Panda (2025) - 30 g - silver investment coin

The Panda series of Chinese silver coins is one of the most popular silver coins in the world and is famous for its yearly changes in reverse design and high silver purity. This series is a major player in the global silver coin market and offers investment value and cultural significance, especially through its association with the popular giant panda.

Chinese Silver Panda Series

The Chinese Silver Panda Series (Chinese: 熊猫银币; pinyin: xióngmāo yínbì) is issued annually by the People's Republic of China. The panda, a symbol of peace, friendship and conservation in Chinese culture, gives the coin its cultural significance. Pandas are considered a national treasure and are popular characters in Chinese literature and art. The colouring of the panda bear is said to represent the balance of darkness and light that is seen in the yin and yang. Despite their gentle appearance, pandas are considered beacons of strength and can survive harsh conditions. At the same time, pandas are also used as symbols of friendship and peace as they feed on bamboo, and a pair of pandas were once sent by Empress Wu Tse-tung to the Emperor of Japan to strengthen diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Metric Chinese silver pandas

Since 2016, silver pandas have been minted in metric sizes to better serve international markets. One troy ounce weighs 31.1035 grams and the closest equivalent is a 30 gram silver panda. Although it has a lower silver content than its three-ounce counterparts, such as the Krugerrand, Britannia or Maple Leaf, the silver panda usually sells at a higher price. This is primarily due to the coin's unique annual design and limited mintage.

Changes to the design of the Chinese panda

One of the distinguishing features of the Chinese Silver Panda series is the annual design change, which has made the coin popular among collectors. This makes Chinese gold pandas and silver pandas unique among the world's bullion coins. The reverse side of the coins changes every year, featuring new images of the panda that showcase the animal in different poses and environments, adding to their collectible value. The obverse side remains consistent with the depiction of the Hall of Prayer for Abundant Harvest at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

History of the Chinese Silver Panda Series

The Chinese silver panda series has changed several times since the coins were first issued. Introduced in 1983, the Chinese Silver Panda Series originally featured proof-quality coins with 27 grams of pure silver and a face value of 0.900. In 1987, the series switched to 1 troy ounce of 0.999 fine silver, placing it alongside other major silver coins. In the mid-1990s, annual changes to the panda design became a distinctive feature that fueled collector interest and increased its popularity worldwide.