Help identifying this gold coin

greghansen

I recently bought 4 of these bullion coins. I normally don't collect gold bullion. The reverse references the 1988 ANA convention in Cinncinnati. I wasn't collecting back then. Can anyone tell me anything about these coins? Does anyone know who minted them? Do they have any numismatic preium associated with them or are they strictly bullion? Thank you for any history/information anyone can share regarding these interesting pieces.

pmh1nic

It's a 1 oz Gold Panda made for the 97th anniversary ANA show in Cinn. in 1988. Total mintage was 1,000 coins but I don't know who minted them (my guess is China).

greghansen

pmh 1nic: Thanks for the information.

Does anyone else know whether these were minted by the Chinese government, by a private mint or whom? Are there other gold bullion coins commemorating ANA conventions? I've been to the last couple and I don't recall seeing them, but I sure wasn't looking either. I just stumbled onto these and now my curiosity is aroused.

Askari

I would imagine it's from a private mint. It's a good knock-off of the standard Panda 100 Yuan design, so the official engraver might even have participated. The design employed here, though, was not used in 1988 nor at any other time on officially issued Pandas, so far as I'm aware.

greghansen

Yea, I checked the www.pandaamerica.com website and noted that the obverse was not the same obverse used for the official 1988 coin. That's kind of what got me started wondering. Maybe I'll send an inquiry to ANA and see if I can get an intern or somebody to tell me something about it. Where's Keifer when you need him??? He could probably tell me who to direct it to.

ara

They were minted by the China Mint. Same mint that produces the bullion panda series. The show pandas are minted in platinum, gold and silver. There are currently 12 - 1 oz (gold and platinum) show pandas of which this is one of them. All the show pandas have a lot less mintage than the regular bullion pandas but are not too well known (hence sells at a regular premium). Of the 12 - 1 oz show pandas, 1 is platinum (1987 New York) and 1 is an error (gold but is labeled platinum - 1988 Basel). There are also fractional show pandas but I do not know how many kinds there are.

greghansen

"Show Pandas" , huh? Cool. I like the way that sounds. Got some 'show pandas' here. Seems like it would be pretty neat to put together a full set of 'show pandas' for all the 12 years available....especially if, as you say, there is no particular premium associated with them beyond the regular Panda's. Thank's to everyone who pitched in. If I learn anything else interesting about the 'show pandas', I'll let you know. Do they still make 'show pandas' I wonder for the current conventions? Guess I'll have to look for them this year.

ara

Here's a link to a coin seller that I have found to be a good reference for panda coin varieties. Click on the year 1988 and look for undenominated panda for ANA Cincinnati and you will see your coin. You can also check on other show pandas of 1988 or for other years on this site.

Pacific Atlantic Coin