1991 Silver Panda

Today, I would like to talk about 1991 Silver Panda. The 10 Yuan panda coin, like many pandas in other years with the same denomination, weights 31.1 grams or 1 troy ounce. The coin reverse features the image of a Panda eating bamboo while sitting along the bank of a river (as shown below). After 1990’s brute this represents a reversion to the earlier cute bear theme.

There are two major varieties of the 1991 BU Silver Pandas: Large Date and Small Date. The Large Date coins were struck at the Shanghai Mint with the 1s in the date having a serif at its base. The Small Date coins were struck at the Shenyang Mint with the 1s missing a serif, thus a plain 1(as shown in the picture below). The values of both varieties are around the same due to similar mintage of each type, with a combined mintage of 100,000. Although panda coins that are double sealed (as shown in pictures with original coin capsule and plastic package) can worth slightly more.

The normal proof version of 1991 Silver Panda has a letter "P" labeled right behind the panda's head (as shown in the picture below). The proof panda was minted only in Shanghai, indicated by its serif 1s on "1991." Without the P mark, it is difficult to differentiate between the BU and proof. Even coin dealers sometimes mistakenly identify BU pandas as Proof pandas, charging the coin with higher price tag in the process. Although upon closer inspection, you can see a better mirrored finish on the proof version, while the BU often carry a less-mirrored or semi-matte finish. The Proof Panda has a 20,000.

The reason I say the 1991 Proof Silver Panda normal is because there is a Piedfort Proof Silver Panda. Minted only in Shanghai as well, with a much scarcer mintage of 10,000. The coin reverse has a different design from the normal 1991 panda, showing the Panda holding onto the bamboo. The coin weights 62.2 grams or 2 troy ounces, twice the weight than the normal BU and Proof 10 Yuan panda. The coin was to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of Issuance of Gold Panda, a low time for panda series coins collecting before collecting hype goes back up later in the decade afterward. The piedfort coin is for sure one of the coins on my wishlist. The pictures below are taken from Numista showing the Piedfort Panda.

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