Pandas are showing up on a variety of silver coins this year; we’ve already taken a look at the Central Bank of China’s Silver Pandas, but a couple of other releases are using the motif in the first part of 2016 as well.

The Royal Canadian Mint, in conjunction with APMEX, will soon release the 2016 Maple Leaf 1 oz. silver bullion coin with a panda privy mark. This issue features a Reverse Proof finish, has an overall mintage limited to 50,000 pieces, and is composed of .9999 silver.

The reverse includes the central Maple Leaf design common to many Canadian bullion coins, with the inscriptions CANADA, 9999 FINE SILVER, ARGENT PUR, and 1 oz situated along the rim. The privy mark is placed beneath the larger image of the leaf, beside the stem.

The privy mark features an image of a panda eating a bamboo shoot and was inspired by a similar image on the 1982 Chinese Gold Panda coin.

The obverse carries a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II created by Susanna Blunt. Inscribed along the rim are ELIZABETH II, 2016, and the coin’s denomination of 5 DOLLARS.

The 2016 Maple Leaf 1 oz. silver coin with panda privy mark is an APMEX exclusive and is expected in stock any day now. Interested collectors and investors can sign up to be alerted when the issue becomes available on the coin’s product page.

Also of interest is the 2016 Lunar Panda 2 oz. silver medal, distributed by Chinese Medals and produced by China’s Shenyang Mint. It is composed of .999 silver, with a mintage limited to 499, and a retail price of $190.

This is the second release in a lunar panda series that features a panda obverse and the current lunar year animal on its reverse. The obverse carries an image of a panda sitting on the Great Wall of China, with the year of issue inscribed at the bottom of the design.

2016 is the Year of the Monkey, and a family of golden snub-nosed monkeys are included on the reverse of this issue. This is a protected species, as is the endangered panda. A certificate of authenticity is included with the packaging.

For more information on these issues, please visit the Web sites of APMEX and Chinese Medals.



