prices that rise and fall as gold’s price changes. Sometimes overlooked is the status of these coins as legal tender (somewhere) and their possible value as collectibles.

Among all the types of modern bullion coins, some of the most collectible are China’s Panda coins. Panda coin collectors live all around the world. This international demand has caused some Pandas to develop significant numismatic premiums over their melt value.

As collectors build their own sets they naturally are interested in the scarcest dates and best condition coins. One example is the 1982 1-ounce gold Panda. When these were first announced, coin dealers expected them to sell for slightly over melt value. As this is written, a 1982 1-ounce gold Panda contains about $3,100 of gold. In poor condition, it might sell for not much more than this. However, in superb condition graded MS69 by PCGS, this coin has a market value of around $12,000. Another example is the 1995 half-ounce gold Panda. It contains around $1,700 in gold, yet a PCGS MS69-graded coin can command a market price around $9,000.

So where should a newcomer to gold Pandas start? The two most collectible weights of gold Pandas are the 1-ounce and 10th-ounce coins. The 1-ounce coins are a fine way to accumulate gold while also building an interesting and beautiful coin collection. One standout feature of the Panda series is that the design changes from year to year. The 32-millimeter diameter of the 1-ounce coins is an excellent size to display the beauty of each design. The 10th-ounce Panda coins have also always been collector favorites. These smaller, less expensive coins are large enough to show off the coins’ designs.

Since 1982, gold Pandas have been minted in sizes that range from 1 gram to 5 kilograms and from 1/20 oz. to 12 ounces. In 2007, a special set of 1/25-ounce gold Pandas was released for the 25th anniversary of the series. There are countless ways to collect gold Pandas. Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that every Chinese gold Panda coin minted is .999-pure gold. They offer beauty, lasting value, and are a great addition to any collection no matter how small or large. Happy collecting!