1999 gold 1 oz pandas.....a contrast in mint facilities.
gecko109
Posts: 8,231 ✭
Just bought an interesting panda this morning. What makes it so unusual is the fact that its inside a hard capsule inside a mylar pouch. All other business strike gold pandas (except 2000) were issued in just a plain soft mylar pouch. Only the proofs came in these double sealed capsules. The catch is, there were no proofs made in 1999. Check out the contrast between the "ordinary" business strike in the plain pouch and the "super" business strike of the one in the hard capsule. Its very prooflike, and frosty.
Regular 1999 in soft pouch:
My newp 1999 in double sealed capsule:
Regular 1999 in soft pouch:
My newp 1999 in double sealed capsule:
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Comments
Well, just Love coins, period.
Just a thought.
1/2 Cents
U.S. Revenue Stamps
<< <i>I know absolutely squat about pandas, but are you sure that one isn't a fake? Plated fakes abound on pandas...
Just a thought. >>
That was my first thought too. But gecko109 is probably the foremost expert on Pandas in the forum right now. In fact he posted a pretty cool counterfeit Ag piece about three weeks ago.
Gold Pandas are cool - gold anything is cool!
Cheers,
Bob
<< <i>I know absolutely squat about pandas, but are you sure that one isn't a fake? Plated fakes abound on pandas...
Just a thought. >>
In 1999, 3 different mints in China actually produced coins for the first time. This particular piece is from the Shenzhen mint, the first year any pandas were coined there. It is consequently one of three distinct varieties of 1999 gold pandas (the only year that 3 varieties exist). This happens to be the large date, underlined "1" variety. There is a small date; and a large date, non-underlined "1" variety for this year as well. From my understanding, the later 2 varieties, each from the other 2 mints, were packaged in the regular soft mylar pouches. This variety, from the newer mint was given the capsule treatment. Although specific numbers are not available, it is strongly believed that of the 3 different mints, and thus 3 different varieties, this piece is by far the lowest of the 3 mintages. Total mintage combined for all 3 facilities/varieties is about 32,000. Unfortunately, no data is available to break this number down further. I can speculate that the very frosty and prooflike appearance of this example is a testament to the extremely low mintage of this variety however. Those slightly used dies did well to impart such a spectacular strike to this issue.
<< <i>
<< <i>I know absolutely squat about pandas, but are you sure that one isn't a fake? Plated fakes abound on pandas...
Just a thought. >>
That was my first thought too. But gecko109 is probably the foremost expert on Pandas in the forum right now. In fact he posted a pretty cool counterfeit Ag piece about three weeks ago.
Gold Pandas are cool - gold anything is cool!
Cheers,
Bob >>
Thanks for the vote of confidence and the compliment Bob, but im simply a student of the series right now, and far from an expert. I will relinquish that title to Trozau...for now.
<< <i>Thanks for the vote of confidence and the compliment Bob, but im simply a student of the series right now, and far from an expert. I will relinquish that title to Trozau...for now.
You da man! Right here, right now! It was never me.