The Silver Panda is a silver coin issued by the People’s Republic of China. The design of the coin, along with the weight has changed from year to year. Over the years the weight of the coin was anywhere between .5 ounces all the way up to 1 kilogram. In and around 2006 there was an unusual amount of counterfeit Silver Pandas that flooded the market. Counterfeits from this area of the world are more common than anywhere else in the world. For collectors and anyone else who knows anything about coins, these counterfeit coins were easy to determine. Even for the common person buying these coins, it is easy to tell that they were counterfeit because they had no nominal amount on the coin.

The counterfeit coins were marked as if they had a large amount of silver in them when in all actuality they did not. Counterfeit coins are not all too uncommon and it is not only Silver Pandas that are susceptible to being counterfeited, it is almost any coin. Before purchasing Silver Pandas, or any coin for that matter, it is very important to know what you are buying.

The obverse side of the coin features the Chinese Temple of Heaven accompanied by a quote that says, “People’s Republic of China” and the issue date of the coin. On the reverse side of the coin, of course, there is a picture of a panda. What makes the coin unique is that the image of the panda changes every year to attract collectors and investors. There are 6 different designs of the coin and they are uncalculated, proof, gold plated or gilded (this can be on one side or both), colored version (but the color has only ever been on the obverse side), privy in 2001 marked for domestic distribution, and a privy marked to be commemorative.

Sizes and Denominations of Chinese Silver Pandas

For whatever reason, between the years 1983 through 1986 the Silver Pandas did not have a uniform size or weight. Strangely enough the coins from these years are the most popular among collectors because each and every single coin is unique. Silver Pandas that were not minted in those three years are still popular because the design of the coin, starting in 1989, changes yearly. This change in design every year attracts collectors to the coin as well, as is the case with the Gold Panda as well.

Coins from 1982-1986 had an average weight of about 27 grams and a purity ranging anywhere from .900% to .925%. From 1989 all the way up to the present day the Silver Panda has had a purity of .999% and weighs in consistently at 31.1 grams. In the earlier years of the coin (early 80’s) the Silver Panda’s diameter was about 38.6 millimeters. But today the diameter is 40 millimeters.

Buying Silver Pandas

With so many different types of Silver Pandas out there, the pallet for collectors seems limitless. Especially popular are those coins from 1983-1986 as each one is unique. Even with the newer coins (1989-today) the change in design every year is what draws collectors and investors in.

Apmex.com is a great place to begin your search for pristine Silver Panda coins of every type. They offer a wide variety of coins including the highly sought after ones from the early 80s. Silver Pandas are a great addition to any coin collection and with the change in design each year there is no wondering why collectors flock to the coin. Because of the coin’s purity being .999% investors too are drawn to the silver in the coin. Silver Pandas are versatile coins and are among the most sought after silver coins in the world.